Plan to head to Livermore this weekend (May 2nd and 3rd) to stroll and sip at the 18th annual Livermore Wine County Festival and
bid for charity at the wine auction. “The festival event will be spread throughout the 10 blocks of our downtown area,” said executive director Rachael Snedecor. “We will be celebrating everything Livermore from wine tasting stations to entertainment. We are expecting over 150,000 guests over the two-day party.” There will be three different wine stations, each manned by six to eight Livermore Valley wine producers. The $30 wine package includes a wine glass, wrist band and unlimited 1 ounce tastes of area wines. Tickets are available at the ticket booths the day of the event or online. Wine is poured Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parking is free through downtown. “The cool thing about the souvenir glasses it that it launches our event season,” she said. “Once a week we have ‘Thirsty Thursdays’ at our downtown farmers market where vintners pour their wines and market visitors can talk to the winemakers.” This area of one of California’s oldest wine regions and today boasts over 40 wineries and more than 5,000 acres of vineyards. Spanish missionaries planted the first winegrapes in the Livermore Valley in the 1760s and pioneer winemakers began founding their wineries here in the early 1800s. Did you know this area took America’s first international gold medal for wine in 1889 at the Paris Exposition putting California on the world wine map Want more wine information and excitement this weekend Well, you can change out of your afternoon duds and into your wine county cocktail attire and attend the Livermore Valley Wine Auction, Saturday evening at Concannon Vineyard 6-10 p.m.
This annual event raises funds to improve the quality of life for local underserved children.