Mimosa Hall & Gardens Named Beneficiary of 2023 Roswell Wine Festival

Friends of Mimosa Hall & Gardens is pleased to announce that they have been named the beneficiary of the 2023 Roswell Wine Festival. Many thanks go out to Roswell Wine Festival founders Dwight Cunningham and Peggy Robinson, who chose Friends of Mimosa to be the beneficiary of Roswell’s signature wine tasting event this year. This year’s event featured over 300 wines from around the world and was attended by over 2,500 people from 16 different states. Friends of Mimosa members hosted an inviting tent complete with a raffle of three wine themed baskets and a wine pull where eager festival goers made donations and bought out our inventory of 200+ bottles. It was a great day of engaging with the community, sharing the story of Mimosa Hall & Gardens, and furthering our mission to preserve the property.

The Roswell Wine Festival was started by founders Peggy Robinson and Dwight Cunningham to attract visitors to Roswell, support local businesses, and give back to the community. Co-founder Peggy Robinson states "We were absolutely thrilled to select Friends of Mimosa Hall as the beneficiary for this year's event. Preserving the character and heritage of our city is at the heart of what we do." Dwight Cunningham, co-founder added, "We're excited for Mimosa Hall to be enjoyed by the residents and visitors alike. Investing in the preservation of this home is an investment in our city and its future." The Festival selects a different non-profit to benefit each year. Past beneficiaries have included Historic Roswell Beautification Project, ArtAround Roswell, Keep Roswell Beautiful, and other local organizations.

“Friends of Mimosa Hall & Gardens was very lucky to be the chosen non-profit beneficiary of the Roswell Wine Festival this year. The Wine Festival just celebrated its 10th year as one of Roswell’s signature social events and has been generously helping area non-profits each year along the way,” said Steve Gibson, Friends of Mimosa board member and event chair. “Cheers to the many donors and volunteers who made this successful event possible. More to come on the financial impact of our fundraising efforts!”

Mimosa Hall was built for John Dunwody, one of the founders of Roswell in 1839-1841. In 1918, renowned Atlanta architect J. Neel Reid (1885-1926) bought the home and made substantial changes to the house and the grounds. He transformed 5 of the acres into formal gardens. The City of Roswell purchased the property in 2017.

Friends of Mimosa Hall & Gardens is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to championing the sustainable preservation of Mimosa Hall. The Friends group formed in 2017 to help the City with the interpretation, restoration, and maintenance of the property. The City of Roswell purchased the 9-acre property the same year and the Department of Recreation, Parks, Historic & Cultural Affairs oversees property management. The Friends of Mimosa have worked to procure grants to assist with the restoration of the grounds and facilities. Mimosa Hall grounds officially opened to the public in April 2019 for rental and special event use while efforts are currently ongoing to restore the house and landscape. It is the aim of Friends of Mimosa Hall & Gardens to promote the site as a public gathering place for educational events, recreational activities, corporate programs, and entertainment.