By Channing Hubbard
From July 11-13, wine connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike can taste the fruits of Ohio wineries at the 7th annual North Market Ohio Food and Wine Festival. Hosted by National City, the event will feature a variety of Ohio food, wine, art and entertainment.
The weekend kicks off with a Friday night Preview Party from 7-10 p.m. Local celebrities and winery owners will serve the wine — putting a personal touch on the tasting. Guests can also enjoy the musical styling of local swing band Honk, Wail and Moan.
On Saturday and Sunday, visitors can enjoy shopping at Saturday’s Farmer’s Market or Sunday’s craft fair. There will also be live entertainment and cooking demonstrations by some of Columbus’ best-known chefs. Children’s activities include face painting, balloon twisting, a living statue of Joy Unspeakable, as the god of wine, and a corn climbing wall.
Whether coming out with family or friends, and familiar with wine or not, the event is an opportunity to support Ohio businesses and agriculture.
“The North Market itself is dedicated to supporting local agriculture and businesses, so the Ohio Food and Wine Festival is really just an extension of that goal. It promotes Ohio wineries, Ohio cuisine, and agriculture as well as local artisans and entertainers,” says Mary Martineau, North Market marketing director and event planner.
The Ohio Food and Wine Festival showcases at least 18 of Ohio’s 106 wineries, and the originals have been returning year after year, testimony to the event’s success. Indeed, wineries have admirers that come prepared to purchase cases of their preferred wines at Friday’s Preview Party.
For those who have yet to find their favorite bottle, there is a wide selection from which to choose. Each of the featured wineries brings 4 to 6 varieties of wine. So, whether buying by the taste or the glass, visitors are sure to find something they enjoy while celebrating Ohio and connecting with those who create the products.
“People can meet the owners who grow the grapes and make the wine. If you’re not as familiar with wine, there is a ‘Wow, the owner who made this wine just poured me a glass’ feeling. And the more familiar can talk personally with the experts. Either way, it’s a great way to meet the men and women responsible for what you’re drinking,” Martineau says.
Tickets for Friday evening are $20 and include 10 tasting tickets. Admission tickets for Saturday or Sunday are $5 and include a souvenir tasting glass and two tasting tickets. Additional tasting tickets are $0.50 each. For more event information, visit www.northmarket.com/events/ or call Martineau at (614) 463-9664.
An updated list of wineries sheduled to attend is as follows:
Chalet Debonne Vineyard, Madison; Ferrante Winery, Geneva; Firelands Winery, Sandusky; Henke Winery, Cincinnati; Laurello Vineyards, Geneva; Maize Valley Winery, Hartville; Markko Vineyard, Conneaut; Meranda-Nixon Winery, Ripley; Mon Ami Winery, Port Clinton; Ravens Glen Winery, West Lafayette; Slate Run Vineyard, Canal Winchester; St. Joseph Vineyards, Thompson; Stoney Ridge Winery, Bryan; Troutman Vineyards, Wooster; The Winery at Wolf Creek, Norton; Valley Vineyards, Morrow; Viking Vineyard, Kent and Wyandotte Winery, Columbus.