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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260903T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260903T170000
DTSTAMP:20260708T031351Z
CREATED:20260708T005652Z
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SUMMARY:Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour
DESCRIPTION:Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour offers a relaxing\, all-inclusive way to explore the Connecticut Wine Trail without worrying about driving\, reservations\, or planning the day’s itinerary. Operating Thursday through Sunday during the summer\, Friday through Sunday in the fall\, and Saturday through Sunday during the winter\, the guided experience departs from Mystic and visits three carefully selected vineyards across southeastern Connecticut. \nGuests travel in a comfortable 15-passenger van to scenic wineries in communities including Stonington\, North Stonington\, Preston\, and Ledyard. Each stop allows about an hour to enjoy the vineyard\, sample local wines or other beverages\, and take in Connecticut’s picturesque wine country. Every tour includes lunch from Sift Bake Shop\, one beverage at each winery\, bottled water\, and snacks\, creating a stress-free day designed for both visitors and local wine enthusiasts. \nBecause winery availability changes throughout the season\, destinations vary from tour to tour\, giving returning guests the opportunity to experience different vineyards throughout the year. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a unique day trip\, Middle of the Vines handles the transportation and planning so guests can relax and enjoy the journey. \nEvent Details\n\nEvent: Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour\nSchedule:\n\nSummer: Thursday-Sunday\nFall: Friday-Sunday\nWinter: Saturday-Sunday\n\n\nTour Length: Approximately 5 hours\nDeparture: Mystic\, CT\nTransportation: Included**\nAge Requirement: 21+\nMeetup at Sift Bake Shop Mystic (see Venue at the bottom of the page)\n\nTour Highlights\nEach tour includes: \n\nGuided transportation aboard a 15-passenger van\nVisits to three Connecticut vineyards\nApproximately one hour at each winery\nScenic drives through southeastern Connecticut wine country\n\nTours may visit wineries in: \n\nStonington\nNorth Stonington\nPreston\nLedyard\n\nDestinations vary based on vineyard availability. \nWhat’s Included\nEvery ticket includes: \n\nRound-trip transportation\nVisits to three vineyards\nLunch from Sift Bake Shop\nOne beverage at each winery (wine\, beer\, cider\, or another available option)\nBottled water\nSnacks\n\nA Zero Proof ticket is also available for guests who prefer non-alcoholic beverages. \nReservations\nAdvance reservations are required. \nBecause lunch is prepared fresh by Sift Bake Shop\, bookings close at 6:00 p.m. the day before each tour. \nThe online booking system displays real-time availability\, allowing guests to see how many seats remain on each tour. \nTickets\nTickets are $165 per person. \nTo check availability and reserve your seat\, click the Event Ticketing link at the bottom of this page. \n  \n** You must provide your own transportation home. Have a designated driver or use Uber/Lyft. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/middle-of-the-vines-vineyard-tour/2026-09-03/
LOCATION:Sift Bake Shop Mystic\, 5 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Sift Bake Shop Mystic
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Middle-of-the-Vines-Vineyard-Tour-Thursdays-through-Sundays-1145-am-445-pm.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260904T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260904T170000
DTSTAMP:20260708T031351Z
CREATED:20260708T005652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T031351Z
UID:10006588-1788521400-1788541200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour
DESCRIPTION:Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour offers a relaxing\, all-inclusive way to explore the Connecticut Wine Trail without worrying about driving\, reservations\, or planning the day’s itinerary. Operating Thursday through Sunday during the summer\, Friday through Sunday in the fall\, and Saturday through Sunday during the winter\, the guided experience departs from Mystic and visits three carefully selected vineyards across southeastern Connecticut. \nGuests travel in a comfortable 15-passenger van to scenic wineries in communities including Stonington\, North Stonington\, Preston\, and Ledyard. Each stop allows about an hour to enjoy the vineyard\, sample local wines or other beverages\, and take in Connecticut’s picturesque wine country. Every tour includes lunch from Sift Bake Shop\, one beverage at each winery\, bottled water\, and snacks\, creating a stress-free day designed for both visitors and local wine enthusiasts. \nBecause winery availability changes throughout the season\, destinations vary from tour to tour\, giving returning guests the opportunity to experience different vineyards throughout the year. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a unique day trip\, Middle of the Vines handles the transportation and planning so guests can relax and enjoy the journey. \nEvent Details\n\nEvent: Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour\nSchedule:\n\nSummer: Thursday-Sunday\nFall: Friday-Sunday\nWinter: Saturday-Sunday\n\n\nTour Length: Approximately 5 hours\nDeparture: Mystic\, CT\nTransportation: Included**\nAge Requirement: 21+\nMeetup at Sift Bake Shop Mystic (see Venue at the bottom of the page)\n\nTour Highlights\nEach tour includes: \n\nGuided transportation aboard a 15-passenger van\nVisits to three Connecticut vineyards\nApproximately one hour at each winery\nScenic drives through southeastern Connecticut wine country\n\nTours may visit wineries in: \n\nStonington\nNorth Stonington\nPreston\nLedyard\n\nDestinations vary based on vineyard availability. \nWhat’s Included\nEvery ticket includes: \n\nRound-trip transportation\nVisits to three vineyards\nLunch from Sift Bake Shop\nOne beverage at each winery (wine\, beer\, cider\, or another available option)\nBottled water\nSnacks\n\nA Zero Proof ticket is also available for guests who prefer non-alcoholic beverages. \nReservations\nAdvance reservations are required. \nBecause lunch is prepared fresh by Sift Bake Shop\, bookings close at 6:00 p.m. the day before each tour. \nThe online booking system displays real-time availability\, allowing guests to see how many seats remain on each tour. \nTickets\nTickets are $165 per person. \nTo check availability and reserve your seat\, click the Event Ticketing link at the bottom of this page. \n  \n** You must provide your own transportation home. Have a designated driver or use Uber/Lyft. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/middle-of-the-vines-vineyard-tour/2026-09-04/
LOCATION:Sift Bake Shop Mystic\, 5 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Sift Bake Shop Mystic
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Middle-of-the-Vines-Vineyard-Tour-Thursdays-through-Sundays-1145-am-445-pm.jpg
END:VEVENT
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T170000
DTSTAMP:20260708T031351Z
CREATED:20260708T005652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T031351Z
UID:10006589-1788607800-1788627600@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour
DESCRIPTION:Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour offers a relaxing\, all-inclusive way to explore the Connecticut Wine Trail without worrying about driving\, reservations\, or planning the day’s itinerary. Operating Thursday through Sunday during the summer\, Friday through Sunday in the fall\, and Saturday through Sunday during the winter\, the guided experience departs from Mystic and visits three carefully selected vineyards across southeastern Connecticut. \nGuests travel in a comfortable 15-passenger van to scenic wineries in communities including Stonington\, North Stonington\, Preston\, and Ledyard. Each stop allows about an hour to enjoy the vineyard\, sample local wines or other beverages\, and take in Connecticut’s picturesque wine country. Every tour includes lunch from Sift Bake Shop\, one beverage at each winery\, bottled water\, and snacks\, creating a stress-free day designed for both visitors and local wine enthusiasts. \nBecause winery availability changes throughout the season\, destinations vary from tour to tour\, giving returning guests the opportunity to experience different vineyards throughout the year. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a unique day trip\, Middle of the Vines handles the transportation and planning so guests can relax and enjoy the journey. \nEvent Details\n\nEvent: Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour\nSchedule:\n\nSummer: Thursday-Sunday\nFall: Friday-Sunday\nWinter: Saturday-Sunday\n\n\nTour Length: Approximately 5 hours\nDeparture: Mystic\, CT\nTransportation: Included**\nAge Requirement: 21+\nMeetup at Sift Bake Shop Mystic (see Venue at the bottom of the page)\n\nTour Highlights\nEach tour includes: \n\nGuided transportation aboard a 15-passenger van\nVisits to three Connecticut vineyards\nApproximately one hour at each winery\nScenic drives through southeastern Connecticut wine country\n\nTours may visit wineries in: \n\nStonington\nNorth Stonington\nPreston\nLedyard\n\nDestinations vary based on vineyard availability. \nWhat’s Included\nEvery ticket includes: \n\nRound-trip transportation\nVisits to three vineyards\nLunch from Sift Bake Shop\nOne beverage at each winery (wine\, beer\, cider\, or another available option)\nBottled water\nSnacks\n\nA Zero Proof ticket is also available for guests who prefer non-alcoholic beverages. \nReservations\nAdvance reservations are required. \nBecause lunch is prepared fresh by Sift Bake Shop\, bookings close at 6:00 p.m. the day before each tour. \nThe online booking system displays real-time availability\, allowing guests to see how many seats remain on each tour. \nTickets\nTickets are $165 per person. \nTo check availability and reserve your seat\, click the Event Ticketing link at the bottom of this page. \n  \n** You must provide your own transportation home. Have a designated driver or use Uber/Lyft. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/middle-of-the-vines-vineyard-tour/2026-09-05/
