Franklin Wine Festival 2017: Royal Court Announced

FRANKLIN, TN — The 2017 Franklin Wine Festival’s King and Queen of the Vines royal court has been revealed. Candidates on the royal court have pledged to raise funds for mentoring through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee. Each dollar raised in their fundraising period counts as one vote.

This is the 13th year for the Franklin Wine Festival which has raised more than $1.6 million to date. The King and Queen of the Vines competition is entering its seventh year having raised more than $90,000.

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The 2017 Franklin Wine Festival Kings and Queens of the Vines royal court is Andrew Bailey, John Bell, Christie Bowling, Leslie Glass, Harris Haworth and Jessica Hopkins.

Andrew Bailey is a third generation native Nashvillian who grew up in West Nashville. He attended MTSU and worked for several years in the music business, but decided to take a leap of faith recently and turn his love of all things Jeep into a business. His new venture, AB Designs, restores and customizes Jeeps of all varieties. He has had the opportunity to mentor several young men sharing his trade skills and knowledge, and looks forward to fundraising so that other youth in need of a positive role model can experience that as well.

John Bell is a second generation native Nashvillian who is an attorney with Bell Law Settlement Services. He has three grown sons and is very excited about our city’s future. He believes supporting mentoring is one of the best ways to ensure our continued success for Middle Tennessee. He enjoys live music and catches as many shows as he can in downtown Nashville.

Christie Bowling is originally from Madisonville, Ky., and proud to now call Nashville home. She is a registered dietitian nutritionist certified in both Sports Dietetics and Adult Weight Management. Christie owns Prime Wellness and is director of nutrition for Cura based out of California. She was previously the first dietitian ever hired to work for Disney in their private clinic, and enjoys travel and great wine.

Leslie Glass is a third generation native Nashvillian and owner of Loxx Hair Studio in Brentwood and a real-estate agent with EXIT Real Estate Solutions. She is passionate about mentoring and has worked with the youth of Cornerstone Church for five years. She enjoys yoga, hiking, kayaking, and cooking.

Harris Haworth is a native Nashvillian who lived elsewhere until about four years ago, and he’s thrilled to be home. He is the senior brand manager for GOimprints.com and is in the process of becoming a volunteer Big Brother. He also serves on the agency’s newly formed Junior Board of Directors and is an avid fan of his alma mater, the University of Tennessee.

Jessica Hopkins was born in Decatur, Ga., and raised in Maryville, Tenn. She serves as the senior manager of medication management for Lifepoint Hospitals in Brentwood. She was drawn to this competition for Big Brothers Big Sisters because she mentored a young girl when she lived in Atlanta and saw many positive changes as a result.

“This Kings and Queens of the Vines fundraising competition will have a near immediate impact in the lives of children in our own community. It takes $1,500 to match a child with a mentor for one year. And it only takes one mentor to change a child’s life for the better,” Wendy Dyes, 2017 Kings and Queens of the Vines Committee Chair for the Franklin Wine Festival, said. “This year the candidates have such a great competitive spirit. They are going all out to raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, and of course to win the bragging rights that come along with being crowned King or Queen of the Vines.”

The official royal court announcement party will be held Wednesday, August 16 at 5:30 p.m. at Up in The Gulch. Candidates will be available for a meet-and-greet and celebrate their efforts in this unique fundraising competition. Tickets for the King and Queen of the Vines announcement party are $20 and can be purchased in advance at www.FranklinWineFestival.com.

The candidates will also be hosting a new Downtown Nashville Scavenger Hunt as part of this year’s efforts on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017, beginning at Cerveza Jack’s Nashville at 11 a.m. and concluding at the George Jones Museum at 2 p.m. Registration for that event is available at www.scavengerhunt.kintera.org.

The coronation of the King and Queen will happen during a live ceremony at the Franklin Wine Festival Grand Tasting on Friday October 13, 2017 at the Factory at Franklin.

The Franklin Wine Festival features more than 300 wines, samples from Middle Tennessee’s best restaurants, an artisan Biergarten, a silent auction, and live entertainment on multiple stages. Tickets for the October 13 Grand Tasting, which will include the crowning of the new King and Queen, are available at www.FranklinWineFestival.com.

Image via Franklin Wine Festival