SUMMIT STATION — Despite the rain, the first Appalachian Wine Festival at the Schuylkill County Fairgrounds was well attended, according to event organizers.
“The weather did not damper anything. It was an awesome day,” Leanne Toth, Kempton, said.
She bought a bottle of Orchard Blush from Stone Mountain Wine Cellars, Pine Grove, cucumber melon from Ferrone Winery, Peckville, and Strazzberry from Red Shale Ridge Vineyards, Hegins.
Casey Huntington, 32, of Camp Hill, was there with her husband, Nick Huntington, 32, and some friends celebrating her birthday, which was May 19.
“This is where I wanted to go,” she said.
She did not leave empty handed as they bought almost a case of wine to take home. She said her favorite samples Saturday were Sunshine from Benigna’s Creek Vineyard and Winery, Klingerstown, and the hard cider from Bouchette Vineyards, Pine Grove.
Phil Kriner, Deer Lake, said he also had fun Saturday.
“The wineries all had good wines,” he said.
Jessica Boyer, an employee of Benigna’s Creek, said Sunshine was one of five wines that sold out. The others were Benigna’s Tears, strawberry, blueberry and black raspberry.
Jess Bouchette, owner of Bouchette Vineyards, said people seemed to like what they had at the event.
“The hard ciders went like crazy,” she said of the three varieties — hard apple cider, spiced apple cider and triple berry, a combination of raspberry, blueberry and currants.
Eleven wineries attended the event. Paul Kennedy, president of the Schuylkill County Fair, said he was impressed with the attendance.
“Our goal was 1,000. If think if we would not have had the rain, we would have far exceeded our forecast,” he said, adding attendance hit 900. Tickets were $15 in advance or $20 at the gate.
The idea for the event, which was presented by T102 Radio and Murphy Jewelers in coordination with the Schuylkill County Fair, came about after the owner of Red Shale Ridge Vineyards, Tom Stutzman, called Jim Bowman, station manager for T102, and mentioned the idea, Bowman said.
“I thought it sounded like a great idea right off the bat,” Bowman said.
The decision to hold the event inside the indoor midway was a joint decision by Kennedy and Bowman based on the weather.
“It turned out to be a pretty good decision,” Bowman said.
Kennedy said efforts have started for next year’s event.
“People were just smiling and happy,” he said.