The 3-day Memorial Day weekend generally marks the unofficial start of summer, and this year we wanted to kick off the season in a big way. We’ve been considering the idea of a music festival for a while now, but it was after connecting with music promoter, David Jones, of Davey J & the Jones Tones fame, that the idea finally began to take shape. Months of phone calls, emails and planning finally came together; we’re calling it the Rush River Folk Festival, and we hope to make it an annual event.

Thanks to David and his many musical contacts, we were able to pull together five established music acts that will bring a tasty mix of original and vintage folk music to our valley. These acts have never performed at Vino in the Valley before!

On Saturday, May 24, 2014, starting at 1 pm in the afternoon and continuing until sunset, you can enjoy a full day of live performances by established musicians offering a grand mix of sounds and styles of folk music.  Our first annual festival will be headlined by Heatherlyn, a talented singer and guitarist from Minneapolis.  Her most recent full-length CD, Storydwelling, received excellent reviews. Check out this preview video to see just why we’re so excited to have her taking part in the festival!

Also performing is Little Wing, featuring the vocal power of Faith Ulwelling and her accompanist Tim Caswell from Left Wing Bourbon. Yata (originals and folk), Larry Past and Al Julson (folk and acoustic rock), and Davey J (original roots music, blues, and Americana), fresh off his recent CD, Visions: Vintage Tracks, which presents some of the best recordings from the five CDs he has released since 1998, round out the lineup of performing acts.

Yes, a full seven hours of live outdoor music will be the perfect way to start the long Memorial Day weekend. Bring your lawn chairs or blanket and settle in for an afternoon of music, wine and food. There’s no admission charge; just come and savor the amazing sounds and a glass of wine or a beer on the edge of the beautiful Rush River. If the mood strikes, stay for an Italian dinner under the Pavilion, or order a brick oven pizza to-go and enjoy it on the grounds. Heck, make a weekend of it; you’ll find we have some amazing lodging options here on the West Coast of Wisconsin!

As always, the latest event updates and announcements can be found on our Facebook page.

At Vino in the Valley, we’ve had the pleasure of meeting many great people over the last 7 seasons. Friendships are made over a great meal under the Pavilion, while enjoying a glass of wine at Bella Sera, over the crackling flame of a bonfire, and during the clinking of glasses as we sing “That’s Amore”. Like all good friends, we enjoy staying in touch. One way we stay connected with our Vino in the Valley friends is through our Facebook page; our community has grown to over 8200 in the five years since we’ve joined Facebook. We have a lot of laughs and a ton of fun there. It’s been amazing getting to know everyone on a more personal level.

As we approach 10,000 page followers, we decided we wanted to do this BIG; a grand welcome to the new friends we hope to make, and a special thank you to our old friends for all their kindness and support. So we’ve dreamed up the most amazing giveaway!

When Vino in the Valley’s Facebook page hits 10,000 followers, one lucky person will win a private dinner package at Vino in the Valley!

Picture it… A private dinner for two in our vineyard (complete with valley views and full V.I.P. treatment). We’re going for a special and romantic experience here with no detail overlooked; table, mood lighting, flowers. You and your date will enjoy your choice of appetizer, fresh brick oven bread, your choice of entrees, and to finish off the meal, you’ll be served one of our delectable desserts. Where’s the wine, you ask? Don’t worry; we’ll be including a bottle of vino (your choice from our wine list), as well.

Before dinner, your V.I.P. treatment will begin with a private tour of our grounds with Larry Brenner, owner. See the confluence of Lost Creek and the Rush River, hear the story of the great flood of 2010 first hand, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot a fly fisherman in mid-cast. One thing is for sure – Larry will make it interesting, entertaining and fun.

Enjoy a leisurely evening with us, and when your visit concludes there will be a bed waiting for you at Journey Inn Bed & Breakfast, located about 15 minutes away near Maiden Rock, WI. Designed as an earth-friendly, soul-pleasing building on 66 acres of prairie, hilly woodland and a spring-fed creek, Journey Inn is a destination that inspires and restores. We couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up your special night!

This prize package could be yours! We’ll be giving it away to one lucky winner by random drawing from among our page followers when our page hits 10,000 fans! Register, and learn how you can earn extra entries, here.

The experience will take place on Thursday, June 5, 2014, and we hope it inspires you to stay for a long and relaxing weekend on the West Coast of Wisconsin. Good luck, and regardless of whether you’re the winner, we look forward to seeing you at Vino in the Valley this season!

If you happened to join us last year for our Christmas weekends, you know it’s purely magical; kind of like walking into a Norman Rockwell painting! If you’ve yet to experience a country Christmas “Vino-style”, you must check it out for yourself… And bring the whole family!

We’ve wrapped up the pavilion for the festivities and our heaters keep things nice and warm.  Enjoy sleigh or wagon rides around the vineyard, visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, or sit by the fire and sing along with local choirs as they perform all the traditional Christmas songs! We will be serving up our famous brick oven Pizzas and Italian Nachos, along with hot Chili to enjoy by the fire, and our Baked Potato Bar.  Oh, and how can we forget the wine?  Yes, the wine will be flowing (as will the hot cocoa for the kids).  And the kiddos will also have to check out our “Cookie Decoration Station”!

Choose your family’s fresh cut Christmas tree provided by Rush River Tree Farm in our Farmer’s Market and visit our gift shop where you can pick up a few bottles (or a case) of your favorite Vino in the Valley wines for hostess gifts and your personal holiday enjoyment.  And don’t forget to bring your gift list and get a few presents handled.  The gift shop is fully stocked with merchandise and you can never go wrong with a Vino Gift Certificate.

Plan your Christmas outing with family and friends this December for Christmas at Vino in the Valley!

Special Hours Friday, November 29 10am – 6pm!

Open weekends November 30 – December 22.
Saturdays 12pm – 7pm
Sundays 12pm – 6pm
Open weekends at 10am for tree sales!