LOCATION:Sift Bake Shop Mystic\, 5 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Sift Bake Shop Mystic
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Middle-of-the-Vines-Vineyard-Tour-Thursdays-through-Sundays-1145-am-445-pm.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260905T223000
DTSTAMP:20260830T235637Z
CREATED:20260830T235637Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260830T235637Z
UID:10007283-1788629400-1788647400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Los Lobos with GA-20 at Jonathan Edwards Winery
DESCRIPTION:Los Lobos with GA-20 at Jonathan Edwards Winery brings more than half a century of American roots music to North Stonington on Saturday\, September 5. The outdoor vineyard concert pairs one of the most enduring bands to emerge from East Los Angeles with a younger group carrying the raw sound of electric blues into a new generation. \nGates open at 5:30 p.m.\, with music beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $80 plus fees\, and the concert is for guests 21 and older. \nFor anyone who knows Los Lobos primarily from “La Bamba\,” Saturday night is an opportunity to discover just how much music exists on either side of that enormous hit. \nMore Than 50 Years of Los Lobos\nThere aren’t many bands that can look back more than 50 years and still find most of the musicians who started the journey standing beside them onstage. \nLos Lobos can. \nDavid Hidalgo\, Louie Pérez\, Cesar Rosas and Conrad Lozano came together in East Los Angeles in 1973. Saxophonist and keyboardist Steve Berlin joined the group in the early 1980s\, creating a lineup that has remained remarkably stable across the decades. \nThat longevity is even more impressive considering how unwilling Los Lobos has been to stay in one musical lane. \nRock and roll is there. So are blues\, R&B\, soul\, country and traditional Mexican music. Accordion can sit beside electric guitar. A song rooted in Mexican folk tradition can give way to a hard-driving rocker. \nThe common thread is Los Angeles. \nLos Lobos took the sounds surrounding them in East L.A.\, including Mexican and Mexican-American traditions and the American rock\, blues and soul coming through the radio\, and treated all of it as part of the same musical vocabulary. \nHow Will the Wolf Survive?\nBy the early 1980s\, Los Lobos had spent years playing clubs\, weddings and neighborhood gatherings before reaching a much larger audience. \nTheir 1984 album How Will the Wolf Survive? became the breakthrough. \nThe record helped establish Los Lobos nationally without sanding away the band’s cultural identity or the mixture of musical traditions that made it distinctive. Songs such as “Will the Wolf Survive?” and “Don’t Worry Baby” introduced listeners far beyond Southern California to a band that could move naturally between roots music and contemporary rock. \nThen Hollywood called. \nThe Song That Changed Everything\nIn 1987\, Los Lobos recorded “La Bamba” for the film about pioneering Chicano rock-and-roll star Ritchie Valens. \nIt exploded. \nTheir version reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100\, turning a band that had spent well over a decade building its audience into an international success. \nFor many musicians\, a hit that large becomes the rest of the career. \nLos Lobos went somewhere else. \nInstead of trying to manufacture another “La Bamba\,” the band followed it with La Pistola y El Corazón\, an album steeped in traditional Mexican music. \nIt was a striking move after sudden pop stardom and an important statement about what kind of band Los Lobos intended to remain. \nThe album won a Grammy. \nGrammys\, Movie Soundtracks and Musical Detours\n“La Bamba” may remain their most recognizable recording\, but the band’s Grammy history stretches considerably further. \nLos Lobos earned their first Grammy for “Anselma” in the 1980s and another for La Pistola y El Corazón. “Mariachi Suite\,” recorded for Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado\, brought them another. \nDecades later\, they were still collecting them. \nNative Sons\, the band’s 2021 collection interpreting songs associated with Los Angeles artists\, won the Grammy for Best Americana Album in 2022. \nThe album was almost a musical map of the city that made them. Los Lobos tackled material associated with artists ranging from The Beach Boys and Buffalo Springfield to War and Jackson Browne while adding a title track of their own. \nBy then\, Los Lobos had long since reached the point where their influences and the musicians they influenced had begun folding into one another. \nIn 2021\, the National Endowment for the Arts named Los Lobos National Heritage Fellows\, its highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. \nAnd They’re Still Making Music\nThis isn’t a nostalgia act assembled to recreate a few hits from the 1980s. \nLos Lobos remain a working band. \nMore than five decades after their formation\, Hidalgo\, Pérez\, Rosas\, Lozano and Berlin continue performing together\, drawing from a catalog that can shift from Mexican folk music to blues\, Tex-Mex\, rock\, soul and Americana over the course of a set. \nThat makes predicting a Los Lobos concert considerably harder than predicting the ending. \n“La Bamba” may be the song nearly everyone recognizes. \nIt’s everything surrounding it that explains why Los Lobos are still here. \nGA-20 Starts With the Blues\nThe choice of GA-20 as the opening act makes this a particularly well-matched bill. \nThe Boston-based band has built its identity around the stripped-down power of traditional electric blues. \nRather than smoothing the genre into contemporary blues-rock\, GA-20 reaches backward toward the sounds of the 1950s and 1960s\, when small combos\, tube amplifiers and overdriven guitars could produce records that sounded both rough and immediate. \nTheir music draws from blues\, early rock and roll and country\, with an intentionally lean approach. \nThat makes GA-20 and Los Lobos different generations of a similar idea. \nBoth start with older American musical traditions without treating them as museum pieces. \nGA-20 digs into electric blues. \nLos Lobos pulls together blues\, rock\, Mexican folk music\, R&B and the sounds of East Los Angeles. \nOn Saturday night\, those paths meet in a Connecticut vineyard. \nA Concert Among the Vines\nJonathan Edwards Winery changes the atmosphere of the show considerably. \nThis isn’t an arena or traditional concert hall. \nThe winery sits on a hilltop property in North Stonington surrounded by approximately 20 acres of vineyards. Its outdoor grounds have become a regular setting for summer concerts\, allowing audiences to spread out with blankets and chairs rather than file into rows of fixed seats. \nJonathan Edwards opened to the public in 2001\, but its winemaking story stretches from Connecticut to California. \nThe Edwards family’s early interest in the developing Northeast wine industry eventually led west to Napa Valley. Today\, the winery describes itself as bi-coastal\, producing wines from both Connecticut estate-grown fruit and grapes sourced from California vineyards. \nFor a Los Lobos concert\, the vineyard becomes the venue. \nGuests can bring lawn chairs\, blankets and pop-up canopies and settle onto the grounds for the evening. \nOutside food is allowed\, making a picnic part of the experience\, and food will also be available from a food truck. \nOutside alcohol and other liquids aren’t permitted. Wine and other permitted beverages are available through the winery. \nThe concert takes place rain or shine\, so watching the forecast and dressing for an outdoor September evening is part of the plan. \nFrom East L.A. to North Stonington\nLos Lobos began by playing music rooted in a particular place. \nEast Los Angeles shaped the band\, but it never confined it. \nOver the next five decades\, those musicians carried that sound through clubs and neighborhood parties\, onto major-label albums\, movie soundtracks\, Grammy stages and concert venues around the world. \nSaturday brings the journey somewhere considerably different. \nThere will be vineyard rows instead of city streets and picnic blankets instead of theater seats. \nBut once the guitars\, accordion\, saxophone and voices start\, more than 50 years of Los Lobos history come with them. \nAnd yes\, there’s a pretty good chance everyone will recognize at least one song. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Los Lobos with GA-20 at Jonathan Edwards Winery\nDate: Saturday\, September 5\, 2026\nGates Open: 5:30 p.m.\nMusic Begins: 7 p.m.\nScheduled End: 10:30 p.m.\nHeadliner: Los Lobos\nOpening Act: GA-20\nLocation: Jonathan Edwards Winery\nAddress: 74 Chester Main Road\, North Stonington\, CT 06359\nAdmission: $80 plus fees\nAge Requirement: 21+\nSetting: Outdoor vineyard concert\nWeather: Rain or shine\nSeating: Bring lawn chairs or blankets\nCanopies: Pop-up canopies permitted\nFood: Outside food permitted; food truck also available\nBeverages: Outside alcohol and other liquids prohibited\nDogs: Not permitted for the concert \nLos Lobos with GA-20 at Jonathan Edwards Winery brings together two generations of American roots music for an outdoor concert among the vines in North Stonington. \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n  \nJonathan Edwards Winery\nhttps://jedwardswinery.com/ \nLos Lobos\nhttps://www.loslobos.org/
