By Jessica Miller
The 19th annual Holiday Valley Beer and Wine Festival is scheduled for Friday November 10 and Saturday November 11 at Ellicottville’s own Holiday Valley Resort (6557 Holiday Valley Rd). The festival is split into two sessions with the first being from 1-4pm and the second from 5-8pm. Over 100 brews from New York and Pennsylvania will be served to ticket holders on all three floors of the lodge during the Saturday event.
Friday night officially kicks off the Beer and Wine Festival with the inaugural “Crawl Outta Fall” pub crawl. Registration for the crawl begins in the Tamarack Club between 5:30-8:30pm. This event has a $10 admission that includes a passport card and the first drink at John Harvard’s, and shuttle access. The shuttle operates between 6pm-2am with departures from the Tamarack Club every half hour. Bars on the crawl will have their own sample fees outside of the Crawl Outta Fall admission. Live music and prizes are part of the evening, with participants who have at least four passport card stamps being entered to win a grand prize Ultimate Holiday Valley experience.
Saturday’s festival will exhibit the area breweries, cideries, and wineries that are once again ready to show off their finest brews. They have on tap classic standby varieties and new favorites to enjoy. Among the currently confirmed samplers are: 12 Gates Brewing, 1911 Established, 42 North Brewing Company, Big Ditch Brewing, Bold Rock Cider, Eli Fish Brewing Company, Ellicottville Brewing Company, Erie Brewing Company, Five & 20 Brewing, Flying Bison Brewing, Founders Brewing, Marquee Brewing, Meiers Creek Brewing, Naked Dove Brewing, Saranac/Utica Club, Sixpoint Brewery, Southern Tier Brewing, Steelbound Brewery, Victory Brewing Company, Voodoo Brewing, Windy Brewery, and Woodcock Brothers Brewery. Other nearby brewing participants are sure to join the roster as the festival date approaches.
Tickets for the Holiday Valley Beer and Wine Festival and weekend lodging packages can be purchased in advance at www.holidayvalley.com. Tickets are $60 until October 31, $65 from November 1-10, and $70 on November 11. Designated driver admission is $10.