The vendor list for the 2017 Adirondack Wine & Food Festival includes 23 wineries, 8 distilleries, 4 breweries, 3 cideries, 23 artisan food vendors, 6 specialty vendors, 8 food trucks, 1 local restaurant and a weekend full of culinary demonstrations provided by the SUNY Adirondack Culinary Students. “Where else can you discover your new favorite locally made wine, beer, vodka, cider, cheese, salsa, olive oil, garlic sauce, hot pepper jelly, kettle corn or ice cream all in one place? Attendees also love that our food trucks offer a variety of cuisine from classic barbecue and gourmet burgers to empanadas and gyros,” said Pardy. The full list of vendors follows in this release.
Festival Tasting Ticket holders receive a souvenir Festival Logo wine glass at entry to use to sample from the hundreds of craft beverages and artisan foods vendors will be offering. Attendees also receive a complementary welcome bag and Festival Program and Tasting Guide to navigate their way through the festival and take notes on the products they’ve sampled. Designated Driver and Underage Ticket holders may enjoy free samples of the local food products from over 20 artisan food producers. Food Trucks are also present offering small to large plate options start at $4 and up.
The Festival is a farmers’ market style (rain or shine) event where wineries, craft beverage and artisan food vendors set up tents, serve samples and sell their fine products, giving festival-goers the perfect opportunity to “try before they buy”. To encourage support of these local 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. The packages can then be picked up as they leave the festival. “SUNY Adirondack does an amazing job running our drop-off / pick-up service. Past attendees have loved the convenience of this, while vendors report it helps to boost their sales,” said Stephanie Howard, Festival Coordinator.
“So far, this year, we have already sold more than 1,000 tickets and the bulk of our marketing campaign is just kicking off now – we will see ticket sales really take off from this point. I’m confident that with great weather, we will hit our 6,000 attendee goal,” said Pardy. “Last year’s festival drew 5,200 attendees (3,600 Saturday / 1,600 Sunday). Last year we had stopped Saturday pre-sale tickets the Friday before the festival to ensure the Festival Commons would not be too crowded. At our busiest times on Saturday, there were lines at some vendor booths; however, attendees and vendors still enjoyed ample, comfortable space,” added Pardy.
“While nearly all attendees reported in our 2016 post-fest survey they would attend again, we’re always looking at ways to improve attendees’ experience,” said Howard. “This year we have added close to 20 more craft beverage and food vendors, which not only adds diversity to the products attendees may sample and buy, but it will also help cut down on lines. Also new this year, by customer demand, we have added a 2-day value pack ticket that allows entry into the festival both days for a discounted rate, and also includes a special wine tote bag, local coupon booklet, wine glass holder necklace and water bottle on admission,” added Howard. Other changes include a dedicated tent for kids to take a break with their parents and enjoy some fun activities and games, Adirondack Chair seating sprinkled around the event and more “Take a Break” covered tent space.
“The Adirondack Wine & Food Festival draws an important and new demographic to Lake George,” said Pardy, citing statistics of ticket buyers and their 2016 wrap-up attendee survey. “This event attracts people from near and far and draws a much younger visitor than existing large Lake George events. Additionally, our attendees are weighted to females and statistics show that wine tourists have a 16% higher income than the average tourist. Having these people in our region spending money not only with our vendors, but also on hotels, restaurants, shops, attractions and activities in the area will have a big economic impact. We’re attracting new people that are planning their Lake George visit specifically for our festival, they’re staying longer and spending more money,” said Pardy.
The Adirondack Wine & Food Festival has been recognized by many local officials as the most successful new event to take place in Lake George since its launch in 2015. The public recently showed it agreed, as the Festival just earned the title of “Best Annual Event” for LakeGeorge.com’s annual “Best Of” survey.
Lake George Mayor Blais said, “An event this size has an enormous impact on the Lake George region. I believe that the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival has become one of Lake George’s most successful signature events. It’s a fabulous use of Charles R Wood Festival Commons and the event is very well organized. We’re looking forward to a long relationship with the team at Adirondack Festivals.”
“Festival Commons is the perfect spot for an event like ours. It has ample green space, nearby parking, new restroom facilities, a family friendly playground and skateboard park just outside the gates, and it’s in walking distance to a variety of hotels, restaurants, attractions and shops for our attendees to enjoy before and after the festival,” said Howard, adding that the promotion of Lake George as a destination is an important part of their marketing for the event.
The SUNY Adirondack Foundation is the official beneficiary of the Festival, receiving a portion of ticket sales from the event and they provide volunteers throughout the Festival weekend. “SUNY Adirondack Founation is great to work with and the perfect fit, with the College’s growing Culinary Arts Program,” said Howard. 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. The Foundation will also be raising money by selling water bottles, baked goods, food and conducting a raffle at the event.
Visit www.ADKWINEFEST.com to purchase tickets. Find more information, images, videos, logos, and more on our media page: www.adirondackwineandfoodfestival.com/news/media/
ABOUT ADIRONDACK FESTIVALS LLC: www.AdkWineFest.com
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. The festival is held annually, the last weekend of June, at the Charles R Wood Festival Commons in Lake George, New York. Organizers expect 6,000 attendees and over 80 vendors will celebrate the best New York has to offer in Wine, Craft Beverage, locally-produced food & products & more at the 2017 event. The designated beneficiary of the Adirondack Wine and Food Festival is the SUNY Adirondack Foundation, working closely with the SUNY Adirondack Culinary Arts Program.
ABOUT SUNY ADIRONDACK FOUNDATION: WEBSITE>>
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.
ABOUT SUNY ADIRONDACK CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM: WEBSITE>> 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.