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/los-lobos-with-ga-20-at-jonathan-edwards-winery/
LOCATION:Jonathan Edwards Winery\, 74 Chester Maine Rd\, North Stonington\, 06359\, United States
CATEGORIES:Jonathan Edwards Winery
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Los-Lobos-with-GA-20-at-Jonathan-Edwards-Winery.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T170000
DTSTAMP:20260708T031351Z
CREATED:20260708T005652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260708T031351Z
UID:10006590-1788694200-1788714000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour
DESCRIPTION:Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour offers a relaxing\, all-inclusive way to explore the Connecticut Wine Trail without worrying about driving\, reservations\, or planning the day’s itinerary. Operating Thursday through Sunday during the summer\, Friday through Sunday in the fall\, and Saturday through Sunday during the winter\, the guided experience departs from Mystic and visits three carefully selected vineyards across southeastern Connecticut. \nGuests travel in a comfortable 15-passenger van to scenic wineries in communities including Stonington\, North Stonington\, Preston\, and Ledyard. Each stop allows about an hour to enjoy the vineyard\, sample local wines or other beverages\, and take in Connecticut’s picturesque wine country. Every tour includes lunch from Sift Bake Shop\, one beverage at each winery\, bottled water\, and snacks\, creating a stress-free day designed for both visitors and local wine enthusiasts. \nBecause winery availability changes throughout the season\, destinations vary from tour to tour\, giving returning guests the opportunity to experience different vineyards throughout the year. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply looking for a unique day trip\, Middle of the Vines handles the transportation and planning so guests can relax and enjoy the journey. \nEvent Details\n\nEvent: Middle of the Vines Vineyard Tour\nSchedule:\n\nSummer: Thursday-Sunday\nFall: Friday-Sunday\nWinter: Saturday-Sunday\n\n\nTour Length: Approximately 5 hours\nDeparture: Mystic\, CT\nTransportation: Included**\nAge Requirement: 21+\nMeetup at Sift Bake Shop Mystic (see Venue at the bottom of the page)\n\nTour Highlights\nEach tour includes: \n\nGuided transportation aboard a 15-passenger van\nVisits to three Connecticut vineyards\nApproximately one hour at each winery\nScenic drives through southeastern Connecticut wine country\n\nTours may visit wineries in: \n\nStonington\nNorth Stonington\nPreston\nLedyard\n\nDestinations vary based on vineyard availability. \nWhat’s Included\nEvery ticket includes: \n\nRound-trip transportation\nVisits to three vineyards\nLunch from Sift Bake Shop\nOne beverage at each winery (wine\, beer\, cider\, or another available option)\nBottled water\nSnacks\n\nA Zero Proof ticket is also available for guests who prefer non-alcoholic beverages. \nReservations\nAdvance reservations are required. \nBecause lunch is prepared fresh by Sift Bake Shop\, bookings close at 6:00 p.m. the day before each tour. \nThe online booking system displays real-time availability\, allowing guests to see how many seats remain on each tour. \nTickets\nTickets are $165 per person. \nTo check availability and reserve your seat\, click the Event Ticketing link at the bottom of this page. \n  \n** You must provide your own transportation home. Have a designated driver or use Uber/Lyft. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/middle-of-the-vines-vineyard-tour/2026-09-06/
LOCATION:Sift Bake Shop Mystic\, 5 Water Street\, Mystic\, 06355\, United States
CATEGORIES:Sift Bake Shop Mystic
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Middle-of-the-Vines-Vineyard-Tour-Thursdays-through-Sundays-1145-am-445-pm.jpg
END:VEVENT
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T123000
DTSTAMP:20260903T181315Z
CREATED:20260903T181315Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T181315Z
UID:10007463-1788696000-1788697800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards
DESCRIPTION:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards brings together five of the Colchester winery’s wines and five handmade chocolates from Fascia’s Chocolates for a guided tasting experience on Sunday\, September 6. \nThree sessions are scheduled at noon\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\, giving guests a chance to explore what happens when two familiar indulgences are deliberately paired rather than simply served alongside one another. \nThe collaboration also brings together two Connecticut businesses with long histories in their respective crafts: Priam Vineyards in Colchester and Fascia’s Chocolates in Waterbury. \nFive Priam Wines\, Five Handmade Chocolates\nThe September 6 tasting is built around a curated collection of five Priam original wines paired with five Fascia’s handmade chocolates. \nRather than treating chocolate as dessert after a wine tasting\, the format puts the two together and encourages guests to pay attention to how each pairing changes what they taste. \nWine and chocolate can be surprisingly complicated partners. Both can contain fruit\, spice\, floral\, earthy\, bitter and roasted characteristics\, and the sweetness and intensity of the chocolate can either complement a wine or overwhelm it. \nA carefully constructed pairing can bring forward flavors that are less obvious when either is tasted alone. \nPriam has not published the individual wine-and-chocolate combinations in the event information we’ve found\, making the specific pairings part of the experience rather than something to study beforehand. \nPriam Vineyards Has Been Producing Connecticut Wine for More Than Two Decades\nPriam Vineyards sits on Shailor Hill Road in Colchester\, surrounded by its working vineyard. \nThe winery was established in 1998\, with its first wines released commercially in 2003. Today it operates as Priam Vineyards\, a Winiarski Family Vineyard. \nPriam produces wines from grapes grown at the property as well as other carefully sourced fruit\, with a portfolio that has included whites\, reds\, rosés and dessert-style wines. \nThe vineyard’s location also plays an important role in its identity. The property sits in the Connecticut countryside between Hartford and the shoreline\, with the winery and tasting areas overlooking the vines. \nPriam has grown beyond the traditional tasting-room model\, regularly hosting live music\, comedy\, food trucks\, seasonal celebrations and specialty tasting events. \nThe Wine & Chocolate Pairing fits neatly into that approach\, but puts the focus back squarely on the wine itself. \nFascia’s Has Been Making Chocolate in Connecticut Since 1964\nThe other half of the pairing has an even longer Connecticut history. \nFascia’s Chocolates was founded in Waterbury in 1964 by John and Helen Fascia. \nWhat began as a small family chocolate-making operation grew into a Connecticut confectioner producing chocolates\, truffles\, caramels and other handmade sweets. \nThe company remains family operated and has become particularly known for opening the chocolate-making process to visitors through tours\, demonstrations and hands-on experiences at its Waterbury facility. \nFor the Priam event\, Fascia’s isn’t simply supplying a generic box of chocolates. The winery is advertising five handmade Fascia’s chocolates selected to accompany the five wines. \nWhy Wine and Chocolate Work Together\nPairing chocolate with wine uses many of the same principles applied to pairing wine with a meal. \nIntensity matters. \nA delicate wine can disappear beside a powerful dark chocolate\, while a sweeter or fuller wine may be able to stand up to it. Milk chocolate introduces more creaminess and sweetness. Darker chocolate brings greater cocoa intensity and bitterness. Fillings can add fruit\, caramel\, nuts\, spices or other flavors that create an entirely different interaction with the wine. \nEven texture matters. \nCocoa butter coats the palate\, and the next sip of wine can taste noticeably different from the one that came before the chocolate. \nWith five combinations in the September 6 tasting\, guests will have an opportunity to compare those interactions rather than judging wine and chocolate as a single pairing. \nThree Sunday Sessions\nPriam is offering the experience three times on September 6. \nThe first session begins at 12 p.m.\, followed by sessions at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. \nThat makes the pairing easy to incorporate into a longer Sunday visit to the vineyard rather than requiring an entire afternoon. \nThe winery is located at 11 Shailor Hill Road in Colchester. \nBecause this is a structured pairing with specific quantities of wine and chocolate prepared for participants\, reservations are the better option than assuming space will remain available for a particular session. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Wine & Chocolate Pairing\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nTimes: 12 p.m.\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\nVenue: Priam Vineyards\nAddress: 11 Shailor Hill Road\, Colchester\, CT 06415\nExperience: Five Priam wines paired with five handmade Fascia’s chocolates\nChocolate Partner: Fascia’s Chocolates\nFormat: Curated wine-and-chocolate tasting experience \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/wine-chocolate-pairing-at-priam-vineyards/2026-09-06/1/
