Oct. 5 — 7 in Santa Rosa
The annual Sonoma County Harvest Fair invites locals and visitors to gather at the Sonoma County Event Center at the Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa for a celebration of Sonoma County’s ample bounty.
Over 300 award-winning wines from more than 100 Sonoma County wineries, plus craft beer, ciders and culinary creations from the region’s food artisans, offer ticket-holders unlimited tastings and pairings, all under one roof.
In the Grand Tasting Pavilion, guests can enjoy winning varietals from this year’s Professional Wine Competition, alongside award-winning tastes from the Professional Food Competition.
Each day offers a slightly new food pairing opportunity. Tickets for the wine-and-food pairings are $65 each (gate admission included). Also available are three-day season passes for $140. Tickets are available at HarvestFair.org, or at the Harvest Fair Box Office located at 1350 Bennett Valley Rd. in Santa Rosa. The tasting pavilion is open to adults 21 and over; infants and children will not be admitted.
The Harvest Fair offers special attractions around the grounds that are included with the $5 gate admission (children 12 and under get in free).
There will be shopping in the Wine Country Marketplace; the Hall of Flowers building transforms into an artisanal shopping experience and is the only place to go for one-stop shopping of gold medal-winning wines.
Take advantage of special discount pricing, as well as special vintages that may not be readily available at the local grocer. Shoppers will also find a host of artisan vendors. Patrons who purchase wine during the fair can keep their receipt for an additional 10 percent off to be used during the Wine Clearance Blow-Out Sale, which takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday when all wines will be marked down 20 percent.
The marketplace building is also home to twice daily wine tasting seminars throughout the weekend, allowing visitors to learn the basics of tasting wine from local experts. Tasting is included.
Each day before the tasting pavilion opens, chef demonstrations are held in the marketplace, featuring renowned Sonoma County chefs. Attendees have the opportunity to taste a sample of the food being prepared, along with the appropriate wine pairing.
Presenters include pastry chef and business owner Tracy Mattson (Cookie… Take a Bite), executive chef Tom Schmidt (John Ash & Co.), executive chef Mark Kowalkowski (Oliver’s Markets of Santa Rosa), award-winning chef Christine Piccin, and pastry chef Doug Cavaliere (Costeaux French Bakery).
Harvest workshops are designed to teach the basics of harvesting at home. Examples of the short courses include backyard gardening, an introduction to home brewing and cider making.
Around the grounds will be a classic car show by the Redwood Empire Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America, a pumpkin patch and live music by Tom Rigney & Flambeau and J Silverheels Classic Rock ‘n Oldies Band. And, there will be interactive activities, such as making your own EasyBake pumpkin pie or trying out the apple slingshot.
Rounding out the weekend is the action-packed KZST World Championship Grape Stomp competition, which can only be experienced at the Harvest Fair. Teams will compete for three days (Friday through Sunday) trying to garner a coveted spot in the championship stomp, to be held Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
In addition to bragging rights and purple-stained extremities, winning teams vie for a grand prize of $1,500. Find out more and enter today at HarvestFair.org/grape-stomp.
The gates open Friday, Oct. 5, at 4 p.m., with the tasting pavilion open from 5 to 8 p.m. The gates open Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. with tasting from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information, visit HarvestFair.org or call 707-545-4200.
— submitted by the Harvest Fair
