Wine festivals coming to York, Lancaster, Hunt Valley, Harrisburg and beyond
It is wine festival season in Central Pennsylvania. Wine events offer a great opportunity to try wines from many different wineries, shop vendors and enjoy entertainment.
Here are a few tips to help make the most of the season.
Take note wine event promoters, listing wines available at each event is helpful as well as a map of the event.
Tips for attending a wine festival
• Make sure to invite several of your favorite friends to the festival. It makes for a fun festival to be surrounded by friends.
• Go to the event website and see which wineries are in attendance. This can help you decide which events you want to attend.
• Check to see what they allow in. Some will allow you to bring a pop-up, tent, cooler, food, etc. Make a day of it and enjoy the day.
• Buy your tickets early. Most wine festivals offer discounted pricing if you purchase early.
• Arrive early to obtain the best spot and lay down base camp. I like to be near the music to make the day even more enjoyable.
• If there is a map, plan your strategy. Do you have favorite wineries you want to visit first? I usually taste first and make a list of my favorites. At the end of the day I will make my purchases to take home.
• If the lines aren't long, ignore previous tip and make the purchase now. Many festivals have a coat check type system where you can pick up the wine at the end of the day so you don't have to carry it around.
• Take time to eat. You don't want to get dehydrated.
• There are often vendors selling things — save that for last and concentrate on the tasting. Do you really need those wine glass necklaces? Maybe a nice piece of jewelry will suffice.
• Have a designated driver or call a car service so you can enjoy the festival to its full potential.
• Take your favorites home to enjoy later. Many of the wineries have come far away and are not available in your local liquor store. Plan your departure a little before it ends or a little after so you are not in a traffic jam.
Enjoy a day trying something new and attend one of the wine festivals this season. Cheers!
You might also like
Wine and food festival returns to Cockeysville
Suds & Songs highlights brews and music this weekend in Red Lion
Wine festivals
Already happened
Wine in the Woods
Tickets: $40
May 16-17
5950 Symphony Woods Road
Columbia, Md.
Taste of Pennsylvania Wine and Music Festival
Tickets: $25
May 16-17
York Fairgrounds
334 Carlisle Ave., York
Great PA FlavorFest
Free admission
May 23 and 24
Mount Hope Estate
2775 Lebanon Road, Manheim
www.parenfaire.com/flavorfest/
Lehigh Valley Food and Wine Festival
Tickets: $85
May 29-31
The Outlets at Sands Bethlehem
77 Sands Blvd, Bethlehem
SIP Wine in the Park
Tickets: $75
May 30
Musser Park, Lime & Chestnut St., Lancaster
Coming soon
Great Grapes
Tickets: $25
June 6-7
13401 Beaver Damn Road
Hunt Valley, Md.
Brandywine Food & Wine Festival
Tickets: $25
June 13
Greater Chester Valley Sports Association
137 Line Road, Malvern
Jazz & Wine Festival
Tickets: $30 for a weekend pass
Sept. 11 — Sept. 13
5300 N. Front St., Harrisburg
Gettysburg Wine & Music Festival
$20 in advance, $25 gate admission
Sept. 12 — Sept. 13
95 Presidential Circle, Gettysburg
www.gettysburgwineandmusicfestival.com/
Wine in the Woods Festival
Tickets: $12 in advance $15 gate admission
Sept. 18
3113 Centennial Road, Hanover
717-632-8715
Yorktoberfest
$20 Wine $40 Beer
Oct. 10-11
York Fairgrounds
334 Carlisle Ave., York
The Philadelphia Food & Wine Festival
Oct. 16–18, 2015
Valley Forge Casino Resort
1160 1st Ave., King of Prussia
609-398-4450