By Kate Bartlett
This November 8th is a notable one for Holiday Valley as it is the date of the 21st Annual Beer & Wine Festival. This event is a celebration of craft beverages, exceptional brews, fine wines, and unforgettable fun in the picturesque beauty of Ellicottville. It’s a unique opportunity to sample a diverse array of drinks from approximately 50 of the best breweries and wineries in the region. Whether you’re a craft beer enthusiast or a wine connoisseur, there’s something to tantalize every palate.
The event started 21 years ago as an event to attract visitors to the Ellicottville region in between summer and ski season. “It takes place after the summertime operations have closed out for the season and before we kick off the ski and snowboard season, weather permitting on November 28,” says Dash Hegeman, Marketing Director for Holiday Valley. “It’s really a great way to have a fun party before the winter season begins.”
After a handful of years where the event was broken up into 2 different three-hour sessions, this year, the festival is returning to one four-hour session on Saturday from 3-7pm. This year, Holiday Valley is also adding a VIP ticket which allows access a half-hour earlier and an exclusive VIP with special beer releases every hour and a souvenir gift. “The VIP ticket has been very popular during the early sale period, but some still remain,” says Dash. “It’s a component that guests had been asking for and we are excited to roll it out this year.”
This year brings another great lineup of vendors with around 50 vendors serving up some of the best craft brews, liquor, and wine from this region. “This number of vendors fills the three levels of the Main Lodge well, offering a wide selection of beverages, while still allowing guests to move throughout the event smoothly.” The Beer & Wine Festival attracts some of this region’s best breweries and wineries. “To have that number of vendors under one roof, along with music by Darkwater Duo, Mayday Buffalo, and Second Hand News, makes for a great party that anyone (age 21+) can enjoy.”
Featured breweries include Ellicottville Brewing Company, 42 North, Steelbound, Eli Fish, Wayland, Bit Ditch, First Line, Ghostfish, Bitesmith, 12 Gates, Saranac, Flying Bison, Resurgence, SixPoint and many more (34 total). Featured wineries and distilleries include Southern Tier, Winery of Ellicottville, Natemeg Winery, Ellicottville Distillery, Lilly Belle Meads, Black Button Distilling, Merritt Estate Winery, Woodbury Vineyards and more.
According to Dash, the event is perfect for anyone who enjoys sampling great drinks, listing to awesome music (there’s a band on every level of the Main Chalet), and having a fun time. Guests can make a weekend out of it by booking lodging with Holiday Valley and participating in the Crawl Outta Fall event on Friday. “It’s a great weekend here at Holiday Valley, we look forward to hosting it every year.”
The Crawl Outta Fall event is a fun opportunity for guests to explore bars in the village of Ellicottville. “This event has gained popularity every year,” says Dash. For only $15, guests get a passport booklet featuring participating locations with drink specials in the Village of Ellicottville. Live music will be playing at Edna’s at the Tamarack Club, which is the starting point of the tour, with shuttle service to and from the Village until 2am. Guests who document their Crawl Outta Fall fun and tag @holidayvalley on Instagram or Facebook automatically get entered to win a prize that is given out at The Beer & Wine festival the next evening. Participants can also get entered to win the prize by collecting at least 4 stamps on their passport card and turning the passport in at the Tamarack Club Front Desk or at the event the next day.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit holidayvalley.com and follow on social media for updates leading up to the event.