UPDATE: March 19, 2020 – In light of the March 18 mandate issued by the Governor of the State of Jalisco regarding preventative health measures related to the COVID-19 virus, Café des Artistes and the Vallarta Botanical Garden have decided to cancel, or at least postpone, the Forest to Table Gala Dinner scheduled to take place on April 2.
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – Café des Artistes will host a ‘Forest to Table’ Gala Dinner on April 2 in support of the Vallarta Botanical Garden’s plan to secure a future for some of the region’s richest habitat zones by expanding its 30 hectare forest preserve by another 20 hectares in 2020.
While the real estate boom in Puerto Vallarta may be a blessing to the local economy, aspects of its current development are of great concern for those who love and appreciate nature. Many areas that were once inaccessible refuges for wildlife are now crisscrossed with freshly-bulldozed dirt roads or have been clear-cut for buildings or agriculture.
Conservation areas not only benefit the plants and animals that inhabit them, but people as well. Undisturbed lands deliver ecosystem services including providing us with clean air and water. Without an effective comprehensive government plan in place to protect some of the most vulnerable yet important conservation priorities of our region, the diversity and abundance of our precious plants and animals is diminishing.
In response, last December, the Vallarta Botanical Garden (VBG) announced an ambitious, but attainable, plan to expand its 30 hectare (over 74 acres) forest preserve, which is teeming with native plants and wildlife, by another 20 hectares (nearly 50 acres) in their continuing efforts to secure a future for some of the richest local habitat zones.
In January, a fundraising campaign called “20 New Hectares for 2020,” was launched. Through membership fees and generous donations, the Garden has already acquired 3 new hectares (approximately 7 acres) of land along the Horcones River, directly adjacent to their exciting facilities. This new area, which offers VBG members and visitors more hiking trials and access to the magical Horcones River, will be open in the fall of 2020.
But, given the urgent need to protect the natural sanctuary that surrounds the VBG, they are still raising funds to purchase lands around the garden that will be only accessible to the region’s birds and animals and to conserve this important habitat in perpetuity.
One of Mexico’s most famous chefs and a longtime friend of the Vallarta Botanical Garden, Thierry Blouet, is coming to the support of the VBG’s 20 Hectares for 2020 Conservation Campaign in an inspirationally creative way.
On April 2, Blouet, along with the VBG’s founder, Robert Price, and Executive Director, Neil Gerlowski, will host a fundraiser of epic proportion – a one-of-a-kind “Forest to Table Gala Dinner” in the garden of his world-renowned Puerto Vallarta restaurant, Café des Artistes.
Mexico’s forests provide our planet with some of the most exquisite flavors imaginable, and Thierry is planning a five-course dinner menu that will showcase the gastronomic promise of Mexico’s native plants in a delectable experience your tastebuds will not soon forget.
Tickets for the Forest to Table Gala Dinner are on sale now at Café des Artistes for $3,900 pesos (about $220 USD) and include wine, cocktails, entertainment and a five-course dinner created especially for the occasion. All proceeds will go directly to the Vallarta Botanical Garden’s 20 Hectares for 2020 Conservation Campaign.
The conservation of nature is of paramount importance to our planet, the local ecology, and our economy. Your participation will help protect the Banderas Bay region’s flora and fauna, while ensuring the Vallarta Botanical Garden’s continued appeal and contribution to PV’s tourism-based economy.
Seating is limited for this unique and tasty fundraiser, so make your reservations today by calling Café des Artistes at +52 322-226-7200 or by sending an email to reservaciones(at)grupocafedesartistes.com. Advance payment required.
Café des Artistes is located at Av. Guadalupe Sánchez 740 in downtown Puerto Vallarta.
Visit the internationally famous Vallarta Botanical Garden located just 30 minutes south of Old Town at Km. 24 on Highway 200 and easily accessible by public transportation and taxi. This 74 acre wildlife preserve and botanical garden have something fun for everyone. Over 200 species of birds have been observed on the Garden’s grounds. Don’t forget to bring your swimsuit for a refreshing dip in the jungle river. See plantings of vanilla, chocolate, and hundreds of other botanical delights! Authentic Mexican Cuisine is served in the Hacienda de Oro Restaurant from 10 am to 5 pm. The Garden is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm (closed Mondays from April 1 to December 1). Garden admission is just $200 pesos. For more information, call (322) 223-6182 or visit vbgardens.org.
Click HERE to learn more about Vallarta Botanical Gardens.