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SOLID GOLD: It was a well-dressed and wellheeled crowd that turned up for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Lovers’ Ball. Following Olympic gold-medal victories by the women’s curling and hockey teams, guests were pumped to keep the party going. Against the backdrop of a lit Olympic cauldron, the VSO’s “golden girls” — gala chairs Mary Ann Clark and Laura

Hansen — and board chair Fred Withers welcomed a capacity crowd to the Convention Centre for the 24th edition of the orchestra’s classic party, produced by Shelley Johnson and beautifully decorated by Colin Upright. The VSO’s School of Music string ensemble, led by Carla Birston and 17-year-old violinist

Lucy Wang, kicked off the magical evening for a parade of partygoers — who shelled out anywhere from $500 a ticket to $20,000 for a table to dance the night away to the Juno and Grammy award-winning orchestra, fronted by music director and maestro Bramwell Tovey. Aware of the ball’s reputation as one of the most highly anticipated celebrations in town, revellers came dressed to the nines for the black-tie celebration, royal repast and auction. Bard on the Beach’s Christopher Gaze presided over the festivities. Gala-goers generously emptied their wallets with help from Able auctioneer Tyler Olson and yours truly. An auction of Olympic proportions included a luxury trip to France — featuring an exclusive tour of Coco Chanel’s legendary apartment — which fetched $19,000. Dinner in London with the U.K.’s High Commissioner of Canada Gordon Campbell garnered $16,000. In total, an impressive $640,000 was raised for the 95-year-old orchestra. Following the extravagant night of philanthropy, attendees danced to the sweet sounds of the 60-member band, led by conductor Gordon Gerrard. Among the lovebirds in attendance were Vancouver Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini and his beautiful squeeze Martine Argent; HSBC’s Lindsay Gordon and his wife Liz; Haywood Securities’ Eric Savics and his longtime partner Kim Spencer-Nairn; Clark Wilson’s Lyall Knott and his wife Susan; Blake’s Bill Maclagan and his wife Jana; and Kingswood Properties’

Lorne Segal and his wife Melita. Also podium-pretty were society darlings Jennifer Winsor,

Wendy Kubota and Michelle Jankovich.

BARD TOAST: The Bacchanalia Gala Dinner and Auction is the centrepiece event of the Vancouver International Wine Festival and the largest fundraiser of the year for Bard on the Beach. Kicking off the festival’s week of wine tastings, seminars and red-carpet romps, which concludes today, artistic director Christopher Gaze welcomed more than 500 oenophiles to the ultimate showcase in wine and food pairings. Brenda McAllister once again chaired the Deloitte-sponsored gala, held at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and produced by Kelly Snider. The stellar, $400-a-ticket night, emceed by Global TV’s Sophie Lui, began with a sparkling champagne reception, highlighting France as this year’s theme region and the bubbly as this year’s global focus. Then came a decadent fivecourse dinner prepared by hotel executive chef

Cameron Ballendine, paired with nine prized wines. While the wine flowed, bids skyrocketed on rare and exceptional bottles donated by some of the world’s top winemakers and private collectors. Among the big guns up for sale were a 2010 Hommage a Jacques Perrin; a 1995 Mouton Rothschild; a 1961 Chateau Latour; and a 1989 and 1994 Chateau Petrus estimated together at $8,000. All bottles were sold for more than asking price. In the end, Western Canada’s pre-eminent Shakespearean festival, which celebrates its 25th season this summer, was poised to reach its $300,000 funding goal. Notables in attendance included Wine Festival director Harry Hertscheg and chair Randal Kaardal; Bard on the Beach board chair Jim Bovard; Deloitte partner Olin Anton; Taittinger Champagnes’

Mikael Falkman, wine principals Marica Bonomo (Monte del Fra), Philippe Zinck (Domaine Zinck) and Jean Remy Rapeneau (Champagne Charles de Cazanove); and wine experts/collectors Lawrence Burr, Anthony Gismondi, Mark

Hicken, Tim Pawsey and Terry Threlfall.

Sporting the Canadian colours, House Wines’ Michelle Bouffard and Michaela Morris curated the wines for auction at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra shindig.

Happily dating for the past two years are Vancouver Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini, in Tom Ford, and girlfriend Martine Argent, in a winning Gucci gown.

VSO school of music string orchestra — led by Carla Birston, right, and featuring violinist Lucy Wang, 17, left — got the party started.

VSO chair Fred Withers and his wife, Dr. Kathy Jones, greeted gala-goers at the black-tie affair held at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Able auctioneer Tyler Olson, left, helped raise $640,000 for maestro Bramwell Tovey’s VSO.

David Kaye, left, and Monica Pyress, right, flanked Sophie Lui and Christopher Gaze at the French-themed Bacchanalia Gala dinner and auction held at the Hotel Vancouver.

From left, Gérard Bertrand’s Jean-Philippe Turgeon, Torres’ Anna Manchon and Taittinger’s Mikael Falkman saw their prized bottles uncorked at the five-course dinner paired with champagne and nine exclusive wines.

Wine enthusiast Nicholas Edgar, in a Thierry Mugler tuxedo, escorted his date, Erin Chamberlain, clad in Nicole Miller, to the $400-a-ticket dinner.

Wine festival director Harry Hertscheg coveted a Cassini Cellars 27-litre 2009 Maximus valued at $1,800.

Wine expert Anthony Gismondi singled out a custom three-litre bottle of the 2010 Hommage a Jacques Perrin — estimated at $2,500 — as one of the evening’s prized bottles.

Gala chair Brenda McAllister, centre, feted her sisters Sheri Keeman, left, and Cynda Heward at the Bard on the Beach benefit.

Deloitte partner Olin Anton escorted his wife, B.C. Attorney General Suzanne Anton, to the epicurean extravaganza benefiting Bard on the Beach.