2016 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival Official Vendor Announcement & Ticket Sales Update
Contact: Sasha Pardy, Owner & Stephanie Ottino, Festival Coordinator / Phone: (518) 668-9463 x15 / EMAIL US>> / For Photos, Videos & Logos, visit>>
LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (May 24, 2016): Adirondack Festivals LLC today announced the full list of vendors slated for this year’s Adirondack Wine & Food Festival, being held June 25th & 26th at Charles R Wood Festival Commons in Lake George Village.
“This festival celebrates the bounty of amazing craft beverages and locally made foods that New York has to offer and we’re not short on vendors for this year’s event,” said Owner Sasha Pardy.
The vendor list for the 2016 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival includes 21 wineries, 4 breweries, 4 distilleries, 2 cideries, 19 artisan food vendors, 6 food / beverage trucks, 1 local restaurant and a weekend full of culinary demonstrations provided by the SUNY Adirondack Culinary Students. The full list of vendors follows in this release.
A Festival ticket ($35 at the gate, $25 pre-sale) gets the attendee access to the event for one day and a commemorative festival wine glass to be used to sample the hundreds of hand-crafted products available to try that day, plus take the glass home with them.
The Festival is a farmer’s market style (rain or shine) event where wineries, craft beverage and artisanal food vendors set up tents, serve samples and sell their fine products, giving festival-goers the opportunity to “try before they buy”. To encourage support of these local small producers, the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival offers a “Purchase Drop-Off & Pick-Up Tent”, where attendees can drop off the purchases they make throughout the day for storage to be picked up when they leave the festival.
“So far this year, we have already sold more than 1,100 tickets and the bulk of our marketing campaign is just kicking off now – we will see ticket sales take off from this point. I’m confident that with great weather, we will hit our 5,000 attendee goal,” said Stephanie Ottino, Festival Coordinator. “Our festival brings an important demographic to Lake George, with the average attendee being females, age 25-44 with buying power – statistics show that wine tourists have a 16% higher income than the average tourist or individual,” she added.
The exposure and revenue earned by these vendors at the festival contributes greatly to each of their businesses. Robin McDougall, co-owner of Lake George Distilling said of last year’s event, “The first year of the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival was a great success. We did very well in sales and sampling. The festival exposed us to a large cross section of consumers that might not normally stop by our tasting room.”
This year, the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival is presented by Adirondack Winery and Taste New York. Adirondack Festivals announced in March that it was awarded $63,000 in funding from Governor Cuomo’s Craft Beverage Marketing and Promotion Grant Program, which was created to increase the profile, awareness and sales of New York State-produced wine, beer, spirits, and hard cider. Additionally, $15,000 in funding was awarded from Warren County & Lake George occupancy tax funds.
“This grant, combined with the funding we were awarded from Warren County and Lake George Village and Town Occupancy Tax Funds and more than 20 generous local business sponsors, has allowed us to put together an extensive marketing campaign including print and digital, social media, radio, television, billboards and more. We have a presence reaching not just the Lake George/Glens Falls region; but also the Adirondacks, Albany, Hudson Valley, Vermont, New York City, Long Island and more,” said Sasha Pardy, Adirondack Festivals Owner and President of Adirondack Winery.
In a March release announcing the Craft Beverage Grant funding, Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky said, “New York State’s craft beverage industry has an annual economic impact of $27 billion and thanks to the support of Governor Cuomo, the production and sale of wine, beer, spirits and cider continues to grow. ESD is proud to support the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival and we look forward to getting the diverse and delicious products of local businesses in front of thousands of enthusiasts at the event in June.”
The 1st Adirondack Wine & Food Festival was held the same weekend last June as one of the first events to debut at Festival Commons and has since been recognized by many as the most successful new event to take place in Lake George in a long time. “Festival Commons is the perfect spot for an event like ours. It’s got ample green space, nearby parking, and walking access to plentiful hotels, restaurants, attractions and shops for our attendees to enjoy before and after the festival,” said Pardy.
The SUNY Adirondack Foundation provides volunteers as the designated beneficiary of the Festival, receiving a portion of ticket sales from the event. “SUNY Adirondack is great to work with and the perfect fit, with their growing Culinary Arts Program,” said Ottino. The Culinary Arts Program Faculty and Students will be present at the festival showcasing their skills with Cooking Demonstrations under a special tent throughout the festival. They will also be raising money by selling baked goods, food, non-alcoholic beverages and items at the event.
