Festival of the Vine: Foodie favorite marks 35th year
This weekend marks the 35th year for Festival of the Vine, a harvest celebration where the wine will flow and food will be plentiful.
The festival begins on Friday, Sept. 9, and continues through Sunday, Sept. 11.
As is tradition, the Flavor Fare and Wine Tent are located on the corner of Fourth and State streets in downtown Geneva.
Free entertainment is offered Friday, Saturday and Sunday, both on the Courthouse Lawn and on the main stage at South Fourth and State streets. Favorites return and new acts are debuting at Festival of the Vine.
All around the old Courthouse, on Third, Campbell and James streets, will be the site for a flower market, arts and craft show featuring 75 crafters, weekend kids' activities and complimentary carriage and trolley ride stops.
Special Festival of the Vine events will take place in the downtown area with All Chocolate Kitchen, Chez Moi Café and Catering, Fiora's, Galena Cellars Vineyard and Winery, Graham's Fine Chocolates and Ice Cream, Preservation Bread and Wine, SavWay Fine Wines and Spirits, The Little Traveler and Wildwood.
Business booths will be set up on James Street and are ready to share information about their products.
In addition to the listings in the chamber of commerce's program, available online at www.genevachamber.com, businesses may also be hosting special events and promotions.
Admission is free; there is a fee for food and wine tastings. Visit the chamber website or call (630) 232-6060 for details.
What to eat and drink at Festival of the Vine
Although Festival of the Vine offers a craft show, entertainment and other attractions, the food and drink are the main draw for most festival attendees. The Flavor Fare tent offers food samplings from 23 Geneva restaurants, and the wine tent features 25 wines from around the world, by the glass.
You'll need to purchase tickets (there's a ticket sales booth on-site) for food and wine; food items cost 1-7 tickets each; wine is 4-12 tickets per glass. Tickets are $1 apiece. Here's a sneak peek:
<b>Restaurants</b>• 318 Coffeehouse
• Altiro Latin Fusion
• Bien Trucha
• Claddagh Irish Pub
• El Molcajete on 3rd
• Firehouse Pizza and Grill
• Foxfire
• Gen-Hoe Restaurant
• Geneva Ale House
• Gia Mia Pizza Bar
• Graham's Fine Chocolates and Ice Cream
• Hache Modern Brasserie
• Inglenook Pantry Inc.
• Josef's Elegante Meats and Deli
• Kernel's Gourmet Popcorn and More
• Kilwin's Chocolates and Ice Cream
• Morano's Pizza
• Nobel House
• Preservation Bread and Wine/Atlas Chicken Shack
• Riganato Old World Grille
• Sergio's Cantina
• Stockholm's
• The Sugar Path
<b>Wine</b>• Rex Goliath: pinot grigio, chardonnay, moscato, merlot, cabneret sauvignon, red sangria
• Woodbridge: riesling, white zinfandel
• Ruffino: prosecco, moscato, sparking rose, riserva ducale oro Chianti classico
• Kim Crawford: sauvignon blanc
• Nobilo: chardonnay
• Dreaming Tree: pinot noir
• Diseno: malbec
• Ravage: "Knight Fall" red blend
• Tom Gore: cabernet sauvignon
• Mondavi: Oakville fume blanc
• The Prisoner: 'Blindfold" white blend
• Unbridled: pinot noir
• Saldo: zinfandel
• Saved: red blend
• Mount Veeder: cabernet sauvignon
• Jackson-Triggs: Vidal icewine