There are “Festivals” for everything – Oysters, Crabs, Blueberries, Garlic, Apples. You name it and it has a “Festival”. There is one Festival, however, worth remembering, and that’s the Wine Festival in Gloucester. This one is special.
We were on a mini vacation at Gloucester last weekend, and someone mentioned the Wine Festival in town. The event was scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, but it got “hurricaned” out on Saturday. Since it was sort of on the way home, we decided to check it out on Sunday on our way back.
All I can say is “Wow!
The cars were easily parked at Ware Academy and carts were there to escort patrons to the check-in desk. After check-in, there were 5 tour busses lined up to escort the crowd to
Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, a beautiful garden and nursery just outside the town that hosts the Festival.
The cost was $50 a person, but you were given a wine glass and were able to taste your way through wine booths with free samples and full bottles available if you liked what you tasted. They advertised “live music” and I figured a couple good old boys with flannel shirts and jeans pounding out rock music, but I figured wrong. There was an orchestra with guys in tuxedos playing Tony Bennet and Frank Sinatra music. The entire Festival was a class act.
There were vendors set up among the wine and craft beer stands and I bought a sliced Padow Country ham at one. Everything was elegant including the food. There was even a Food Garden set aside with numerous tables beneath a huge tent. There were Gourmet Food Trucks set up offering everything from Asian to Polynesian to Mexican and Custom Sandwiches. You were able to sit down and enjoy your meal – not eat on the run.
We spent a couple hours at the festival before returning to our car via the tour buses and carts.
The event is scheduled around the 3rd weekend in September. They have not decided on the exact date next year, but I will let you know when I hear. This is one Festival well worth attending. We absolutely plan to go again next year. See you there!