LOCATION:Priam Vineyards\, 11 Shailor Hill Rd\, Colchester\, CT\, 06415\, United States
CATEGORIES:Priam Vineyards
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Wine-and-Chocolate-Pairing-at-Priam-Vineyards.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T133000
DTSTAMP:20260903T181315Z
CREATED:20260903T181315Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T181315Z
UID:10007464-1788699600-1788701400@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards
DESCRIPTION:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards brings together five of the Colchester winery’s wines and five handmade chocolates from Fascia’s Chocolates for a guided tasting experience on Sunday\, September 6. \nThree sessions are scheduled at noon\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\, giving guests a chance to explore what happens when two familiar indulgences are deliberately paired rather than simply served alongside one another. \nThe collaboration also brings together two Connecticut businesses with long histories in their respective crafts: Priam Vineyards in Colchester and Fascia’s Chocolates in Waterbury. \nFive Priam Wines\, Five Handmade Chocolates\nThe September 6 tasting is built around a curated collection of five Priam original wines paired with five Fascia’s handmade chocolates. \nRather than treating chocolate as dessert after a wine tasting\, the format puts the two together and encourages guests to pay attention to how each pairing changes what they taste. \nWine and chocolate can be surprisingly complicated partners. Both can contain fruit\, spice\, floral\, earthy\, bitter and roasted characteristics\, and the sweetness and intensity of the chocolate can either complement a wine or overwhelm it. \nA carefully constructed pairing can bring forward flavors that are less obvious when either is tasted alone. \nPriam has not published the individual wine-and-chocolate combinations in the event information we’ve found\, making the specific pairings part of the experience rather than something to study beforehand. \nPriam Vineyards Has Been Producing Connecticut Wine for More Than Two Decades\nPriam Vineyards sits on Shailor Hill Road in Colchester\, surrounded by its working vineyard. \nThe winery was established in 1998\, with its first wines released commercially in 2003. Today it operates as Priam Vineyards\, a Winiarski Family Vineyard. \nPriam produces wines from grapes grown at the property as well as other carefully sourced fruit\, with a portfolio that has included whites\, reds\, rosés and dessert-style wines. \nThe vineyard’s location also plays an important role in its identity. The property sits in the Connecticut countryside between Hartford and the shoreline\, with the winery and tasting areas overlooking the vines. \nPriam has grown beyond the traditional tasting-room model\, regularly hosting live music\, comedy\, food trucks\, seasonal celebrations and specialty tasting events. \nThe Wine & Chocolate Pairing fits neatly into that approach\, but puts the focus back squarely on the wine itself. \nFascia’s Has Been Making Chocolate in Connecticut Since 1964\nThe other half of the pairing has an even longer Connecticut history. \nFascia’s Chocolates was founded in Waterbury in 1964 by John and Helen Fascia. \nWhat began as a small family chocolate-making operation grew into a Connecticut confectioner producing chocolates\, truffles\, caramels and other handmade sweets. \nThe company remains family operated and has become particularly known for opening the chocolate-making process to visitors through tours\, demonstrations and hands-on experiences at its Waterbury facility. \nFor the Priam event\, Fascia’s isn’t simply supplying a generic box of chocolates. The winery is advertising five handmade Fascia’s chocolates selected to accompany the five wines. \nWhy Wine and Chocolate Work Together\nPairing chocolate with wine uses many of the same principles applied to pairing wine with a meal. \nIntensity matters. \nA delicate wine can disappear beside a powerful dark chocolate\, while a sweeter or fuller wine may be able to stand up to it. Milk chocolate introduces more creaminess and sweetness. Darker chocolate brings greater cocoa intensity and bitterness. Fillings can add fruit\, caramel\, nuts\, spices or other flavors that create an entirely different interaction with the wine. \nEven texture matters. \nCocoa butter coats the palate\, and the next sip of wine can taste noticeably different from the one that came before the chocolate. \nWith five combinations in the September 6 tasting\, guests will have an opportunity to compare those interactions rather than judging wine and chocolate as a single pairing. \nThree Sunday Sessions\nPriam is offering the experience three times on September 6. \nThe first session begins at 12 p.m.\, followed by sessions at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. \nThat makes the pairing easy to incorporate into a longer Sunday visit to the vineyard rather than requiring an entire afternoon. \nThe winery is located at 11 Shailor Hill Road in Colchester. \nBecause this is a structured pairing with specific quantities of wine and chocolate prepared for participants\, reservations are the better option than assuming space will remain available for a particular session. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Wine & Chocolate Pairing\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nTimes: 12 p.m.\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\nVenue: Priam Vineyards\nAddress: 11 Shailor Hill Road\, Colchester\, CT 06415\nExperience: Five Priam wines paired with five handmade Fascia’s chocolates\nChocolate Partner: Fascia’s Chocolates\nFormat: Curated wine-and-chocolate tasting experience \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/wine-chocolate-pairing-at-priam-vineyards/2026-09-06/2/
LOCATION:Priam Vineyards\, 11 Shailor Hill Rd\, Colchester\, CT\, 06415\, United States
CATEGORIES:Priam Vineyards
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Wine-and-Chocolate-Pairing-at-Priam-Vineyards.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T143000
DTSTAMP:20260903T181315Z
CREATED:20260903T181315Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T181315Z
UID:10007465-1788703200-1788705000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards
DESCRIPTION:Wine & Chocolate Pairing at Priam Vineyards brings together five of the Colchester winery’s wines and five handmade chocolates from Fascia’s Chocolates for a guided tasting experience on Sunday\, September 6. \nThree sessions are scheduled at noon\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\, giving guests a chance to explore what happens when two familiar indulgences are deliberately paired rather than simply served alongside one another. \nThe collaboration also brings together two Connecticut businesses with long histories in their respective crafts: Priam Vineyards in Colchester and Fascia’s Chocolates in Waterbury. \nFive Priam Wines\, Five Handmade Chocolates\nThe September 6 tasting is built around a curated collection of five Priam original wines paired with five Fascia’s handmade chocolates. \nRather than treating chocolate as dessert after a wine tasting\, the format puts the two together and encourages guests to pay attention to how each pairing changes what they taste. \nWine and chocolate can be surprisingly complicated partners. Both can contain fruit\, spice\, floral\, earthy\, bitter and roasted characteristics\, and the sweetness and intensity of the chocolate can either complement a wine or overwhelm it. \nA carefully constructed pairing can bring forward flavors that are less obvious when either is tasted alone. \nPriam has not published the individual wine-and-chocolate combinations in the event information we’ve found\, making the specific pairings part of the experience rather than something to study beforehand. \nPriam Vineyards Has Been Producing Connecticut Wine for More Than Two Decades\nPriam Vineyards sits on Shailor Hill Road in Colchester\, surrounded by its working vineyard. \nThe winery was established in 1998\, with its first wines released commercially in 2003. Today it operates as Priam Vineyards\, a Winiarski Family Vineyard. \nPriam produces wines from grapes grown at the property as well as other carefully sourced fruit\, with a portfolio that has included whites\, reds\, rosés and dessert-style wines. \nThe vineyard’s location also plays an important role in its identity. The property sits in the Connecticut countryside between Hartford and the shoreline\, with the winery and tasting areas overlooking the vines. \nPriam has grown beyond the traditional tasting-room model\, regularly hosting live music\, comedy\, food trucks\, seasonal celebrations and specialty tasting events. \nThe Wine & Chocolate Pairing fits neatly into that approach\, but puts the focus back squarely on the wine itself. \nFascia’s Has Been Making Chocolate in Connecticut Since 1964\nThe other half of the pairing has an even longer Connecticut history. \nFascia’s Chocolates was founded in Waterbury in 1964 by John and Helen Fascia. \nWhat began as a small family chocolate-making operation grew into a Connecticut confectioner producing chocolates\, truffles\, caramels and other handmade sweets. \nThe company remains family operated and has become particularly known for opening the chocolate-making process to visitors through tours\, demonstrations and hands-on experiences at its Waterbury facility. \nFor the Priam event\, Fascia’s isn’t simply supplying a generic box of chocolates. The winery is advertising five handmade Fascia’s chocolates selected to accompany the five wines. \nWhy Wine and Chocolate Work Together\nPairing chocolate with wine uses many of the same principles applied to pairing wine with a meal. \nIntensity matters. \nA delicate wine can disappear beside a powerful dark chocolate\, while a sweeter or fuller wine may be able to stand up to it. Milk chocolate introduces more creaminess and sweetness. Darker chocolate brings greater cocoa intensity and bitterness. Fillings can add fruit\, caramel\, nuts\, spices or other flavors that create an entirely different interaction with the wine. \nEven texture matters. \nCocoa butter coats the palate\, and the next sip of wine can taste noticeably different from the one that came before the chocolate. \nWith five combinations in the September 6 tasting\, guests will have an opportunity to compare those interactions rather than judging wine and chocolate as a single pairing. \nThree Sunday Sessions\nPriam is offering the experience three times on September 6. \nThe first session begins at 12 p.m.