Wine And Food Festival Preview: Sunday Fair At San Gabriel Park
With great weather, a social atmosphere, and big crowds, there were many good times to be had at last year's Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival Sunday Fair in Georgetown. Having braved the long drive, we found a huge, beautiful park filled with white tents full of salsa, BBQ, chocolate, tamales, and copious amounts of booze. This is probably one's best chance to experience the gluttony of the THCWFF at a moderate cost, as tickets for the huge fair are a very reasonable $45.
Let's look at what's in store for this year's April Fool's Day event:
Beer Drinking: Live Oak, North by Northwest, and Saint Arnold will all be pouring their spring microbrews.
Wine Drinking: Alamosa Wine Cellars, Atalon Winery, Bonterra Vineyards, Bridlewood Vineyards, Casa Lapostolle, DeLoach Vineyards, Domaines Ott, Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, Flat Creek Estate, Hahn Estates, Hook and Ladder Winery, Indaba, Kendall-Jackson Winery, MacMurray Ranch, Mandola Estate Winery, Matanzas Creek Winery, Mulderbosch, Murphy-Goode Winery, Oyster Bay, Patz & Hall Winery, Penfolds, Quintessa, Ridge Vineyards, Rosenblum Cellars, Sauvignon Republic Cellars, Serenity Vineyards, Simi Winery, Treana Winery, Truchard Vineyards, and Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards will be pouring samples along with over 15 other wineries.
Eating: Brennan's of Houston, Café Josie, Cool River Cafe, Driskill Grill, Fado, Hudson's on the Bend, Lamberts Downtown Barbeque, Mandola's Italian Market, Romeo's, Shiner Smokehouse, Southside Market and BBQ, Tèo Italian Coffee and Gelato, Texas Culinary Academy, The Lodge Restaurant/Bin 555, The Salt Lick, The Soup Peddler, and Via Real Restaurant will be serving up snacks, BBQ, and appetizers. Let us not fool you, though: while there is plenty of lunch to be had, this event focuses on wine and Texas food products!
Chef Appearances: An "Iron Chef"-style smackdown stage will pit The Soup Peddler's David Ansel against Hudson's On The Bend chef Jeff Blank. Sorry, David, you are completely hosed here. Other matches include The Driskill Grill's departing chef David Bull against Jason Dady of San Antonio's The Lodge and Bin 555. Since Bull was actually on "Iron Chef" last year, we have a feeling Mr. Dady's in some trouble as well. Cooking demonstrations from Sonoma chef John Ash and Randy Evans of Brennan's will also take place.
Live Music: Austin foodie Trish Murphy will provide live music, along with Beto y Los Fairlanes and Donna Hightower.
Tickets were sold at the door for last year's event, but if you're unwilling to gamble, they can be purchased at the link below. Have fun, and don't forget your designated driver - trust us, this is a lot of beer and wine!
Sunday Fair
Sunday, April 1st
San Gabriel Park (Georgetown, TX) [map]
Noon-5pm
$45 [tickets]
Image via VisitGeorgetown.com. Photographer uncredited.
