By DAVID A. MANN
David.Mann@newsandtribune.com
JEFFERSONVILLE —
Business leaders are hopeful that regionally made wine will bring some new faces to shops along Jeffersonville’s Spring Street this weekend.
Wine, Walk & Shop is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Friday night.
Those interested in participating in the tasting will need to visit the registration tent, located in Glossbrenner Garden on the corner of Spring and Chestnut streets. Identification will be checked to verify age and registrants will be given a wristband, allowing them to visit tasting stations set up inside several shops along Spring Street.
For those more into beer than wine, New Albanian Brewing Co. also will have a station set up inside one of the shops.
Those registered will receive a map, informing them of what is located at each shop, said Jay Ellis, executive director of Jeffersonville Main Street Inc., which is putting on the event. The first 500 people to the tent will receive a commemorative wine-tasting glass.
“From there, we hope people enjoy the beautiful downtown street,” Ellis said.
The event is $15 per ticket if purchased online or at participating retailers. The price goes up to $20 on the day of the event.
This is only the second year for the wine walk.
“Last year, we didn’t know what to expect,” said Ellis, noting that about 500 turned out. He said organizers are hoping to double that this year.
“The ticket sales have been good,” said Carolyn Minutillo, owner of Lavender Hill, a floral and gift shop among those selling tickets.
Now that people are getting past last weekend’s Fourth of July festivities, they’re looking for something to do this weekend and are considering something more grown up, she said.
The event brought many people into the shop last year, she said.
“A lot of the feedback we got was they were excited to have something like this in Jeffersonville” rather than having to cross the Ohio River for the same treatment, she said. “We definitely had people who said we haven’t been in the shop before.”
“It was a big mix,” said Ellis. “I saw all age groups — 21 to probably 81 or 91 there.”
Nine regional wineries are participating, music will be featured outdoors, appetizers will be served at each shop and discounts will be given to registrants who shop. The event will go on rain or shine, Ellis said.
The National Weather Service has forecasted a 60 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday; however it’s unclear exactly when those might hit. There’s a 30 percent chance of rain Friday night, with the best chance before 2 a.m.
The tasting is expected to last until about 9 p.m.