\, followed by sessions at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. \nThat makes the pairing easy to incorporate into a longer Sunday visit to the vineyard rather than requiring an entire afternoon. \nThe winery is located at 11 Shailor Hill Road in Colchester. \nBecause this is a structured pairing with specific quantities of wine and chocolate prepared for participants\, reservations are the better option than assuming space will remain available for a particular session. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Wine & Chocolate Pairing\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nTimes: 12 p.m.\, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.\nVenue: Priam Vineyards\nAddress: 11 Shailor Hill Road\, Colchester\, CT 06415\nExperience: Five Priam wines paired with five handmade Fascia’s chocolates\nChocolate Partner: Fascia’s Chocolates\nFormat: Curated wine-and-chocolate tasting experience \nMore information is available at the Event Website link below. \nTo purchase tickets\, click the Event Ticketing link below. \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/wine-chocolate-pairing-at-priam-vineyards/2026-09-06/3/
LOCATION:Priam Vineyards\, 11 Shailor Hill Rd\, Colchester\, CT\, 06415\, United States
CATEGORIES:Priam Vineyards
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Wine-and-Chocolate-Pairing-at-Priam-Vineyards.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260906T170000
DTSTAMP:20260903T195459Z
CREATED:20260903T195459Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T195459Z
UID:10007469-1788706800-1788714000@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Ben Freiert Live at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard
DESCRIPTION:Ben Freiert performs at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard in North Stonington on Sunday\, September 6\, bringing an afternoon of acoustic rock\, indie\, folk and alternative music to one of southeastern Connecticut’s newer vineyard destinations. \nThe music runs from 3 to 5 p.m.\, with Freiert performing as part of Kingdom of the Hawk’s weekend live music series. Fire in the Kitchen Pizza will also be on site Sunday\, pairing the performance with wood-fired pizza and wine\, with Connecticut craft beer and cider available from the vineyard. \nOne important detail for this date: Kingdom of the Hawk says its 5 p.m. closing will be prompt on September 6 because of a private event afterward. \nBen Freiert Has Been Making Music for More Than Two Decades\nFreiert is a Stonington-area musician whose history goes considerably further back than the local acoustic shows where many listeners may know him today. \nHe began playing music more than two decades ago\, starting with trumpet in middle school. While in college\, he formed the original rock band Twenty Grand with his roommate\, performing near their school and in New York City. \nHis current performances move among indie\, folk and alternative music\, with Freiert playing both guitar and piano. \nLocal music resource Wailing City describes him more broadly as a rock\, covers and acoustic performer\, which helps explain the variety of venues where he appears around southeastern Connecticut. \nThis summer alone\, Freiert has been part of several regional outdoor music series. In August\, he performed at Deans Mill Farm and headlined one of Stonington Vineyards’ Friday Summer Concert Series dates. \nFrom Covers to Original Music\nFreiert isn’t limited to interpreting other artists’ material. \nIn 2024\, he released the original single “Let Yourself Go\,” adding recorded original music to a live career that has often mixed familiar songs with indie and alternative influences. \nThat balance makes him particularly well suited to the vineyard circuit\, where the music has to work both for listeners who settle in specifically to hear the performer and guests who are spending an afternoon talking over wine with friends. \nThe September 6 appearance gives him two hours at Kingdom of the Hawk rather than functioning as a short opening set. \nFire in the Kitchen Pizza Joins the Afternoon\nSunday’s music is paired with Fire in the Kitchen Pizza\, which Kingdom of the Hawk has scheduled as its food vendor for the afternoon. \nThe vineyard asks guests to support its visiting food trucks and vendors when they’re on site and specifically requests that visitors not bring outside food or picnics on those days. \nThat’s worth knowing before packing for the afternoon. \nKingdom of the Hawk normally allows guests to bring their own food when there isn’t a food vendor present\, but September 6 is one of the exceptions. \nOutside alcohol is never permitted. \nWine by the Glass or Bottle\, But No Tastings\nKingdom of the Hawk operates a little differently from some Connecticut wineries. \nThe vineyard currently does not offer traditional wine tastings or flights. \nInstead\, its wines are available by the glass or bottle to share. The tasting room also carries a rotating selection of Connecticut craft beer and cider. \nCheese\, charcuterie\, crackers and other smaller bites are normally available for purchase in addition to the visiting food vendors scheduled on select weekends. \nVisitors who haven’t been to Kingdom of the Hawk before shouldn’t arrive expecting a structured wine flight followed by the concert. This is much more of a settle-in-with-a-glass-or-bottle afternoon. \nOne of Southeastern Connecticut’s Newest Vineyard Destinations\nKingdom of the Hawk is relatively new\, but the people behind it have much deeper roots in Connecticut wine. \nOwners Michael and Merrily Connery purchased the North Stonington property in 2018 and planted vines almost immediately. \nThe couple also owns Saltwater Farm Vineyard in Stonington\, where they famously transformed a former World War II-era airplane hangar and surrounding farmland into a vineyard and winery. \nKingdom of the Hawk became their second vineyard project. \nThe North Stonington property encompasses approximately 50 acres of farmland\, with the vineyard surrounded by woods and wildlife. \nIts name isn’t simply decorative. Hawks are regularly seen over the property. \nThe Barn Is Part of the Attraction\nThe building in Freiert’s concert announcement isn’t an old New England barn that happened to survive on the property. \nIt’s contemporary architecture deliberately designed to evoke one. \nMichael Connery has described wanting a “barn sensibility” while keeping the building contemporary. \nThe result combines a traditional agricultural form with modern materials and large expanses of glass\, positioned on the edge of a hill overlooking the vineyard\, fields and surrounding landscape. \nThat gives Kingdom of the Hawk a noticeably different character from a tasting room inserted into an existing farm building. \nThe architecture was designed as part of the vineyard experience from the beginning. \nOn a Sunday afternoon\, that means Freiert’s performance isn’t simply taking place inside a winery. The music is part of a larger setting of vineyard rows\, open lawn\, woods and the modern barn overlooking the property. \nIndoor Reservations Are Available\, Outdoor Space Is First Come\nReservations aren’t required for a casual visit\, although Kingdom of the Hawk recommends them for larger groups wanting indoor seating. \nReservations apply only to indoor tables. \nThe vineyard does not reserve outdoor seating or its fireside lounge areas. \nThat distinction matters on live-music afternoons\, when outdoor spaces can become popular. \nVisitors interested in a particular outdoor spot should plan accordingly rather than assuming a reservation guarantees one. \nA Sunday Afternoon Before an Early Close\nMost Sundays\, Kingdom of the Hawk is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. \nSeptember 6 follows those hours\, but the vineyard has emphasized that the 5 p.m. close is firm because a private event follows the public tasting-room hours. \nFreiert’s performance has therefore been scheduled to fit exactly into the final two hours of the public day. \nMusic begins at 3 p.m. \nFire in the Kitchen Pizza will be there. \nWine\, Connecticut beer and cider will be available. \nAnd at 5 p.m.\, the afternoon comes to an end. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Ben Freiert Live at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard\nDate: Sunday\, September 6\, 2026\nMusic: 3–5 p.m.\nVineyard Hours: 11 a.m.–5 p.m.\nVenue: Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard\nAddress: 113 Pendleton Hill Road\, North Stonington\, CT 06359\nPerformer: Ben Freiert\nMusic: Acoustic\, rock\, indie\, folk and alternative\nFood: Fire in the Kitchen Pizza\nDrinks: Kingdom of the Hawk wine by the glass or bottle\, plus Connecticut craft beer and cider\nTastings/Flights: Not currently offered\nOutside Food: The vineyard asks guests not to bring outside food when a food truck or vendor is on site\nOutside Alcohol: Not permitted\nImportant: The vineyard will close promptly at 5 p.m. for a private event \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/ben-freiert-live-at-kingdom-of-the-hawk-vineyard/
