Sample food and wine at Geneva's Festival of the Vine Sept. 8-10
Savor the flavor of Geneva during Festival of the Vine, the annual autumn harvest celebration on Sept. 8-10.
Initially a celebration of anything grown on a vine, the festival now revolves around food from Geneva's acclaimed eateries at the Flavor Fare and beer and wine from around the world. An arts and crafts show, horse-drawn carriage rides, and several wine tasting and dinner events also take place around the historic downtown.
The event runs Friday through Sunday, with an outdoor tent on James Street between South Fourth and South Fifth streets downtown.
In an effort to enhance the safety and security of festivalgoers, please refrain from bringing any bags larger than 12 by 12 by 6 inches to Festival of the Vine. Leave your backpacks in the car or at home.
Flavor Fare
Geneva restaurants create an array of specialties under an outdoor tent at the "Flavor Fare" partnered with wine and live musical entertainment.
The Flavor Fare ticket booth will be open from noon to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Participating restaurants include: Altiro Latin Fusion, Aurelio's Pizza, Craft Urban Restaurant & Cocktails, Del Barrio Mezcaleria, Firewater BBQ & Brew, Geneva Ale House, Inglenook Pantry, Kernel's Gourmet Popcorn & More, Nobel House, Nosh, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pho Xich Lo, Stockholm's Restaurant & Brewery, Sweet Sensations, Sunset Soda, Tacatz Tacos, and The Pride Cafe & Urban Counter.
Tickets are required for food and drink purchase. Get a bonus for advance tickets. For every $20 you spend, get an extra ticket; for every $50 you spend, you will receive five extra tickets.
Tickets may be purchased at the event in sheets of $10 and $20 only; cash and credit card only.
Avoid the lines and order tickets early by downloading the Upped Events app to your iPhone or Android.
On James and Fourth streets, stop by the Wine Tent showcasing 15 distinctive wines to sip and savor, or try out the beer and seltzer options with offerings from Penrose Brewing.
Arts & crafts
Spend the weekend browsing through booths filled with art, crafts, seasonal items, collectibles, decorative items and one-of-a-kind gifts at the Art & Crafts show from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday along Third and Campbell streets, surrounding the historic Kane County courthouse. This year's event features more than 75 exhibitors from across the Midwest.
Musical entertainment
The Central Stage at James and South Fifth streets will open on Friday with Lisa Allen from WTMX 101.9 from 3 to 5 p.m. Join the MIX Road Crew for games, MIX swag giveaways and prizes.
The Frizz, an original female-led jam band from the western Chicago suburbs, will perform music from rock to soul, jazz, funk, and blues from 5 to 7 p.m.
The headliners, Wild Daisy, will take the stage from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The country band plays current, upbeat country, with a few pop/rock songs thrown in.
On Saturday, Caught Steelin', a Chicago-based steel drum ensemble, will perform from 1 to 3 p.m., playing a wide range of musical styles including traditional calypso, Latin jazz, reggae, and arrangements of pop and rock favorites.
The party cover band, Hitmen, will take the stage from 3:30 to 5 p.m., playing the hits and nothing but the hits.
The Geneva Jazz Ensemble, an 18-piece big band with two vocalists, will play classic big band music from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The band is under the direction of Bob Siemienkowicz, a recently retired band director in the Winfield school district.
The FeelGood Party Band, a Chicago-based tribute band, will close out the night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., playing all of your favorite party jams from the 1960s to today.
On Sunday, starting at noon, the Geneva singer and guitarist Drew Clausen will open the final day of the festival, performing creative arrangements of new country and rock cover songs from artists such as Luke Combs, Old Dominion, Brett Eldredge, Dierks Bentley, Tim McGraw and Thomas Rhett.
Planet Groove will close out the festival from 2:30 to 4 p.m., playing music from the 1960s to today's dance hits.
Around town
Stop by the Geneva History Museum, 113 S. Third St., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and see the exhibit "Viking's Voyage," about Geneva's Viking ship that sailed to the Columbian Exposition in 1893 from Norway. This is the first time the newly restored 9-foot-tall dragon head and tail of the ship has been on display.
Also on exhibit is "Geneva's Story," where you can explore Geneva's rich history in this 3,000-square-foot gallery featuring rare artifacts, large models, iPad activities, a movie theater and a Story Booth to record your own Geneva story. Admission is $5 or $2 for age 3-10 or 65 or older. Adult visitors will receive a coupon for $2 off a guided tour of the Viking Ship.
In the Kids' Fun area at the courthouse on South Third Street on Saturday, there will be complimentary balloon artistry with Papa Balloon from noon to 2:30 p.m. and complimentary face painting with Cherry Berry Blast Face Painting from 3 to 5:30 p.m.
Take in the beauty of downtown Geneva with a relaxing, complimentary horse-drawn carriage ride from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
On Sunday, stop by the weekly French Market on South Third and South streets. The European-style open air market features local and regional merchants from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For an events schedule and festival details, go to genevachamber.com/events/festival-of-the-vine.