The Adirondack Wine and Food Festival website and ticket sales are live. Visit www.ADKWINEFEST.com for more information, images, videos, logos, and more.
VENDOR LIST AND DETAILS FOLLOW….
2016 ADIRONDACK WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL VENDOR LIST
Wineries
- Adirondack Winery / Lake George
- Americana Vineyards / Interlaken
- Brookview Station Winery / Castleton
- Galway Rock Vineyard & Winery / Galway
- Goose Watch Winery / Romulus
- Halfmoon Cellars Winery / Saratoga Springs
- Helderberg Meadworks / Duanesburg
- Hudson Chatham Winery / Ghent
- Lakeland Winery / Syracuse
- Ledge Rock Hill Winery / Corinth
- Miles Wine Cellars / Himrod
- Oliva Vineyards / Saratoga Springs
- Pazdar Winery / Hudson Valley
- Raymor Estate Cellars / Victor
- Saratoga Winery, Saratoga Springs
- Swedish Hill Winery / Romulus
- Three Brothers Winery / Geneva
- Thousand Islands Winery / Alexandria Bay
- Tug Hill Vineyards / Lowville
- Victory View Vineyard, Schaghticoke
- Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery / Warwick
Breweries
- Adirondack Brewery & Moose Wizz Rootbeer / Lake George
- Brown’s Brewing Co. / Troy
- Common Roots Brewing Company / South Glens Falls
- Davidson Brothers Brewing & Crazy J’s Soda / Glens Falls
Distilleries
- Lake George Distilling Co / Fort Ann
- Springbrook Hollow Distillery / Queensbury
- Yankee Distillers / Clifton Park
- Harvest Spirits Distillery / Valatie
Cideries
- Nine Pin Ciderworks / Albany
- Slyboro Ciderhouse / Granville
Artisanal Foods
- Bald Mountain Garlic Farm – Garlic Sauces
- Chef William Creations – Sauces & Salsas
- Cheese Filled Company – Pepperoni & Pickles
- Cross River Kettle Corn – Popcorn
- Dutch Desserts – Pies & Tarts
- Eagle Ridge Farms – Pepper Sauce & Hot Dogs
- The Gourmet Gals Sauce – Sauces
- Gusto della Vita – Olive Oil & Vinegar
- Hidden Hollow Maple Farm – Maple Products
- Horseshoe Brand Hot Sauce – Hot Sauces
- Ice Delites – Wine Slushie Mixes
- Jiff-E-Chips – Potato Chips
- Lake George Olive Oil Co – Oil & Vinegar
- Lindt Chocolatiers – Chocolates
- Nettle Meadow – Goat’s Milk Cheese
- Palatine Cheese – Cow’s Milk Cheese
- Palatable Pepper Products – Sauces & Spices
- Saratoga Crackers – Crackers
- Worldlings Pleasure – Cheese & Desserts
Food Trucks, Etc.
- Capital Q Smokehouse – Barbeque
- Caribbean Jack’s Fruit Smoothies
- Empanada Sonata – Empanadas
- Flavors of Lebanon – Lebanese
- The Hungry Traveler – Sandwiches, etc
- The Dutch Udder Ice Cream
- The Boathouse Restaurant
- SUNY Adirondack Culinary Arts Program
Specialty Vendors
- AHG Creative – Wine Charms & Accessories
- AC Woodcraft – Fine wood bowls & vases
- Love is on Lake George – Home Accessories
- Sweet Rama’s Soap – Goat’s Milk Soaps
- This Old Bottle – Recycled Wine Bottle Crafts
ABOUT THE CRAFT BEVERAGE GRANT PROGRAM:
The $3 million Craft Beverage Marketing and Promotion Grant Program was created by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to increase the profile, awareness and sales of New York State-produced wine, beer, spirits, and hard cider, will provide matching funds for the marketing and promotion of craft beverages. Up to $250,000 will be awarded to eligible Not-For-Profit organizations and For-Profit entities to help cover the costs associated with marketing the craft beverage industry. This includes the purchase of recognized media advertising, production costs of print collateral and audio/visual, industry related tours, marketing materials, and website design, development, and updates.
The eligible project must incorporate the Taste NY initiative as applicable and appropriate to the project, including but not limited to, the use of the Taste NY logo. Taste NY affiliation must be coordinated with the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets. Taste NY is an initiative that highlights the quality, diversity, and economic impact of New York’s food and beverage industry.