LOCATION:Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard\, 113 Pendelton Hill Road\, North Stonington\, 06359\, United States
CATEGORIES:Kingdom of the Hawk Winery
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Ben-Freiert-Live-at-Kingdom-of-the-Hawk-Vineyard.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260911T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260911T190000
DTSTAMP:20260907T161521Z
CREATED:20260907T161521Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260907T161521Z
UID:10007500-1789146000-1789153200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Ernie Lewis Solo Acoustic at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard
DESCRIPTION:Ernie Lewis Solo Acoustic at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard brings the longtime Wicked Peach vocalist and guitarist to North Stonington for an early-evening performance on Friday\, September 11. Lewis will trade the full-band sound familiar to generations of southeastern Connecticut music fans for an acoustic set from 5 to 7 p.m. at one of the region’s newer vineyards. \nThe performance is part of Kingdom of the Hawk’s regular live music programming\, which pairs local and regional musicians with wine\, countryside views and the contemporary tasting room overlooking the vineyard. \nFor anyone who has seen Lewis front Wicked Peach at festivals\, casinos\, clubs and waterfront venues around the region\, Friday offers a different version of a very familiar local performer. \nErnie Lewis: From Wicked Peach to Solo Acoustic\nErnie Lewis is best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist for Wicked Peach\, a southeastern Connecticut rock band that has been performing throughout Connecticut\, Rhode Island\, and southern New England since 1996. \nOver nearly three decades\, Wicked Peach has become a fixture of the regional live music scene. The band’s repertoire crosses between rock and pop\, with performances built around recognizable songs spanning several decades rather than a narrowly defined genre. \nLewis has been central to that sound as both guitarist and lead vocalist. \nHis solo acoustic performances pull the music into a much smaller setting. Without the volume and instrumentation of a full rock band behind him\, the focus shifts toward Lewis’s voice\, guitar and the songs themselves. \nIt’s not unfamiliar territory for him. \nLewis has maintained an active schedule of solo acoustic appearances around Connecticut in addition to his work with Wicked Peach. He has also performed with Wicked Peach guitarist Dan Watson as 2 Cat Zoo\, an acoustic duo whose repertoire draws from decades of rock and popular music and emphasizes acoustic guitar and vocal harmonies. \nThat acoustic side of Lewis’s career has taken him to restaurants\, taverns\, waterfront venues and vineyards around the region. His September 11 appearance at Kingdom of the Hawk continues that tradition\, this time surrounded by vines and the wooded landscape of North Stonington. \nLive Music at Kingdom of the Hawk\nLive music has become a regular part of weekends at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard. \nThe vineyard generally schedules performers on Fridays and Saturdays\, with occasional Sunday music as well. Rather than operating as a separate concert venue\, performances take place as part of the winery experience\, allowing visitors to settle in with a glass or bottle while listening to music. \nLewis performs from 5 to 7 p.m.\, putting the show at the beginning of a September evening rather than late at night. \nIt’s a setting that suits his solo format. This isn’t Wicked Peach at full volume. The acoustic performance is designed for the more relaxed environment of a vineyard\, where conversation\, wine and the surrounding property remain part of the evening. \nSouth County Barbeque Brings the Smoke\nWine and acoustic music won’t be the only things on the menu Friday evening. South County Barbeque will be at Kingdom of the Hawk serving its Southern-style\, wood-fired barbecue during the event. \nThe Rhode Island mobile barbecue and catering company was founded in 2022 by Arthur Evans\, a veteran who spent more than 20 years with the Rhode Island Air National Guard’s 143rd Airlift Wing. Evans traces his interest in cooking over fire back even further\, to his years working toward becoming an Eagle Scout. What began as a serious barbecue hobby eventually became a business serving farmers markets\, breweries\, festivals and private events around Rhode Island. \nSouth County Barbeque takes a competition-style approach to barbecue\, cooking its meats low and slow over wood-fired coals. Its regular lineup includes hand-cut beef brisket\, pulled pork shoulder\, St. Louis-style spare ribs\, pulled chicken\, smoked chicken wings and pork belly burnt ends. Homemade barbecue sauce and dry rubs are part of the operation as well. \nThe sides stick close to barbecue tradition\, with offerings that can include mac and cheese\, baked beans\, potato salad\, coleslaw and honey cornbread\, while banana pudding and homemade apple crisp appear among its desserts. \nThe food truck has also developed a following beyond its South County home base. South County Barbeque says it was named Rhode Island’s Best Mobile Food Vendor statewide in both 2023 and 2024\, and it regularly travels to breweries and events across the state. \nThe exact food-truck menu available at Kingdom of the Hawk may be smaller than South County Barbecue’s complete menu and can vary by event\, but expect smoked meats and classic barbecue sides to provide a considerably heartier option than the usual vineyard snack. \nAbout Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard\nKingdom of the Hawk is a relatively recent addition to southeastern Connecticut’s wine country\, but the people behind it have considerably deeper roots in the region’s wine industry. \nMichael and Merrily Connery purchased the North Stonington property in 2018 and began planting vines that year. The couple had already established Saltwater Farm Vineyard in Stonington\, transforming a former World War II-era airplane hangar into one of the shoreline’s distinctive winery destinations. \nKingdom of the Hawk became their second act. \nThe vineyard opened to the public in 2023 on a sprawling property along Pendleton Hill Road. Instead of recreating Saltwater Farm\, the Connerys developed a winery with its own personality and architecture. \nThe centerpiece is a contemporary interpretation of an agricultural barn. The building combines the broad proportions and vaulted interior associated with a traditional barn with steel\, stone\, concrete and large expanses of glass. \nThose windows aren’t incidental. The winery sits above portions of the surrounding property\, opening views toward the vineyard\, fields and woods beyond it. \nEven the name comes from the landscape. \nHawks are regularly seen flying above the property\, inspiring Michael Connery to incorporate the bird into the vineyard’s identity. He wanted the name to suggest a place rather than simply another winery\, resulting in the somewhat grander Kingdom of the Hawk. \nThe Wines at Kingdom of the Hawk\nThe vineyard produces a range of red\, white and rosé wines\, including varieties particularly familiar to wine drinkers in southern New England. \nOfferings have included Sauvignon Blanc\, Pinot Gris\, Chardonnay\, Pinot Noir Rosé\, Cabernet Rosé and Cabernet Franc\, along with the vineyard’s Raptor Red. \nThe Connerys work with French-born consulting winemaker Gilles Martin\, who also has a long association with Saltwater Farm Vineyard. Martin’s winemaking career has included work in France\, California and on Long Island’s North Fork before his involvement with Connecticut wineries. \nKingdom of the Hawk operates a little differently from the traditional winery model visitors may expect. \nThe vineyard doesn’t offer conventional wine tastings or flights. Instead\, guests choose wine by the glass or purchase a bottle. Connecticut craft beer and cider are also available\, giving non-wine drinkers additional options during an afternoon or evening at the property. \nA Friday Evening in North Stonington\nThe September 11 performance brings together two familiar pieces of southeastern Connecticut’s weekend culture in one place: a musician whose career has been built largely in the region and a vineyard created by people who have spent years developing Connecticut wine destinations. \nFor longtime Wicked Peach listeners\, the biggest difference may be what’s missing. \nThere’s no full band behind Lewis. No wall of guitars or drums driving the room. Instead\, the songs come down to one musician\, his voice and an acoustic guitar as Friday evening settles over the vineyard. \nDetails\nEvent: Ernie Lewis Solo Acoustic at Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard\nDate: Friday\, September 11\, 2026\nTime: 5–7 p.m.\nPerformer: Ernie Lewis (Wicked Peach)\nMusic: Solo acoustic rock and popular music\nFood: South County BBQ\nVenue: Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard\nAddress: 113 Pendleton Hill Road\, North Stonington\, CT\nBeverages: Kingdom of the Hawk wines are available by the glass or bottle; Connecticut craft beer and cider are also offered\nWine Tastings: Kingdom of the Hawk does not offer traditional tastings or flights \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown.
