Elgin to have first wine festival
If Elgin leaders could ferment a wine, its bouquet would be anticipation and its finish would be a great day at Festival Park.
Exactly how it should taste probably depends on who is holding the glass, but come spring 2009, city leaders hope to please palates for the city's first-ever wine tasting festival.
Thursday, they rolled out a few reds and whites, along with some eats from Elgin Community College culinary instructors, while announcing the Elgin Wine Festival for May 23.
"I'm excited about it on a number of different levels," said Randy Reopelle, the city's parks and recreation department director. "We've been working on this for a long time."
The festival will run from noon to 8 p.m. at Festival Park, 132 S. Grove Ave., and will feature more than 150 wines from around the world.
Admission is $20 in advance and $30 at the gate. The cost includes a souvenir glass, 10 tasting tickets, a program and access to all cooking demonstrations and live music.
For tickets, visit elginwinefestival.com or call (847) 382-1480.
For sponsorship information, call (847) 931-6127.
Proceeds from the event will go toward the Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association, a coalition of 13 park districts and municipalities that provides programs for more than 1,300 children and adults with special needs.
Most importantly, the festival should help raise awareness about the NISRA's mission, said Brian Shahinian, the group's executive director.
"We're going to be providing a majority of the volunteers. That's our role," he said.
Reopelle and others hope the festival will complement the city's artistic and cultural offerings.
"To have this type of venue and event right here in Elgin is spectacular," added Kimberly Bless, president and CEO of the Elgin Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The Barrington-based inPLAY Events will help coordinate the day. "We're not going to have to worry about the weather. We're going to put a big tent over Festival Park," said Scott Janess, inPLAY president.