Stonington Vineyards Harvest Food & Wine Festival 2026 celebrates the approaching fall season with two days of wine, live music, food trucks and local artisans on Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20.

The annual festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days at the vineyard on Taugwonk Road in Stonington, giving visitors a chance to spread out on the lawn, listen to music, explore local vendors and enjoy wine produced at one of Connecticut’s longtime vineyards.

And Sunday’s music already has a familiar local name attached to it.

Wicked Peach takes the stage Sunday at 3 p.m., bringing one of southeastern Connecticut’s longest-running rock bands to the vineyard for the final afternoon of the festival.

Two Days at the Vineyard

This isn’t simply a Wicked Peach concert.

The Harvest Food & Wine Festival runs throughout the weekend, with live bands, food trucks and local artisans joining the vineyard’s wine offerings.

Music:
Sat: 11-2 Ben Freiert
Sat: 3-6  Nick Bosse Band
Sun: 11-2 Luke & Mike
Sun: 3-6 Wicked Peach

Food:
Flavors
Taste House
Scoops T Ice Cream
Fresh Fire Food

Vendors:
Valomie Boutique
Dreaming Light Creations
Candybox Watch Hill
Made by Nowa
Seacoast Alpacas
Walking Tree Creations
Dipped by Britt
Mary Moonchild Candles
Gold Leaf Home Decor

Guests are encouraged to make themselves comfortable. Bring lawn chairs and blankets, or even a pop-up tent no larger than 10 feet by 10 feet for your group.

The festival takes place rain or shine.

Musical Acts:

Ben Freiert — Saturday, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.

Stonington-based musician Ben Freiert opens the Harvest Festival Saturday with a mix of indie, folk, alternative rock and acoustic music.

Freiert has been making music for more than two decades, beginning with trumpet before moving into guitar, piano and songwriting. While in college, he formed the original rock band Twenty Grand with his roommate, playing shows near their school and in New York City. He later established himself as a regular performer around southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island, both as a solo musician and alongside other area artists.

He’s also become particularly familiar to Stonington’s vineyard audiences. Freiert has performed repeatedly at Stonington Vineyards, Saltwater Farm Vineyard and other area wineries, and was part of Stonington Vineyards’ 2024 Kickoff to Summer celebration. In 2026, he’s again part of the vineyard’s summer concert series before returning for Harvest Festival weekend.

His acoustic-driven sound makes him a natural fit for the festival’s opening hours, when visitors are arriving, finding a spot on the lawn and settling in for the weekend.

Nick Bosse Band — Saturday, 3–6 p.m.

Saturday afternoon shifts firmly toward country music with North Stonington singer-songwriter Nick Bosse and his band.

Bosse is a New England-based independent country artist and Nashville recording artist whose music draws heavily from traditional and outlaw country, southern rock and bluegrass. His influences include Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers. Rather than chasing contemporary pop-country, Bosse has built his identity around a grittier, working-class approach to the genre.

He began playing cover gigs in local bars in 2013 before forming his backing band, The Northern Roots, which has accompanied him for much of his career. His original song What Happened to Country has surpassed 2 million streams, and Bosse has won a New England Music Award for Best Vocalist and headlined performances at both Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun.

There’s a particularly strong local connection here. Bosse grew up in North Stonington and has spent years playing venues throughout southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island. In 2022, Nick Bosse & The Northern Roots won Mohegan Sun’s Locals Live competition, with judges considering originality, stage presence, musical presentation and audience response.

That makes the Saturday 3–6 p.m. slot considerably more substantial than the original festival post suggests. This isn’t simply background music from a local cover band. Bosse is an established regional country artist with original music and a following of his own.

Luke & Mike open Sunday’s music with a three-hour set from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Mystic-based duo have become familiar faces at Stonington Vineyards, returning regularly for concerts and special events. They’ve appeared at previous Harvest Festivals, performed for the vineyard’s annual holiday celebration and are part of its 2026 Summer Concert Series. They’re also scheduled at nearby Saltwater Farm Vineyard during the 2026 summer season.

In fact, this isn’t their first time helping provide the soundtrack for Harvest Festival weekend. Luke & Mike were among the performers at Stonington Vineyards’ 2019 Harvest Fest and returned for the festival again in 2022.

