Traverse City Wine & Art Festival hosts second annual celebration
From staff reports
The Traverse City Wine & Art Festival takes place on Saturday, August 21, 2010 from3-10 PM on the glorious front lawn of Building 50 at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons.
The festival celebrates the world-class wine, art, food and music of Michigan’s Wine Coast and features full pours of wines from over 20 wineries of the Leelanau Peninsula, Old Mission Peninsula and Traverse City.
“Our inaugural year was fantastic, and we’re excited to take this festival that showcases the amazing wines of our region to the next level. The blend of art, food, wine and live music will tantalize your senses and is a perfect celebration of summer and what is making Northwest Michigan a destination for culinary & cultural travelers the world over,” says Leelanau winery owner Kris Sterkenberg.
Old Mission vintner Spencer Steginga adds, “Our winemakers are producing some spectacular wines, and this festival is a great chance to talk with them and taste some of their best work. Whether it’s Rieslings or Pinot Noirs, we’ll definitely have wines that will surprise and delight you!”
The 2010 Traverse City Wine & Art Festival will feature 22 wineries, over 60 artists, 10 restaurants, and 4 live bands headlined by Larry McCray and May Erlewine & Seth Bernard.
Wineries: This year the following 22 wineries will be featured from the region: Bel Lago, Bowers Harbor, Black Star Farms, Chateau Fontaine, Chateau Chantal, Chateau de Leelanau, Chateau Grand Traverse, Cherry Republic, Ciccone Vineyards, Circa, Gills Pier, Good Harbor Vineyards, Forty-Five North, Leelanau Cellars, Left Foot Charley, L. Mawby, Peninsula Cellars, Raftshol, Shady Lane, Silver Leaf, 2 Lads Winery and Willow.
Art: In 2010, three area arts organizations – Art Center Traverse City, Crystal Lake Art Center and the Leelanau Community Cultural Center – have teamed up with the festival to create gallery tents featuring the work of over 60 renowned regional artists for show and sale. “We are thrilled to be a part of this,” says Dawn Thomas, chair of Art Center Traverse City. “The gallery tents are an innovation this year and will give people a chance to view and purchase work from a wide range of the region’s finest artists.”
Music: A centerpiece of the festival is a great slate of live entertainment headlined by Michigan blues legend Larry McCray, reknown folk performers May Erlewine and Seth Bernard, Song of the Lakes Trio featuring Sue Wood and Michigan blues phenom Greg Nagy, a 2010 Blues Music Award nominee in the category of ‘Best New Artist Debut’. The event will also feature original performance dance from several dance companies and more happenings to delight the eye and ear!
Food: Many exceptional food offerings will available for purchase from The Cooks House, Bourbons 72, Red Ginger,Chez Peres, Lil Bo’s, Zakey’s, Maybings, Silver Tree, Phils on Front, and Morsels. The Traverse City region is fast garnering a reputation as a culinary destination, and this year’s festival offers a great selection from some of the best restaurants in the area.
Tickets: Advance tickets are $20 each, four for $60 or $25 on the day of the event. They are available online at www.traversecitywinefestival.com, at area wineries, Turtle Creek Casino in Acme and the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau in Traverse City. Admission includes two wine tickets; additional wine tickets are available at $4 each. A wide selection of food and art will also be available for purchase.