Online bidding will be available for registered guests on Friday, Feb. 10

FORT MYERS, Fla. (Feb. 9, 2017) – This year’s 12th Annual Evening with the Red Sox will offer an exclusive list of auction items and special guest appearances by MLB favorites during its new street festival party, reminiscent of Boston’s Yawkey Way located just outside of Fenway Park.

Taking place on Monday, Feb. 20 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Fort Myers, the free-flowing event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with games, live music from the Dixie Land Band and an extended cocktail reception offering complimentary beer and wine, and heavy hors d’oeuvres. In exchange for the usual sit-down dinner, the event will instead provide multiple street festival inspired food stations to include mini hot dogs and corn dogs, pulled pork, hamburger and fried chicken sliders, Philly cheesesteaks, soft pretzel sticks, funnel cakes and popcorn. A chef-attended carving station will also be on site in addition to a macaroni and cheese station with assorted toppings, street taco bar including chicken and pork, an assorted sushi selection table, dessert shooters and passed mini beef pot pie bites, sweet and sour meatballs, spinach artichoke bites and raspberry brie purses.

Benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County, the evening will also include autograph signings by current and former Boston Red Sox players including Florida Gulf Coast University graduate and newest Red Sox star pitcher Chris Sale, Bernie Carbo and former Detroit Tigers’ MVP and Cy Young Award winner Denny McLain, the last pitcher to win 30 games in a season. Former Red Sox right fielder and three-time All-Star Dwight “Dewey” Evans will also be in attendance and participate in a Q&A lead by Bill Banfield, the voice behind the FGCU Eagles. Banfield will also serve as the event’s emcee and auctioneer.

Last year’s event included autograph signings by Blake Swihart, Travis Shaw, Devon Marrero and Matt Barnes, former players Luis Tiant, Carbo and Rich Gedman, Manager John Farrell and Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations for the Red Sox.

This year’s featured live auction will include a Chris Sale personalized autographed #41 Red Sox jersey, two tickets to Bruno Mars: 24K Magic World Tour concert and two-night stay in Sunrise, four tickets to Tim McGraw & Faith Hill’s Soul2Soul World Tour concert and one-night stay in Tampa, a four-course dinner for 10 at Shula’s Steakhouse in addition to a sunset cruise, and two tickets to the 2017 Dolphins at Patriots game and two-night stay in Foxborough, Mass.

The silent auction will feature additional collector-level, hand-signed sports memorabilia, premium sporting event tickets, theme park passes, arts and theater experiences, luxury goods, and an abundance of hotel stays at some of Florida’s most beautiful hotels in Miami, St. Petersburg, Sanibel Island, Tampa, Key West and more.

Online bidding will be available for registered guests on Friday, Feb. 10.

A raffle for an ultimate Red Sox fan experience with a trip to Boston will also be available. The package includes a two-night hotel stay and tickets for four to a pair of games at Fenway Park including seats on the famed “Green Monster,” a private VIP tour of the ballpark and on-field access. Only 200 raffle tickets will be sold at $50 each with all proceeds going to support the BGCLC. Tickets are available at www.bgclc.ejoinme.org/RedSoxFan.

This year’s presenting sponsor is Ted Todd Insurance.

Celebrating 42 years of providing quality youth programs and brighter futures for young people in the Lee County community, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County work to inspire and enable young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. The BGCLC strives to provide a safe, world-class Club experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who walks through its doors. The organization envisions all of its members graduating high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character, citizenship while adapting a healthy lifestyle.

For more information, to register, sponsor or donate to the event, visit www.bgclc.ejoinme.org/RedSox or contact Shannon Lane at 239-334-1886 or slane@bgclc.net.