House parties come and go around the city, but quite possibly the biggest, most can't-miss bash of them all only rolls around once a year.

The Friends of the Plainfield Public Library nonprofit organization will have its 8th annual "Wine Discovery" from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Gearhart, 1039 Rahway Road, with proceeds benefiting the city library and the ongoing renovation of its children's section.

"This is our biggest event of the year, our biggest fundraiser, and it's been growing steadily every year since it began," said Friends President Sandy Spector, noting that the 2007 event was at former-Gov. Jim McGreevey's home on Prospect Avenue. "The Monday after the event, we start planning the next one."

Tomorrow's event will be directly preceded by an optional hourlong private tour of the Gearhart home. Advance tickets are $85 including the tour, $75 without, and those prices rise to $95 and $85, respectively, at the door. The rain date will be from 2-6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14.

The evening will feature more than 30 wines from vineyards around the world, a signature buffet and a special performance by the Plainfield Symphony Woodwind Quintet. The event will also feature honored guests Cydnie and Alonzo Adams, the renowned Plainfield artist whose works are featured in collections owned by Bill Cosby, Maya Angelou and Wesley Snipes, among others.

The evening will also include a silent auction of more than 30 pieces of art produced by a number of local artists, according to Plainfield Public Library Director Joe Da Rold. Da Rold said wines will be available for sampling, not purchase, although local vendors will be on hand to direct those in attendance to where they can later pick up any selection that pique their palate.

"This year we are working with many different vendors, so there's going to be a much broader range of wines," Da Rold said. "Some of them very high-end wines, of which we'll only have a few bottles."

Da Rold added that he believes the reason the event has become such a phenomenon in the city is that, rather than seeing partygoers merely milling around a host's home, the evening offers plenty of information to anyone who might be looking to raise their wine IQ.

"It's really become a significant event in Plainfield — people know about it, look forward to it," Da Rold said, estimating that the event raises from $6,000-$9,000 for the library annually, with from 300 to 400 people attending last year. "It's not just standing around at a cocktail party — you're really learning about something."