While individual vineyards often pair their wine with fun events, if you’re looking to sample lots of wineries in one place, try a festival. Here are five favorites.
1. Mount Vernon Wine Festival & Sunset Tour / May 19 through 21
Rather drink at night than during the day? This festival runs from 6 to 9 pm. More pluses: You’ll get a historic setting, sunset over the Potomac, and smaller crowds than at most other festivals. 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy., Mount Vernon. $36 to $48; advance purchase required at mountvernon.org.
2. 25th Annual Wine in the Woods / May 20 and 21
Two stages of rock, country, blues, and jazz, plus 30 winery tents, artisan and crafter tents, and wine-friendly fare such as gourmet grilled cheese and crab dip. Symphony Woods/Merriweather Park, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia; $27 to $40; wineinthewoods.com.
3. Vintage Virginia Wine & Food Festival / June 3 and 4
Dozens of wineries, activities for kids, and—a plus if you don’t want to drive—party-bus and Metro-shuttle options. Bull Run Special Events Center, 7700 Bull Run Dr., Centreville. $30 to $55; vintagevirginia.com.
4. Manassas Jazz Festival / June 18
Enjoy live jazz along with craft beer and spirits plus a chance to hang on the lawn with Dad on Father’s Day. Manassas Museum, 9101 Prince William St., Manassas. $30 to $105; visitmanassas.org.
5. Purcellville Wine & Food Festival / July 15
Try this for a small-town festival feel, with grass underfoot and trees overhead. Fireman’s Field, 250 S. Nursery Ave., Purcellville. $20 in advance, $30 at the gate; purcellvillewineandfood.com.
Read more from our winery guide:
This article appears in the April 2017 issue of Washingtonian.
Nancy Bauer is founder of the popular Facebook group, Virginia Wine Love, and the website VirginiaWineLove.com.
