August 12-14
The
always popular Toast of Ohio Wine Heritage Festival, held on
Sandusky
’s waterfront, is growing! To celebrate the area’s
heritage as the largest wine-producing region in the nation
prior to Prohibition, the traditionally one-day event is
expanding to three days of wine tasting, gourmet food eating
and art show shopping fun!
The wine festivities begin
Thursday, August 12 with a wine-tasting cruise aboard the
Goodtime
I, where passengers will enjoy a leisurely sight-seeing cruise
on
Sandusky
Bay
and
Lake Erie
and witness a spectacular sunset. The cruise departs the
Jackson Street Pier at 7 pm and returns to port at 9 pm.
The cruise is sponsored by Specialty Wines, who will
feature their Italian imports. Fantastic wine selections
are included in the cost. Tickets for the inaugural
Toast of Ohio sunset cruise are just $25 per person and can be
purchased at the
Lake Erie
Shores & Islands
Welcome
Center
. Hors d’ouvres will be provided by Creative Cuisine.
The
festivities kick into high gear on Friday, August 13 and
Saturday, August 14 at the Sandusky Bay Pavilion (
605 East Water Street
,
Sandusky
) with the official Toast of Ohio Wine Heritage Festival, now
in its seventh year. This fantastic event features
twelve
Ohio
wineries, gourmet food, live musical entertainment and an
artist’s showcase. The festival grounds will be
open Friday from 4 – 9 pm and Saturday from noon – 8 pm.
Admission is just
$5.00 per person and includes a souvenir Toast of Ohio wine
glass and two complimentary wine tastings. Patrons who
visit the festival Friday can bring their 2010 glass back to
the event on Saturday for free admission. Admission fees
benefit the sponsoring museums, the
Maritime Museum of Sand
usky and
Merry-Go-Round
Museum
. Tickets will be available
to purchase for exchange of wine tastings and food purchases.
Wine tasting tickets are four for $3.00 and glass pours will
vary by vendor. Food offerings will range from $1.00 - $5.00.
Ticket packages – including a combination of food tickets
and wine tickets – also will be available for purchase –
ranging from $5.00 to $20.00. The $20.00 package includes
admission, glass, ten food tickets and ten wine tastings. Wine
related merchandise and souvenirs will be sold separately.
A variety of
musical entertainment and family fun activities will occur
throughout the festival. The
Maritime Museum of Sand
usky and the
Merry-Go-Round
Museum
, co-sponsors of the festival, will host tours and activities.
The Lake Erie
Shores & Islands once featured huge vineyards that spread
from east of
Sandusky
to the western region near the bay because of the lakeshore
climate. The Toast of Ohio event was developed to celebrate
the area’s winemaking heritage. Today, dozens of wineries
still operate in the region. Make a weekend of it with
lodging packages available at www.SHORESandISLANDS.com
and tour the area’s
wineries.
August 28
Wine Tasting supporting Crohn's
& Colitis Foundation of America, Southwest Ohio Chapter.
Formerly called Wines & Chimes.
Sat. Aug. 28, 2010 from 6pm
- 10pm at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, 35 West
Fifth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Enjoy
an evening tasting wonderful wines, delicious appetizers,
a great silent auction, raffles, and more all
supporting Crohn's & Colitis. $55
per person or reserve a table for eight for only $480. Contact
Jenny Southers at 513-772-3550 or jsouthers@ccfa.org
or to register go to www.ccfa.org/chapters/swohio