Wine festivals happen on Labor Day in cities throughout the country.
Some regions in the United States have the perfect climate to produce wine countries -- chilly winters and warm summers. U.S. areas with wine countries include the Texas Hill Country, Northeast Ohio and Northern California. In honor of their wine producing heritage, nearby towns often host wine festivals on three-day holiday weekends, including Labor Day weekend. These festivals offer live music, wine tastings and artwork.
Midwest
The Taste of Hudson (tasteofhudson.com) is a two-day wine festival in Hudson, Ohio. This festival is a Labor Day tradition dating back to 2004. Taste of Hudson features more than 20 red and white wine selections from the vineyards of Ohio's Wine Country, located in the Northeast region of the state. This wine festival also features local arts & crafts vendors and live music.
The Nauvoo Grape Festival (nauvoograpefestival.com) is a three-day Labor Day Festival at Nauvoo State Park in western Illinois. Nauvoo Grape Festival's inaugural year was 1937. Baxter Vineyards, a family-owned vineyard in Nauvoo, Illinois, offers wine tastings at this event on Saturday and Sunday evenings. This festival also hosts the Grape Stomp, a 5K walk/run race.
Southern
The James River Cellars Winery (jamesrivercellars.com) in Glen Allen, Virginia, hosts the annual Labor Day Wine and Cheese Pairing event. This one-day event allows patrons to pair wines from the James River Cellars Winery with international cheeses, including gouda and manchego.
Founded in 1994, the annual Herndon Labor Day Jazz and Wine Festival occurs in the historic district of Herndon, Virginia; the Herndon Municipal Center is the site of the festival. This one-day Labor Day celebration features wine selections from local Virginia wineries and live jazz music.
The Pinehurst Labor Day Food and Wine Festival has been an annual tradition in Pinehurst, North Carolina, since 1988. This festival is a four-day event -- Thursday through Monday on Labor Day weekend. Festival attractions include the Focus Wine Competition, tastings and Sunday's Ultimate Brunch.
Southwest
Located in Texas' Hill Country, the Kerrville Wine and Music Festival is a three-day festival on Labor Day Weekend. This event first occurred in 1991 and features live country and folk music. Many of the wine selections at this festival are from the vineyards in the Texas Hill Country region. The Kerrville Wine and Music Festival offers wine tastings in between afternoon and evening concerts.
Since 1987, the New Mexico Wine Festival (newmexicowinefestival.com) takes place at Bernalillo, New Mexico, a northern suburb of Albuquerque. This three-day wine festival happens on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of Labor Day weekend. All wines at this Festival are from New Mexico wineries in the Rio Grande Valley. Latin and jazz live music plays throughout the weekend.
Northern California
The annual Harvest Wine Celebration happens at wineries in California's Livermore Valley Wine Country. Since 1980, the two-day Harvest Wine Celebration is on the Sunday and Monday of Labor Day weekend. Festival attendees have access to over 40 selections of Livermore Valley red and white wines. Harvest Wine Celebration also features artwork from local artists.
Millbrae, California, celebrates the annual Millbrae Art and Wine Festival in the San Francisco Bay Area. Founded in 1970, this two-day event happens on the Friday and Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Millbrae Wine Festival vendors serve international cuisine and wine selections. Other festival events include a vintage car show and a Chinese-theme parade on Saturday morning.
Tags: Labor weekend, wine selections, Harvest Wine, Harvest Wine Celebration, Hill Country, live music