Wicked Peach Closes Out Sunday Afternoon

If you’ve been around southeastern Connecticut for any length of time, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered Wicked Peach somewhere.

The New London-area band has been performing throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island since 1996, building a following with high-energy sets drawing heavily from rock and pop-rock.

The current core lineup features Ernie Lewis on lead vocals and guitar, Stan Smith on bass and Jonathan Souza on drums, with Dan Watson and Corey Carter serving as alternating guitarists.

Their repertoire stretches across decades, but ’90s hard rock remains a particular strength. The City of Groton describes the band as a staple of southeastern New England’s music scene, mixing its ’90s material with songs from the ’70s, ’80s and 2000s.

That makes Wicked Peach a natural fit for the Harvest Festival’s Sunday afternoon rather than a quiet acoustic set tucked into the corner of the vineyard.

Their scheduled 3 p.m. performance on September 20 is also confirmed on the band’s own 2026 tour schedule.

Wine Is Part of the Admission

Festival admission includes more than entry.

Each ticket includes a glass of Stonington Vineyards wine and a keepsake wine glass, along with access to the weekend’s live music and festival amenities. Additional wine will be available for purchase by the glass or bottle.

Guests may also bring their own food, making a picnic on the vineyard lawn another option if you’d rather pack something from home than visit the food trucks.

There is one firm restriction: no outside alcohol is permitted.

Coolers may be checked, and the vineyard says outside alcohol will be confiscated.

One of Connecticut’s Established Vineyards

The festival setting has its own story.

Stonington Vineyards was established by Nick and Happy Smith in 1987 after they purchased 58 acres in the Stonington Uplands. The winery followed in 1989, combining contemporary winemaking equipment with traditional oak-barrel fermentation.

It also became one of the founding members of the Connecticut Wine Trail.

Winemaker Mike McAndrew has been with Stonington Vineyards since its early days, developing a reputation for European-style wines. The vineyard is particularly associated with its barrel-fermented Chardonnay and proprietary blends.

Today, more than 10 of the property’s 58 acres are planted, with annual production of approximately 6,000 cases. Its current wine list includes Oak Chardonnay, Sheer Chardonnay, Seaport White, Cabernet Franc, Triad Rosé, Riesling and Pawcatuck River Red.

So a harvest festival here isn’t just seasonal branding. Wine grapes have been growing on this property for decades.

Make Yourself at Home on the Lawn

The Harvest Festival is designed for people to settle in rather than continually circulate through a traditional fairground.

Bring lawn chairs, blankets or a small pop-up tent and establish a spot for the afternoon.

Outside food is permitted, so you can also pack a picnic while leaving room to try the food trucks.

The vineyard describes the festival as suitable for couples, families and groups of friends.

Dogs are normally welcome on the vineyard grounds when leashed and supervised, although I’d wait for festival-specific confirmation before putting that in the Event Details as a guarantee for this particular weekend.

Tickets

One-day advance admission is $30.

Tickets purchased on the day of the festival are $35. Two-day passes are also offered through the vineyard’s ticketing page. Tickets are non-refundable.

Because parking at the vineyard is limited, organizers are asking festival visitors to carpool whenever possible.

Event Details

Event: Stonington Vineyards Harvest Food & Wine Festival 2026
Dates: Saturday, September 19 & Sunday, September 20, 2026
Time: 11 a.m.–6 p.m. daily
Location: Stonington Vineyards
Address: 523 Taugwonk Road, Stonington, CT 06378
Sunday Music: Wicked Peach at 3 p.m.
Featuring: Live music, food trucks, local artisans and Stonington Vineyards wines
Advance One-Day Admission: $30
Day-of Admission: $35
Includes: Glass of wine, keepsake wine glass, live music and festival amenities
Weather: Rain or shine
Outside Food: Permitted
Outside Alcohol: Prohibited
What to Bring: Lawn chairs, blankets or a pop-up tent no larger than 10′ x 10′ (

More information is available through the Stonington Vineyards Harvest Festival page.

Tickets can also be purchased through the festival page above.