(Miami Beach, Florida – October 21, 2013) –  More than 750 people attended the 15^th Annual Key to the Cure event on Wednesday, October 16, at Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour. The Kickoff party featured tastings provided by many of Miami’s hottest restaurants, including: Bianca at Delano, Cookies by Shar, J&G Grill at the St. Regis Bal Harbour, Makoto, Shake Shack, Sugar Yummy Mama, The Federal Food, Drink & Provisions, City Hall the Restaurant, Dolce Italia, Essensia at the Palms, HaVen South Beach, IL MULINO NY-MIAMI, Restaurant Michael Schwartz, The Cypress Room, Tongue and Cheek, Toro Toro, Brasserie La Goulue, Chef Adrienne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar, Jean Paul’s House, Miami Smokers – Urban Smokehouse, Morton’s North Miami, Novecento, Truluck’s Seafood, Steak & Crabhouse, and Villa Azur. Cocktails were generously provided by Southern Wine & Spirits.

Miami’s hottest entertainers also came out to support Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour’s breast cancer awareness event. Meryl Epps, DJ Affect, Deborah Magdalena, DJ Laz and a five-piece DJ ensemble featuring The Brass Kings joined together to keep the guests entertained and dancing all night long. One of the highlights of the evening was the Saks Fifth Avenue Casino, where guests tried their luck at the tables to win a Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour shopping spree.

The Key to the Cure is an annual charity shopping weekend held during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year’s event began with the kickoff party and continued through Sunday, October 20. During the shopping weekend 2 percent of participating vendor sales from Saks Bal Harbour – up to $500,000 – will be donated to the Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“We are thrilled with the success of the event and thankful for all of our wonderful partners that continue to support Key to the Cure year after year,” said Deborah Slack, vice president and general manager of Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour.

“All of us at Mount Sinai are happy to once again partner with Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour in Key to the Cure,” said Steven D. Sonenreich, president and chief executive officer of Mount Sinai. “We are committed to our hospital’s mission to provide high quality healthcare to our community through teaching, research, charity care and financial responsibility.  It’s a privilege to have the Saks Bal Harbour team embrace our mission in such a tangible way.”

Saks Fifth Avenue’s annual Key to the Cure campaign is a company-wide initiative that has raised $31 million dollars to date for women’s cancer research and treatment organizations throughout the United States.

About Key to the Cure

Saks Fifth Avenue initiated its charity shopping weekend in 1999. Since then, the company has donated $31 million to women’s cancer research and treatment organizations throughout the United States. Organizations benefiting from these funds include: The Breast Cancer Research Foundation; EIF’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund; Cleveland Clinic; Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Nevada Cancer Institute and many others.

About Saks Fifth Avenue

Saks Fifth Avenue, one of the world’s pre-eminent specialty retailers, is renowned for its superlative American and international designer collections, its expertly edited assortment of handbags, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics and gifts, and the first-rate fashion expertise and exemplary client service of its associates. Today, Saks operates 41 full-line stores in 20 states, five international licensed stores, 66 Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH stores and saks.com, the company’s online store.

Saks Fifth Avenue is proud to be named a J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Customer Service Champion and is only one of 50 U.S. companies so named.

About The Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center

The Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center is a nationally recognized, award-winning facility that utilizes a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to diagnosing and treating cancer.  Mount Sinai is the only hospital in Florida, and one of only 36 in the U.S., to receive its third consecutive Outstanding Achievement Award from the AmericanCollege of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC).  In addition, Mount Sinai’s breast center is the first facility in Florida to receive accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, and has been recognized as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. As South Florida’s only National Cancer Institute-funded adult Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP), Mount Sinai takes part in clinical trials that give patients access to pioneering new cancer treatment options before they become available to the general public.