STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

Most of the volunteer wine stewards were content with simply pouring wine into the Riedel wine glasses pushed under their noses by happy picnickers.

Marlin was the exception.

While others poured, Marlin was busy stacking empty wine bottles on his forehead.

“I’ve been a professional juggler for many years,” said Marlin, who has taken his Marvelous Mesmerizing Mindbreaking Manipulations of Marlin show to comedy clubs in Las Vegas and other cities around the country. “And I’ll be performing Aug. 17 in the Ketchum Town Square.”

Marlin, who recently moved near Bellevue, is one of hundreds of picnickers and volunteers who turned out for the Sun Valley Center for the Arts’ annual Vine & Dine picnic held over the weekend outside Carol’s Dollar Mountain Lodge.

The Center was flush with success from having raised more than a million dollars from the sell-out crowd of 325 at its Wine Auction Gala the night before.

And it was party on!

Bradley Geist of Three Little Pigs catering concocted a Jamaican jerk chicken served with mango papaya relish and roasted red pepper smoked over pimiento wood based on favorite dishes he’d relished as a child visiting Jamaica.

His handiwork was augmented by an array of other dishes, including Warfield Distillery’s watermelon gazpacho topped with grilled citrus marinated Patagonia pink shrimp and Smokey Bone BBQ’s pulled pork sliders with chipotle and blueberry BBQ sauce.

And 62 wineries, ranging from Three Sticks Wines to Poseidon Vineyards, trotted out their best for people to try.

Kathi Rothner of Beverly Hills, Calif., said she makes treks to Sun Valley each year for the Vine & Dine Plus, which includes wine tasting and a chance to meet the vintners.

Like many who attend, she orders a year’s supply of wine while here, taking advantage of the shipping that the vintners provide. And she always extends her week to include the Dog Days of Summer Benefit for the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley.

“I always make a donation to the animal shelter because they’re so helpful in answering questions, whereas the animal shelter in Los Angeles can’t be bothered,” said Rothner, who has a rescue lab. “And I’m very fond of the Sun Valley Center for the Arts and the opportunity they offer to taste and purchase wines, as well.”

Ted Stout, an interpretive ranger at Craters of the Moon National Monument, was among the volunteers serving up food and wine.

“The Sun Valley Center for the Arts did a really cool project down at the Craters where they had artists do sculptures corresponding to the land. I think they do some really awesome projects so I just wanted to help out,” he said.

Gretchen Basen agreed: It’s wonderful to go to an event like this that’s so well run and benefits such a wonderful cause. We especially enjoy the opening events for The Center’s new exhibits—the Archie Teater one in particular spoke to me this year because of its historic, as well as artistic interest.”

The Sun Valley Center for the Arts included live auction lots featuring trips to the Sonoma County Wine Auction and the Napa Valley this year, honoring those who dealt with the wildfires that ripped through wine country during the summer of 2017.

“They’re doing really well although some are still experiencing a lot of hardship, having lost their homes,” said Christine Davis-Jeffers, executive director of The Center.

“As for us, we’re just so appreciative of all the support people have shown us this weekend. And I’m so happy to see people have a really good time.”

Next year’s Sun Valley Wine Auction events will be held July 18 through 20.