Northern Kentucky Wine Festival Saturday, May 19th
The 2nd annual Northern Kentucky wine festival arrives Saturday, May 19th from 2 to 9 at the Alexandria, Kentucky fairgrounds.
The wine festival highlights Kentucky wines and products by Kentucky-based companies. Arts and crafts vendors, food and live music will be among the activities too. Wine neophytes take note: the festival also offers some educational presentations on wine and food.
The timing is bad for this little festival; a lot of their target market will be on their way to Mainstrasse for Maifest that weekend. The site claims 500 people attended last year; hopefully this year, the attendance will see an uptick. If attendance isn't markedly different, the group should consider changing the date.
Holding the festival on a weekend when no other major Northern Kentucky festivals are going on would help attendance. Holding it at a time during the year when nothing much of anything is going on- October, say, would bring in more people from outside the area. Alexandria is a little off the beaten path to begin with, so people need a reason to go.
The festival might take a note from the Valley Vineyards wine festival, the incredibly popular end of September throw-down in Morrow. The Valley offers grape stomping and a wine festival queen coronation and has become a favorite spot for wine lovers, Morrow area residents and bikers, too. It's a fun distraction, sans the highbrow lecture series.
Learn more about the Northern Kentucky Wine Festival and its host, the Northern Kentucky Vintners and Grape Growers Association 859.643.1010
The wine festival highlights Kentucky wines and products by Kentucky-based companies. Arts and crafts vendors, food and live music will be among the activities too. Wine neophytes take note: the festival also offers some educational presentations on wine and food.
The timing is bad for this little festival; a lot of their target market will be on their way to Mainstrasse for Maifest that weekend. The site claims 500 people attended last year; hopefully this year, the attendance will see an uptick. If attendance isn't markedly different, the group should consider changing the date.
Holding the festival on a weekend when no other major Northern Kentucky festivals are going on would help attendance. Holding it at a time during the year when nothing much of anything is going on- October, say, would bring in more people from outside the area. Alexandria is a little off the beaten path to begin with, so people need a reason to go.
The festival might take a note from the Valley Vineyards wine festival, the incredibly popular end of September throw-down in Morrow. The Valley offers grape stomping and a wine festival queen coronation and has become a favorite spot for wine lovers, Morrow area residents and bikers, too. It's a fun distraction, sans the highbrow lecture series.
Learn more about the Northern Kentucky Wine Festival and its host, the Northern Kentucky Vintners and Grape Growers Association 859.643.1010
Comments
We were walking around Covington on Friday evening and I was thinking that Pike from the point to Madison is really a pretty cool space, and that all the bars as well as any businesses that could use some awareness in the neighborhood (Riverside Cafe? Deadwood Saloon? Etc.) should get together and do a monthly "Party on Pike" on a Friday or weeknight much like the Party in the Park shtick over in Cin City.
A lot of Ohio folks don't know Covington that well and a well promoted, regular meet and greet/see and be seen event would go a long way toward getting more folks over here playing and living.
Then on Saturday, I noted that Pike was shut off for the Cinco De Mayo party. Looks like I'm not the only person to have good ideas. I'm not sure how it did (I note that you didn't mention it in your blog so I'm wondering about the PR for the event), but I'm convinced that the concept is a winner with a bit of promotion.
Mark
I think when the odd fellows building really gets going, and some of the other places open/start getting more business, that the arts district around pike/madison will open up. you can tell already it's spreading out and some nice places to eat/go out are starting to sprout. It's a beautiful area.
some sort of A to B public transport between mainstrasse and the pike/madison area would help their efforts, too. And the girlie bars can pack it in and leave any time they are ready to go.
I'm just thinking that maybe the good space on Pike might be usable as a promotion tool, perhaps making sure some of the small businesses don't suffer crib death at this "neither fish nor fowl" phase. I know I'd be there for a beer (whereas I don't care to go over to Party in the Park), and I know that I'd invite friends to come see how cool it is.
Mebbe some lurking readers will spread the word...
Mark
Thanks Lisa for the heads up, and thanks Studio Vertu and the other sponsors, for supporting this display. It was also a pretty good party, as well.
Mark
I think when the odd fellows building really gets going, and some of the other places open/start getting more business, that the arts district around pike/madison will open up. you can tell already it's spreading out and some nice places to eat/go out are starting to sprout. It's a beautiful area.
some sort of A to B public transport between mainstrasse and the pike/madison area would help their efforts, too. And the girlie bars can pack it in and leave any time they are ready to go.