Escape to Evening of Great Blues & Wine

Your teens are holding a car wash at the high school Saturday. The grandparents volunteered to take the younger children to a movie Sunday afternoon. Your tweens take tap on Wednesday evening. It’s your time. Take it.

Each week, we’ll tell you about one great idea to give you a much deserved break, and make your life a little easier, maybe a whole lot easier.

This weekend, you have a chance to get to some top-notch entertainment, with food and wine provided by one of the nation's few Masters of Wine, right in your backhard.

Saturday night's fundraiser for the Bernards High Ski Racing, to be held at the Liberty Corner firehouse in Basking Ridge, is scheduled to present the Blues Hall of Fame's Johnny Charles Band featuring Nasty Ned.

The evening's food and music will be accompanied by wine tastings presented by 56 Degrees of Bernardsville, founded by Chris Cree, one of only 29 Masters of Wine in America.

The evening's "awesome" music is going to be accompanied by incredible food as well as fine wines, said Steve Katz, a parent who organized the event with his wife.

Katz provided a link to a sample of the music that The Johnny Charles band will be playing. To hear music by the band, click here.

The event is scheduled for 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. as the 8th Annual Food and Wine Event, at the Liberty Corner firehouse at 95 Church Street in the Liberty Corner section of Bernards Township. The event raises funds for the Bernards High ski racing team, which is completely funded by parents and students. This is the second year that music has been added to the fundraiser, Katz said.

Tickets are $50 per person, which Katz said he believes is a pretty good deal for a night of music, food and wine.

Last year, about 250 people attended, Katz said.

"This year we are shooting for 350," he said.

Katz pointed out that costs per student for the team run about $700, not including equipment.

"The fundraiser pays for coaches and some additional transportation fees," he said. "Hopefully if this event is successful, we will raise enough to purchase new racing suits, jackets and hopefully subsidize some of the regular fees for next season."

The boys team placed as league champions last year, he said.