The eleventh annual celebration of Verse & Vino, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation’s grand literary gala and fundraiser, will take place in the Charlotte Convention Center on November 7, 2024. This event will feature New York Times best-selling authors, wine, and food. I contacted Maggie Bean, the Director of Communications for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation, and asked her for more information about this year’s Verse & Vino event. Here is what she sent to me:
On Nov. 7, 2024, guests will have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to hear from New York Times bestselling authors Emiko Jean, Edward Lee and Jessica Shattuck, as well as Oscar-shortlisted producer and debut author Essie Chambers.
Presented by PNC Bank and emceed by radio legend Sheri Lynch, the signature evening program will showcase the shared joy that stems from reading and writing – and the importance of libraries and literacy in our community. The more than 1,300 expected attendees will experience a true sense of fellowship and spirit during the celebratory fundraising event at the Charlotte Convention Center.
This year’s Verse & Vino welcomes the following authors and their latest books, including:
- Emiko Jean with The Return of Ellie Black: A suspenseful page-turner that made horror legend Stephen King call it “a page-turning suspense novel, a shrewd character study, and a captivating mystery, all at the same time. The last fifty pages are magnetic. I couldn’t put it down until I’d experienced every last twist and turn.”
- Edward Lee with Bourbon Land: An ode to his old Kentucky whiskey; celebrated chef and PBS personality Vivian Howard said “If you think Kentucky whiskey only makes sense in a glass, let Chef Edward Lee’s unmatched prose show you how bourbon eats as good as it drinks.”
- Essie Chambers with Swift River: The debut novel is a Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club pick and was recently longlisted for The Center for Fiction 2024 First Novel Prize.
- Jessica Shattuck with Last House: New York Times called it “a richly detailed, slow-burning family saga distinguished by incisive psychological insight and masterful research.”
New this year, guests will have access to more than authors (Verse) and wine (Vino). Kentucky distillery Heaven Hill has graciously offered to sponsor a limited-edition bourbon cocktail, which will be showcased in Edward Lee’s author vignette and served at his book-signing table.
Verse & Vino is an annual fundraiser for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation, which supports the CommonSpark campaign, including building a new Main Library; programs, services, digital and print collections; and a growing endowment for the future needs of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.
This year, the Library Foundation hopes to raise $600,000 to support the Library’s mission to create a community of readers and empower individuals with free access to information and the universe of ideas.
More information about Verse & Vino and this year’s featured authors is available at foundation.cmlibrary.org/events/verse-vino, and tickets can be purchased online or by calling Teleia White (704) 416-0803.
I attended the very first Verse & Vino event in 2013, and I remember how much I enjoyed the evening. Since then, I have been impressed with how Verse & Vino has established itself over the past eleven years as one of our community’s premier cultural events. While Verse & Vino is an important fundraiser for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, it is also a celebration of libraries, literacy, and books. As a long-time supporter of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, I believe that participating in Verse & Vino is wonderful way to engage in our Storied Charlotte community and support our storied public library.
