Beer and Wine festival plans moving along

Plans for the inaugural Come and Taste It Craft Beer, Wine and Art Festival continue to proceed as event organizers continue to procure more vendors, sponsors and participants. In addition to finding more participants, promotion of the event is ramping up for the next six weeks in anticipation of trying to attract people from all over Texas to come to the festival.

“I think things are progressing about as well as they can,” said event organizer Terry Fitzwater. “We have beer commitments from Shiner, Bells Brewery, Goliad, Blue Moon, Seguin Brewing Company and Revolver to name but a few. The San Antonio Distillery is going to be doing free rum samples on Friday night at the VIP tent and on Saturday.”

Fitzwater was also pleased to announce the names of some of the sponsors of the event.

“Shiner is the presenting sponsor of the Craft Beer festival, but I am also proud to announce David Stewart Trucking, Kenneth Stewart Trucking, Flare Energy and Pravel Insurance Brokerage as associate sponsors. We have had one anonymous sponsor, and we are still looking at other help.”

“We have numerous wineries already committed for the wine festival,” Gonzales Tourism Director Clint Hill said. “Lots of vendors and artists as well, along with a classic car show. There should be something for everyone.”

Advertising and promotion of the Come and Taste It Festival ramps up next week as ads will be placed in over 350 Texas newspapers for two straight weeks. Fenice Community Media will be expanding its coverage of the event in its papers and social media beginning the week of April 2.

The event, which is sponsored by the Gonzales Inquirer in conjunction with Gonzales Main Street, is scheduled for the weekend of April 27 and 28 on Confederate Square and includes a classic car show on St. Paul Street during the event.

The event kicks off with the VIP event on Friday night, April 27 at 6 p.m. People who purchase a VIP ticket will be treated to a night of Come and Taste It featuring beer, wine and the best of Gonzales food. Tickets for the VIP night are $50, which includes free food, wine and beer on Friday night as well as a complimentary Shiner tasting glass and a souvenir beer mug courtesy of the Gonzales Inquirer. For VIP pass holders, they will be given 10 tasting tickets to the Craft Beer tent on Saturday, plus priority entry when the actual Craft Beer tasting begins. Tickets are limited to just 150, so organizers encourage interested people to get theirs early. For those only interested in participating in the Craft Beer festival on Saturday, tickets are $25. That ticket includes a complimentary beer mug and 10 tasting tickets. Tickets go on sale, Wednesday, March 28 at the Gonzales Inquirer office.

On Saturday, a starving artist and street vendor show starts at 9 a.m., along with wine tasting. A number of Texas wineries have committed to the show on the square. A pass of $20 is available for the wine tasting portion of the event, which includes a goody bag featuring a cork screw and five wine tasting tickets.

At 11 a.m. on Saturday, the Craft Beer Festival opens at the Big Tent on the east side of Confederate Square. VIP ticket holders will be allowed in at 11 a.m., with the tent opening at noon for Saturday ticket holders for beer sampling and pours. The tent will close at 8 p.m. There will be stage entertainment in the Craft Beer tent, as Derek Vera is performing from 2 to 3:30 p.m., followed by Austin recording-artist Andrea Marie and the Magnolias from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Once the Craft Beer festival concludes, participants will have the opportunity to listen to some great bands at the Running M and Come and Take It, or karaoke the night away at the Long Branch Saloon on the square.