(NVR) - As the last vestiges of BottleRock 2015 are being swept up, preparations are underway for a valley celebration of a different sort: the Napa Valley Vintners’ the 35th annual wine auction Thursday through Sunday.

What began in 1981 as a homespun afternoon auction to help pay for health care for farmworkers today has evolved into Auction Napa Valley —four days of glitz, glamour and goodwill, as international collection of high-rollers descend to cast their bids, carry away treasures, and fill the coffers of the Vintners with funds to improve the lives of those who live year-round in the Napa Valley.

It begins on Thursday with welcome parties, and continues on Friday at Hall St. Helena winery, host to this year’s barrel auction, where an expected crowd of 2,000 guests will taste and bid on 120 offerings, while sampling foods provided by Napa Valley chefs. Friday wraps up with more vintner-hosted parties that range from a black-tie dinner at Raymond Winery to a “soiree” at Roy Estate where guests are advised to wear “Napa fun” attire —”Houston (where the chefs are from) meets Napa Valley festive and, of course, a sprinkle of East Coast pizzazz.”

The big event is Saturday at Meadowood Resort, which has hosted the live auction every year since its beginning. Although 200 impressive lots are available for anyone to bid on in an online “e-auction,” the 50 culled for the live auction at Meadwood are super-dazzlers: Rombauer’s lot includes 600 bottles of wine, plus a stay at Meadowood.

Screaming Eagle is offering just one bottle of wine in its lot, but it is a 12-liter Balthazar. Some lots include trips to Las Vegas, Paris and Dubai, but this year’s offerings also include a lot of opportunities to return to the Napa Valley.