TC Wine & Art Festival returns for seconds

Artists of both the palate and palette persuasion will come together Aug. 21 for the second annual Traverse City Wine & Art Festival, a celebration of creativity in many forms.

Twenty-two wineries, more than 60 artists, 10 local restaurants and an impressive lineup of musical performers will join forces for the festivities, set for 3-10 p.m. on the sprawling front lawn of Building 50 at the Village of Grand Traverse Commons.

The wineries hail from throughout northern Michigan — Leelanau Peninsula, Old Mission Peninsula and Traverse City proper — and the event “offers you a chance to taste almost 100 wines, from Rieslings and Chardonnay to Pinot Noirs and Cabernet Francs,” said Andrew McFarlane, spokesman for the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association.  (Scroll down for a complete list of participating wineries.)

 Well-known local eateries The Cooks’ House, Red Ginger, Phil’s on Front, Bourbons 72, Chez Pères, Lil Bo’s, Zakey’s, Maybings, Silver Tree and Morsels will be serving up their specialties, available for an additional charge, alongside the wine.

“Because our wines work so well with food, we’ve brought in a diverse collection of restaurants … who will be offering a range of foods for sale to meet every palate,” said McFarlane.

 On the art side of the spectrum, “we worked with three of the region’s arts organizations” — Art Center Traverse City, Crystal Lake Art Center and the Leelanau Community Cultural Center — “to bring in work from over 60 artists, presenting painting, pottery, sculpture, jewelry and more,” said McFarlane. “We have three big gallery tents and also artist booths, and I think the festival offers an amazing chance to view and purchase work from some of our region’s leading artists, including Bill Allen, Glenn Wolff and Rufus Snoddy.”

The appeal will be auditory as well as visual, with stage performances beginning at 3 p.m. 

Song of the Great Lakes Trio and Sue Wood will kick things off with their regional folk music, followed by folk duo May Erlewine and Seth Bernard. Later in the evening, W.C. Handy Award-nominee Greg Nagy of Lansing and Larry McCray, billed as “Michigan’s premier blues artist,” will take the stage.

“It’s not a party without music, and this year we’ve got a great mix, including several dance troupes, who will perform between our musical acts,” said McFarlane.

Admission tickets are $20 each or four for $60 in advance, or $25 each at the door. Two wine tickets are included with admission; additional are available for $4 apiece. 

Wine & Art Festival attendees also will have a chance to win pairs of tickets to other upcoming wine-related events, including the Leelanau Harvest Stompede, Sept. 18-19; the Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula’s Romancing the Riesling, Feb. 19-20, 2011; and the next Traverse City Wine & Art Festival, Aug. 20, 2011, along with two nights of lodging at the Holiday Inn West Bay. 

“All the prizes will be given away by 6:30,” said McFarlane, “so be sure to come early.”

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.traversecitywinefestival.com. Tickets also are available at participating wineries, Turtle Creek Casino and the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

Participating wineries:

Bel Lago

Bowers Harbor

Black Star Farms

Chateau Fontaine

Chateau Chantal

Chateau de Leelanau

Chateau Grand Traverse

Cherry Republic

Ciccone Vineyards

Circa

Gills Pier

Forty-Five North

Good Harbor Vineyards

Leelanau Cellars

Left Foot Charley

L. Mawby

Peninsula Cellars

Raftshol

Shady Lane

Silver Leaf

2 Lads

Willow

Like this article? Feel free to reprint it, but please credit Cortney Casey of MichiganByTheBottle.com. Thank you!

All photos are courtesy of Emery & Company Photography. 

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