The centerpiece of the festival will be wine tasting by more than 10 New Jersey wineries from around the state; the event will also feature live musical entertainment, food, crafters and the BlueClaws play area for children. Festival hours are 12 noon to 5 pm daily and admission is $15 in advance or $18 at the gate for adults 21 years and older. Those under 21 years of age or designated drivers are free. Each paid admission includes a commemorative wine glass to use for the tasting. Advance tickets go on sale March 21 and can be purchased by visiting www.blueclaws.com and going to the FirstEngery Park page; calling 732-901-7000 or visiting the event's Facebook page.
Participating wineries include Valenzano Winery, DiMatteo Vineyards, Tomasello Winery, Plagido's Winery, Cape May Winery, Cream Ridge Winery, 4 JG's Orchards & Winery, Laurita Winery, and Alba Vineyard. New Jersey's wineries offer nationally and internationally acclaimed wines, with varieties such as cabernet, chambourcin, chardonnay, vidal, and more, including fabulous dessert wines. Many of the wineries have won medals in tasting competitions both in New Jersey and at events throughout the country.
"These festivals are a great way to introduce people to our wines" says Anthony Valenzano, a third generation grower from Shamong, NJ. "As the public becomes more familiar with the great wines being produced right here in the Garden State, demand continues to grow" he continues.
Attendees can sample all the varieties that each winery has available and purchase individual bottles or cases on the spot. Festival goers are also encouraged to bring lawn chairs to sit and enjoy the live bands lined up for the event.
Saturday will feature the acoustic rock sounds of Astronaut Jones, followed by the blues/soul sound of The Christopher Dean Band. On Sunday, modern rock will fill the stage with The Larry Stevens Band. The band has toured all over the East Coast and have recently opened for performers Kenny Loggins, Todd Rungren and the Doobie Brothers.
A portion of the proceeds from the festival will benefit Sylvia's Children, a 501(c)3. Sylvia's Children was founded in 2003 after Sylvia Allen returned from a humanitarian trip to Uganda, Africa. The children at the Mbiriizi Primary School "adopted" her as their honorary grandmother. Allen saw the ravages the AIDS pandemic had on the community and was compelled to help her newly adopted grandchildren. She founded Sylvia's Children to feed, clothe and house orphans in Masaka and provide education for as many children as possible. For more information please visit www.sylviaschildren.org.
For more information on the festival, visit the Jersey Shore Wine Festival page on the Lakewood BlueClaws website, under FirstEnergy Park; "like" the event on Facebook, and use links there to visit the websites of participating wineries. For additional information or to purchase tickets, call the BlueClaws at 732-901-7000 or Allen Consulting at 732-946-2711.
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