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/ernie-lewis-solo-acoustic-at-kingdom-of-the-hawk-vineyard/
LOCATION:Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard\, 113 Pendelton Hill Road\, North Stonington\, 06359\, United States
CATEGORIES:Kingdom of the Hawk Winery
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Ernie-Lewis-Solo-Acoustic-at-Kingdom-of-the-Hawk-Vineyard.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T170000
DTSTAMP:20260908T023533Z
CREATED:20260908T022932Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T023533Z
UID:10007518-1789311600-1789318800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Live Music & Food Trucks at Saltwater Farm Vineyard
DESCRIPTION:Live Music & Food Trucks at Saltwater Farm Vineyard pairs a relatively new local country duo with wood-fired pizza and Stonington wine on Sunday\, September 13. Violet Theory performs from 3 to 5 p.m.\, while Fire in the Kitchen Pizza Truck fires up its mobile oven at the vineyard. \nViolet Theory may be a new name on the southeastern Connecticut music scene\, but the musicians behind it aren’t approaching the project casually. Victoria White and Chris Cofoni formed the duo in 2025\, began writing together\, and headed to Nashville in March to record their first original songs. \nTheir Sunday afternoon set at Saltwater Farm will mix that developing catalog with country\, rock and pop covers\, all against one of the more unusual backdrops on the Connecticut Wine Trail: a vineyard built around a preserved airplane hangar. \nMeet Violet Theory\nViolet Theory began with a chance meeting at Westerly’s Thirsty Beaver. \nChris Cofoni was performing there with another band in 2025 when he was introduced to vocalist Victoria White. The two discovered a musical connection\, began performing together later that fall and developed Violet Theory around White’s vocals and Cofoni’s playing\, songwriting\, and production. \nCountry provides the foundation\, but their repertoire isn’t restricted to it. \nThe duo covers music ranging from Johnny Cash to Morgan Wallen while pulling rock and pop into its live sets. Depending on the engagement\, Violet Theory can expand from the core duo into a trio or full band. \nFor the September 13 Saltwater Farm appearance\, the act is scheduled as the Violet Theory duo\, putting the emphasis on White and Cofoni and the vocal-and-instrumental chemistry that started the project. \nThe pair has spent much of 2026 building an audience around southeastern Connecticut and Rhode Island\, appearing at vineyards\, breweries\, restaurants and outdoor events including Stonington Vineyards\, Preston Ridge Vineyard\, Grey Sail Brewing\, Gooseneck Vineyards\, the Breachway Grill and Westerly’s Sunday Funday in Wilcox Park. \nSaltwater Farm has become a particularly regular stop. Violet Theory has several dates at the vineyard during its 2026 schedule\, including performances in May\, July and September\, with another scheduled for October. \nFrom Local Stages to a Nashville Studio\nViolet Theory is also beginning to move beyond covers. \nWhite and Cofoni have written three original songs together: Country Golden\, Half As Mean and To the Old Me. All three were recorded at Country Q Studios in Nashville in March 2026. \nThe songs offer an early look at what the duo wants Violet Theory to become. \nCountry Golden tells the story of a woman who finds companionship and emotional rescue through her “Country Golden” companion. Half As Mean takes a lighter approach to adult relationships and learning to live with one another’s faults\, while To the Old Me looks backward\, with a young woman addressing younger versions of herself. \nThat mix of storytelling and contemporary production reflects the duo’s stated goal: country-influenced music rooted in traditional songwriting without trying to sound as though it came from another era. \nFor a group formed only last year\, 2026 has essentially been Violet Theory’s first full season of taking that sound on the road. \nPizza Straight From a Wood-Fired Oven\nSunday’s food truck is almost as mobile as the musicians. \nFire in the Kitchen Pizza is the creation of husband-and-wife team Matt and Kristen Griffin\, who turned Matt’s longtime obsession with making pizza into a traveling wood-fired business. \nIt started small. Very small. \nKristen bought Matt his first wood-fired pizza oven\, with a cooking surface measuring only about 12 by 14 inches. After Matt refined his dough and the couple decided to pursue the idea further\, the little oven was replaced by a larger wood-burning model. \nThen came a commercial oven mounted to a trailer. \nToday\, Fire in the Kitchen operates from a full-size box truck and brings its wood-fired setup to events around Connecticut and neighboring states. Unlike a mobile operation that sends employees out to work events\, Matt and Kristen say they’re the chefs customers will actually find behind the truck. \nTheir sample menu goes considerably beyond cheese and pepperoni. \nThe Lemon Boy combines garlic\, smoked mozzarella\, sliced lemon\, Aleppo pepper and honey. Gettin Figgy adds prosciutto\, caramelized onion\, fig\, arugula and balsamic reduction\, while the Tater uses mashed potato\, bacon and chives. \nThere’s also a Pulled Pickle with pulled pork\, dill pickles\, Monterey Jack and cheddar\, barbecue sauce and ranch; a Street Corn pie with corn\, cilantro\, jalapeños\, cotija and chipotle-lime aioli; and the meat-heavy Carnivore with pepperoni\, bacon\, sausage and hot cherry peppers. \nThe exact selection at Saltwater Farm can vary. Fire in the Kitchen says its menu changes seasonally and it generally brings a mix of core pizzas and seasonal specialties to events. \nA Vineyard Inside an Old Airfield\nSaltwater Farm Vineyard’s history goes back considerably further than its vines. \nThe property traces its agricultural roots to the 17th century\, when Walter Palmer established a farm on roughly 230 acres surrounding Wequetequock Cove in 1653. Portions of that land continued operating as farmland for generations. \nThen airplanes arrived. \nIn the late 1930s\, William J. Foster established a small community airport on the property. Architect and engineer John W. Lincoln designed its hangar\, and Foster Field\, also known as Westone Airport\, operated until restrictions surrounding World War II ended its use as a public airport. \nCommercial aviation briefly returned after the war\, but the property eventually fell into other uses. Over the decades\, the old hangar served at various times as a warehouse\, restaurant and manufacturing space. \nMichael Connery purchased the long-dormant property in 2001 as part of 108 acres and began transforming the former airfield into a vineyard. \nRather than demolishing the hangar\, the project made it the centerpiece. \nArchitect Stephen Lloyd helped transform the historic structure into the winery visitors see today\, retaining its massive timber trusses and original wood sheathing while incorporating a milled aluminum exterior and an open interior beneath the building’s high roof. \nEven the old airfield hasn’t entirely disappeared. A grassy landing strip remains on the property. \nConnecticut Grapes With a French Connection\nSaltwater Farm’s wines are overseen by consulting winemaker Gilles Martin\, whose résumé stretches from France to Australia\, California\, Virginia and Long Island. \nMartin grew up near France’s Champagne region and earned degrees in biology\, food science and oenology from the University of Montpellier. His master’s thesis on wine ultrafiltration received a national award presented by future French president Jacques Chirac. \nHis career then took him through wineries in Germany and Australia before bringing him to the United States. \nFrom 1990 through 1996\, Martin worked as assistant winemaker at Roederer Estate in California’s Anderson Valley\, the American sparkling-wine operation established by Champagne Louis Roederer. He later returned to France to make Viognier and Syrah for Delas-Frères in the Rhône Valley. \nBy the late 1990s\, he was working on Long Island’s North Fork\, where he helped develop several wineries before becoming a consulting winemaker. \nToday\, Martin works with both Saltwater Farm and its sister property\, Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard in North Stonington. \nThe combination gives Saltwater Farm an unusual identity: Connecticut-grown wine shaped by a winemaker with Old World training\, served inside a restored aviation landmark overlooking vines and coastal marshland. \nAn Easy Sunday Afternoon\nThere isn’t much structure required for this one\, and that’s part of its appeal. \nArrive at Saltwater Farm\, order a glass of wine\, grab a wood-fired pizza and find a spot to hear Violet Theory. \nThe music begins at 3 p.m. and continues until 5. It’s part of Saltwater Farm’s seasonal live music and food truck schedule\, which extends into October with performers including Colin Van Pelt\, James Harris\, Nick Bosse and Brad Bensko. \nViolet Theory itself returns October 25. \nFor September 13\, however\, it’s the duo configuration: Victoria White and Chris Cofoni\, two hours of country-influenced music\, a mobile wood-fired oven and an old Connecticut airfield that found a second life growing grapes. \nDetails\nEvent: Live Music & Food Trucks at Saltwater Farm Vineyard\nDate: Sunday\, September 13\, 2026\nTime: 3–5 p.m.\nPerformer: Violet Theory\nViolet Theory Lineup: Victoria White and Chris Cofoni\, duo performance\nMusic: Country-influenced originals plus country\, rock and pop covers\nFood Truck: Fire in the Kitchen Pizza\nFood: Wood-fired pizza; exact event menu may vary\nVenue: Saltwater Farm Vineyard\nAddress: 349 Elm Street\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nVineyard Phone: 860-415-9072\nWinemaker: Gilles Martin\nUpcoming Saltwater Farm Music: \nColin Van Pelt Sept. 20; \nLuke & Mike Sept. 27; \nadditional music continues into October \n  \n  \n  \nFeatured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people\, location\, or activities shown. \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/live-music-food-trucks-at-saltwater-farm-vineyard/
LOCATION:Saltwater Farm Vineyard\, 349 Elm Street\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Saltwater Farm Vineyard
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Live-Music-and-Food-Trucks-at-Saltwater-Farm-Vineyard.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260919T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260919T180000
DTSTAMP:20260818T020946Z
CREATED:20260818T020946Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T020946Z
UID:10007216-1789815600-1789840800@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Stonington Vineyards Harvest Food & Wine Festival 2026
