Come and Taste It: Gonzales is ready to shine

GONZALES — The big weekend is finally here.

The inaugural Come and Taste It Craft Beer, Wine, Art and Classic Car festival, sponsored by the Gonzales Inquirer in conjunction with Gonzales Main Street program, will kick off the festivities on the Confederate Square in Gonzales on Friday night. The festival will run through Saturday night.

Over 12 wineries, 11 different breweries, three entertainers and countless artists and street vendors are all converging on Gonzales for a weekend of good fun, good drink, great shopping, and good food.

“We have people coming from all over Texas to this event, and we have breweries participating from four different states along with the towns of Shiner, Seguin, Goliad, Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Fort Worth and New Braunfels,” said Festival founder and Gonzales Inquirer Publisher Terry Fitzwater. “We wanted to bring people from all over to celebrate life and fun in Gonzales, plus create a scholarship benefit like Project 2030 (see related story) to help the continued growth and vitality of our area.

“I think with the help of Barbara Friedrich and Clint Hille at the City of Gonzales, along with the staff at the newspaper and Marlene over at the Running M, we’ve accomplished our goal.”

“I think its exciting to have all the wineries coming in from all over Texas,” said Clint Hille, Gonzales Director of Tourism. “It’s great exposure for us and it’s all good exposure for them.”

“Main Street is excited about this weekend,’’ said Barbara Friedrich, program director. “It will be great to have so many people downtown shopping and experiencing our wonderful hospitality.”

The Gonzales Inquirer Come and Taste It Festival kicks off on Friday with the Kenneth Stewart Trucking VIP Night in the Shiner Beer Tent on the square. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., VIP ticket holders can enjoy beer, wine tastings from Becker Winery and sample food from over eight different local restaurants in Gonzales. Legendary sax man O.S. Grant will perform from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

On Saturday, the square comes alive at 9 a.m. as 12 different wineries, numerous artists and food and craft vendors will have booths set up outside the Shiner Beer tent on Confederate Square. This portion of the event will go until 9 p.m. During the day, a classic car show will be operated on St. James Street adjacent to Confederate Square.

At 11 a.m., the Shiner Beer Tent will open for VIP pass holders, then open at noon for single day ticket holders. Tickets are still on sale for both events, although there are a limited number of VIP passes left. Saturday passes will be on sale and available at the gate. There will also be entertainment in the Shiner Beer Tent on the David Stewart Trucking stage as Derek Vera will play from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., and then Andrea Marie and the Magnolias will play from 4 to 6 p.m. These performances are sponsored by Flare Energy and H & R Block insurance.

If interested in purchasing tickets or with questions, please call the Gonzales Inquirer office at 830-672-2861 or on the weekend call 517-930-1368.