The Robert Mondavi Winery's Summer Festivals have been music to the ears of Napa Valley residents and visitors since 1969, but its contribution to life in the valley has always been more than just entertainment. In 2005, the festival raised a record $95,000 to benefit the Napa Valley Symphony and the Napa Valley Unified School District.

"Music plays a vital role in the quality of life in the Valley," said Margrit Biever Mondavi, who founded the benefit festivals at Robert Mondavi Winery. "Over the past 36 years, it has been a delight and an honor to continue our support for music throughout Napa Valley."

Mondavi presented a check for $75,000 to the Napa Valley Symphony, a beneficiary of the Summer Festival since its inception,

"Since the beginning, the symphony has been the grateful recipient of the profits of the Festival," said Grant Showley, president of the Napa Valley Symphony Association. "These generous funds have helped us to build our education program, which has grown from fifth grade concerts with an attendance of nearly 2,000 children to the present preschool, first, third, and fifth Grade concerts reaching more than 8,000 Napa County children." The festival profits also supported the symphony's Youth Orchestra and provided crucial operational funds.

The Summer Festival's reach is growing. For the second year in a row, the Summer Festival also benefited the Napa Valley Unified School District, this year with a donation of $20,000.

"The District is very grateful for this much needed and continued support, which reinforces our mission in enriching the lives of students through arts education." said Superintendent John P. Glaser.

The very first Summer Festival concerts borrowed a stage and chairs from a local church for the performances and drew an enthusiastic audience of 400. Now attended by tens of thousands every year, the annual Summer Festival has come to be a resounding success and the highlight of Napa Valley's summer season. Over the years, the Summer Festival has introduced music lovers to live performances by more than 100 legendary talents from a wide range of genres, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Lena Horne, Sarah Vaughan, Stan Getz, The Buena Vista Social Club, Dave Brubeck, Boz Scaggs, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

The Robert Mondavi Winery's summer festivals ensure that great music continues to ring in the air of Napa's summer nights, and stirs the hearts and minds of the Valley's children.