For many, Rebec Vineyards’ Virginia Wine & Garlic Festival is one of the fall season’s last hurrahs.
“People want to have that last fun time out before the weather changes,” says Katie Meeks, Rebec’s marketing and business manager.
“We give them something to do: five stages (with) constant entertainment, 150 vendors,” she adds. “It’s getting out and celebrating with the community. People see their friends here. It’s a big social event for Amherst County.”
This year’s festival is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the vineyard, located in Amherst off U.S. 29.
The only major change from years past is that kids 12 and younger now get in free.
“We’re trying to make it a little more family friendly, a little more affordable,” says Meeks.
Other than that, it’s the same old Garlic Festival everyone knows and loves.
Meeks says they try to get as many local entertainers and vendors as possible each year.
Five area wineries — Hill Top Berry Farm, Peaks of Otter, Afton Mountain, Mountain Cove and Wintergreen — will offer tastings and sell bottles alongside Rebec.
Food vendors include Daddy Bim’s, which will be serving up barbecue made with native garlic; The Briar Patch, which will offer samples of its famous Sweet and Sour dressings and Fajita sauce; the Garlic Grotto and Flynn’s Foods, both making garlic burgers; and Richmond’s Grapevine Restaurant and its garlic pizzas.
Returning musicians include the Paddy D Quartet and its blend of jazz, folk and blues, back for the 16th year in a row; fellow veterans Frank Coffey & Company, performing at the festival for the 15th time; Robin Rich, who performs British Isles and American folk tunes; FaST, a group of Sweet Briar College faculty and staff; the Steve Freeman Band; Dragonfly; POPS Walker; the Lynchburg Tribal belly dancers; and Bad Circus, who performed last year under the name Boozehound.
New acts include area acoustic musician Paul Brunett and El Gleno Grande, a comedy act that performs circus skills and sight gags.
“We laughed out loud at the video,” says Lynn Hanson, wife of Rebec owner Richard Hanson.
General admission is $14 in advance and $20 at the gate, and a wine tasting ticket is $18 in advance and $25 at the gate.
Advance ticket outlets are The Basket Case on Old Forest Road, The Ivy Cottage on Memorial Avenue, Miller’s Jewelry in Altavista, The Corner in Amherst, Mill Ridge Gifts in Madison Heights and The Virginia Shop in Charlottesville.
- For more information, call (434) 946-5168 or visit www.rebecwinery.com.
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