DESCRIPTION: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. \nThe 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. \nAnd Sunday’s music already has a familiar local name attached to it. \nWicked 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. \nTwo Days at the Vineyard\nThis isn’t simply a Wicked Peach concert. \nThe Harvest Food & Wine Festival runs throughout the weekend\, with live bands\, food trucks and local artisans joining the vineyard’s wine offerings. \nMusic:\nSat: 11-2 Ben Freiert\nSat: 3-6  Nick Bosse Band\nSun: 11-2 Luke & Mike\nSun: 3-6 Wicked Peach \nFood:\nFlavors\nTaste House\nScoops T Ice Cream\nFresh Fire Food \nVendors:\nValomie Boutique\nDreaming Light Creations\nCandybox Watch Hill\nMade by Nowa\nSeacoast Alpacas\nWalking Tree Creations\nDipped by Britt\nMary Moonchild Candles\nGold Leaf Home Decor \nGuests 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. \nThe festival takes place rain or shine. \nMusical Acts:\nBen Freiert — Saturday\, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.\nStonington-based musician Ben Freiert opens the Harvest Festival Saturday with a mix of indie\, folk\, alternative rock and acoustic music. \nFreiert 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. \nHe’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. \nHis 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. \nNick Bosse Band — Saturday\, 3–6 p.m.\nSaturday afternoon shifts firmly toward country music with North Stonington singer-songwriter Nick Bosse and his band. \nBosse 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. \nHe 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. \nThere’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. \nThat 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. \nLuke & Mike open Sunday’s music with a three-hour set from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.\nThe 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. \nIn 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. \nWicked Peach Closes Out Sunday Afternoon\nIf you’ve been around southeastern Connecticut for any length of time\, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered Wicked Peach somewhere. \nThe 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. \nThe 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. \nTheir 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. \nThat 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. \nTheir scheduled 3 p.m. performance on September 20 is also confirmed on the band’s own 2026 tour schedule. \nWine Is Part of the Admission\nFestival admission includes more than entry. \nEach 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. \nGuests 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. \nThere is one firm restriction: no outside alcohol is permitted. \nCoolers may be checked\, and the vineyard says outside alcohol will be confiscated. \nOne of Connecticut’s Established Vineyards\nThe festival setting has its own story. \nStonington 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. \nIt also became one of the founding members of the Connecticut Wine Trail. \nWinemaker 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. \nToday\, 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. \nSo a harvest festival here isn’t just seasonal branding. Wine grapes have been growing on this property for decades. \nMake Yourself at Home on the Lawn\nThe Harvest Festival is designed for people to settle in rather than continually circulate through a traditional fairground. \nBring lawn chairs\, blankets or a small pop-up tent and establish a spot for the afternoon. \nOutside food is permitted\, so you can also pack a picnic while leaving room to try the food trucks. \nThe vineyard describes the festival as suitable for couples\, families and groups of friends. \nDogs 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. \nTickets\nOne-day advance admission is $30. \nTickets 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. \nBecause parking at the vineyard is limited\, organizers are asking festival visitors to carpool whenever possible. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Stonington Vineyards Harvest Food & Wine Festival 2026\nDates: Saturday\, September 19 & Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nTime: 11 a.m.–6 p.m. daily\nLocation: Stonington Vineyards\nAddress: 523 Taugwonk Road\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nSunday Music: Wicked Peach at 3 p.m.\nFeaturing: Live music\, food trucks\, local artisans and Stonington Vineyards wines\nAdvance One-Day Admission: $30\nDay-of Admission: $35\nIncludes: Glass of wine\, keepsake wine glass\, live music and festival amenities\nWeather: Rain or shine\nOutside Food: Permitted\nOutside Alcohol: Prohibited\nWhat to Bring: Lawn chairs\, blankets or a pop-up tent no larger than 10′ x 10′ ( \nMore information is available through the Stonington Vineyards Harvest Festival page. \nTickets can also be purchased through the festival page above. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/stonington-vineyards-harvest-food-wine-festival-2026/2026-09-19/
LOCATION:Stonington Vineyards\, 523 Taugwonk Rd\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Stonnington Vineyards
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Stonington-Vineyards-Harvest-Food-and-Wine-Festival-2026.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260920T180000
DTSTAMP:20260818T020946Z
CREATED:20260818T020946Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T020946Z
UID:10007217-1789902000-1789927200@thectbeacon.com
SUMMARY:Stonington Vineyards Harvest Food & Wine Festival 2026
DESCRIPTION: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. \nThe 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. \nAnd Sunday’s music already has a familiar local name attached to it. \nWicked 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. \nTwo Days at the Vineyard\nThis isn’t simply a Wicked Peach concert. \nThe Harvest Food & Wine Festival runs throughout the weekend\, with live bands\, food trucks and local artisans joining the vineyard’s wine offerings. \nMusic:\nSat: 11-2 Ben Freiert\nSat: 3-6  Nick Bosse Band\nSun: 11-2 Luke & Mike\nSun: 3-6 Wicked Peach \nFood:\nFlavors\nTaste House\nScoops T Ice Cream\nFresh Fire Food \nVendors:\nValomie Boutique\nDreaming Light Creations\nCandybox Watch Hill\nMade by Nowa\nSeacoast Alpacas\nWalking Tree Creations\nDipped by Britt\nMary Moonchild Candles\nGold Leaf Home Decor \nGuests 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. \nThe festival takes place rain or shine. \nMusical Acts:\nBen Freiert — Saturday\, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.\nStonington-based musician Ben Freiert opens the Harvest Festival Saturday with a mix of indie\, folk\, alternative rock and acoustic music. \nFreiert 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. \nHe’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. \nHis 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. \nNick Bosse Band — Saturday\, 3–6 p.m.\nSaturday afternoon shifts firmly toward country music with North Stonington singer-songwriter Nick Bosse and his band. \nBosse 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. \nHe 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. \nThere’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. \nThat 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. \nLuke & Mike open Sunday’s music with a three-hour set from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.\nThe 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. \nIn 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. \nWicked Peach Closes Out Sunday Afternoon\nIf you’ve been around southeastern Connecticut for any length of time\, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered Wicked Peach somewhere. \nThe 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. \nThe 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. \nTheir 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. \nThat 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. \nTheir scheduled 3 p.m. performance on September 20 is also confirmed on the band’s own 2026 tour schedule. \nWine Is Part of the Admission\nFestival admission includes more than entry. \nEach 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. \nGuests 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. \nThere is one firm restriction: no outside alcohol is permitted. \nCoolers may be checked\, and the vineyard says outside alcohol will be confiscated. \nOne of Connecticut’s Established Vineyards\nThe festival setting has its own story. \nStonington 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. \nIt also became one of the founding members of the Connecticut Wine Trail. \nWinemaker 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. \nToday\, 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. \nSo a harvest festival here isn’t just seasonal branding. Wine grapes have been growing on this property for decades. \nMake Yourself at Home on the Lawn\nThe Harvest Festival is designed for people to settle in rather than continually circulate through a traditional fairground. \nBring lawn chairs\, blankets or a small pop-up tent and establish a spot for the afternoon. \nOutside food is permitted\, so you can also pack a picnic while leaving room to try the food trucks. \nThe vineyard describes the festival as suitable for couples\, families and groups of friends. \nDogs 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. \nTickets\nOne-day advance admission is $30. \nTickets 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. \nBecause parking at the vineyard is limited\, organizers are asking festival visitors to carpool whenever possible. \nEvent Details\nEvent: Stonington Vineyards Harvest Food & Wine Festival 2026\nDates: Saturday\, September 19 & Sunday\, September 20\, 2026\nTime: 11 a.m.–6 p.m. daily\nLocation: Stonington Vineyards\nAddress: 523 Taugwonk Road\, Stonington\, CT 06378\nSunday Music: Wicked Peach at 3 p.m.\nFeaturing: Live music\, food trucks\, local artisans and Stonington Vineyards wines\nAdvance One-Day Admission: $30\nDay-of Admission: $35\nIncludes: Glass of wine\, keepsake wine glass\, live music and festival amenities\nWeather: Rain or shine\nOutside Food: Permitted\nOutside Alcohol: Prohibited\nWhat to Bring: Lawn chairs\, blankets or a pop-up tent no larger than 10′ x 10′ ( \nMore information is available through the Stonington Vineyards Harvest Festival page. \nTickets can also be purchased through the festival page above. \n  \n 
URL:https://thectbeacon.com/event/stonington-vineyards-harvest-food-wine-festival-2026/2026-09-20/
LOCATION:Stonington Vineyards\, 523 Taugwonk Rd\, Stonington\, CT\, 06378\, United States
CATEGORIES:Stonnington Vineyards
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://thectbeacon.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Stonington-Vineyards-Harvest-Food-and-Wine-Festival-2026.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR