By Kate Bartlett
This weekend, Saturday, September 19-Sunday, September 20 marks the third annual Westfield Grape and Wine Festival. This family-friendly event includes wine tasting, grape stomping, pie contests, vendors, food and music. Admission is free, and open to all (must be 21+ to participate in wine tastings).
The event will take place in both downtown Westfield, at 2 East Main Street, and the Grape Discovery Center, at 8305 West Main Street, and is intended to celebrate grape growing and harvesting and to showcase the wide selection of award-winning wines in this region. The festival also aims to share the region’s passion for grape production and deepen the appreciation for the crop in this region. The festival will hold a pancake breakfast on Saturday, September 20th from 7-10am, which is free for grape farmers, and $5 for the general public. “We invite all the farmers out for a free breakfast as a small token of appreciation for their hard work, and for the community to come sit and share a meal with our farmers.”
The Westfield Farmers and Artisan’ Market/Moore Park location will offer a vibrant marketplace of local produce, crafts and artisanal products complete with a festival in the park. Guests can participate in grape stomping, grape pie contest and pie-eating contest, and enjoy local wines and craft beverages. In addition to the Grape Pie Contest, Wanderlust Catering is sponsoring the first annual “Grape Escape Dessert Challenge” to encourage the development of new Concord grape recipes. Anyone can participate in this competition – all you have to do is to bring your dessert (and recipe) to the festival between 10am-1pm on Saturday to be included. Online registration is open to all and small prizes will be awarded. There will be a children’s tasting area with grapes, juice, and “Purple Cow” ice cream treats (vanilla ice cream with Concord grape concentrate) for sampling.
The Grape Discovery Center will offer the opportunity for guests to immerse themselves in the fascinating world of grapes while learning about the art and science of grape cultivation and the rich history vineyards in this region. Guests can engage in interactive exhibits to expand their knowledge and experience the true essence of grapes. The center will also offer the opportunity for grape juice tasting, to explore the incredible flavors of this delightful drink.
According to The Post Journal “The two locations create a perfect balance, with downtown setting buzzing with small-town energy, while the Discovery Center connects visitors directly to the regions agricultural heritage.” A free shuttle connects the two venues, and parking is available at both.
Fred and Jennifer Johnson, owners of Johnson Estate Winery, are looking forward to this Festival, and seek to continue to promote the area’s unique microclimate. “We’re thankful that the Westfield Chamber of Commerce pushed to create this event three years ago,” says Fred. “Westfield is the headquarters of the National Grape Cooperative, the owner of Welch’s Grape Juice, and this Festival seeks to celebrate the Concord grape industry and its roots in this area. It’s important to not only the village and town of Westfield, but the entire Chautauqua Region.”
themselves in the fascinating world of grapes while learning about the art and
science of grape cultivation and the rich history vineyards in this region.
Westfield is in the middle of the largest Concord grape belt in the world. Of the region’s 30,000 acres, 95% are dedicated to growing Concord grapes for the production of juice, jams, jellies, as well as wine. The region’s Germanic micro-climate is also perfect for growing grapes like Riesling and Chardonnay and the production of European classic wines.
Come out and discover the “deep roots” that grapes have in this region, learn something new, and enjoy a beautiful day outdoors in Westfield. For more information, visit westfieldny.com and follow on social media. The event is family friendly, free and open to the public. The event will take place at Westfield Moore Park, Grape Discovery Center, & Pancake Breakfast at Methodist Church.