Successful projects will support the Regional Economic Development Council’s long term strategic plans for economic growth in regions, as well as align with current I LOVE NEW YORK marketing strategies.
MWBE REQUIREMENT: Recipients of this grant are required to use a portion of their grant money towards a contract with a NYS certified Minority or Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBE). The Adirondack Wine & Food Festival will work with Mannix Marketing, a NYS certified Woman-Owned Business to meet this requirement.
ABOUT ADIRONDACK FESTIVALS LLC:
Founded in 2014, Adirondack Festivals LLC is based out of Queensbury, New York and owned by Sasha Pardy, who is also co-owner and president of Adirondack Winery; the Presenting Sponsor of the Adirondack Wine and Food Festival; in conjunction with Taste New York in 2016. The first festival was held June 27th & 28th, 2015 at the Charles R Wood Festival Commons in Lake George, New York and was a huge success, drawing 2,500 attendees out to celebrate the best New York has to offer in Wine, Craft Beverage, locally-produced food & products & more. The designated beneficiary of the Adirondack Wine and Food Festival is the SUNY Adirondack Foundation, working closely with the SUNY Adirondack Culinary Arts Program. www.AdkWineFest.com
ABOUT SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION:
The SUNY Adirondack Foundation is a 501(c) 3 charitable corporation established in 1983. The Foundation’s primary function is to provide financial support to the college and its students. Funds are raised and distributed as student scholarships, faculty/staff professional development grants and to support College related special projects. WEBSITE>>
ABOUT SUNY ADIRONDACK CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM:
SUNY Adirondack offers a two-year Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in Culinary Arts with a focus on the scientific and artistic elements behind food and drink. Since culinary minds are constantly exploring and evolving the industry, students will find a wealth of career choices for trained chefs upon graduation. WEBSITE>>
Adirondack Wine & Food Festival FAQs
Festival Details:
WHEN: Saturday, June 25th (11a-6p) & Sunday June 26th (11a-5p)
WHERE: Charles R. Wood Festival Commons, Westbrook Rd, Lake George
“Take your taste buds on an unforgettable journey as you are introduced to over 50 New York State wineries, craft beverage producers and artisanal food vendors, with the beauty of Lake George as your backdrop!”
About Charles R. Wood Festival Commons:
Home to the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival for the 2nd year in a row, the newly completed Charles R. Wood Festival Commons on Westbrook Road is the perfect location for the event! With the view of the Lake as its backdrop, and located within walking distance from plenty of parking, shops, restaurants, attractions and hotels… attendees may take advantage of all Lake George has to offer while in town for the Festival!
Farmers market designation:
The ADK Wine & Food Festival has been granted a Farmers Market Designation once again from the Dept. of Agriculture & Markets. This permit allows craft beverage and food vendors to not only sample their products, but also sell their products to attendees, which many experienced great success with at the 2015 festival. To encourage purchasing, the festival will offer a purchase drop-off / pick-up tent so attendees need not carry around their bags/purchases!
Adk Wine Fest – Statistics / Demographics / Trends:
- Location: Website traffic and ticket buyer information show that most people researching the event hail from NYC and Long Island, followed by the local region, Albany Metro and then NJ, MA, CT, PA & VA.
- Age/Sex: a large percentage of attendees are females between the ages of 25-44. Consumer studies show women have tremendous buying power in the U.S. today.
- Recent wine industry studies show that wine related tourists provided over $401.5 million in tourism expenditures in NY annually and that the income of wine related tourists is 16% higher than that of an average tourist or individual.
The Craft Beverage Industry is Booming – Statistics & Trends
- Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail and Map: launched in 2014, now includes 28 members across the Adirondacks, Warren, Washington & Saratoga counties. Recipient of ESD funding in 2015.
- Upper Hudson Valley Wine Trail: launched in 2013, now has 12 member wineries in Warren, Washington & Saratoga counties. Working to Official Designation as NYS Wine Trail w/ Trail Signage in region.
- Last year, the 400th winery opened in New York and New York was named the “Wine Region of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. NY Wines earned over 700 Medals at Wine Competitions as well.
- A New York Wine & Grape Foundation study shows the wine industry has a $4.8 billion economic impact and attracts 5.3 million tourists annually to the state
- In 2015, Governor Cuomo announced the NYS craft beer industry grew 59% between 2013-2014 and the total economic impact was estimated at $3.5 billion.