By Jamie O’Toole
Celebrate the budding of the vines and the blooming of the roses at Messina Hof’s 30th Annual Wine and Roses Festival. The festival offers guests the opportunity to sample wine, listen to live music, peruse artisan vendors and watch a grape stomping contest.
To kick off the festival, the celebrity grape stomp begins at 2 p.m. and features members of the local media in a juicy, bare-footed battle. Once a winner has been named, the official proclamation of Messina Hof Day will be made and the team grape stomping competition will begin. Teams of two to four members can participate for $50 a team and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History.
Upon entrance, guests will receive a passport to track wines sampled and merchants visited while journeying through the festival. Vendors will supply an array of food, drinks, and artisan crafts for visitors to explore and purchase.
For the art enthusiast, Messina Hof’s Pinot Noir will be transformed into ink and used to create works of art. For those with a sweet tooth, the wine and chocolate pairing class will be offered at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Attendees will also have the chance to see live performances by artists Joe Teichman and Haley Cole on the Lakeside Deck, as well as the Rock-a-Fellas in the Rose Garden.
The festival is open to all ages, though wine tasting is reserved for those 21 and older. Admission is free.
WHAT
Messina Hof’s 30th Annual Wine and Roses Festival including food vendors, wine tasting, grape stomping, and live music
WHEN
April 26, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
WHERE
Messina Hof Estate
4545 Old Reliance Road
Bryan, Texas 77808
HOW
Admission is free and open to the public. Tickets for activities can be purchased onsite. To participate in grape stomping, teams must register by calling 1-800-736-WINE. For more information, visit www.messinahof.com.
