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With the nasty weather that we experienced throughout the Spring and Summer, including many storms with high winds and some with hail, the middle of August was upon us sooner that we expected, and sooner that we had hoped. There were a lot of last-minute details that needed to be handled, but we were finally ready when the gates opened at 1:00 PM on Saturday August 25th for the Second Annual North Dakota Wine and Grape Harvest Festival We had decided, even before the 2006 Festival, that the celebration this year would be a two-day event. Saturday was planned to be very much like the one-day event in 2006, with music and entertainment predominately geared toward adults. It was a picture-perfect day: partly cloudy skies, light breeze, and temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s as the day progressed. We again had many eager and talented vendors, delicious food to offer, and great entertainment. Attendance was nearly double that of the year before, which only contributed to the festivities. Throughout the day, many took advantage of the Vineyard tours every hour, and the horse-drawn wagon rides around the Vineyard, and frequented the Wine and Beer Gardens on their way to the next event, or to just sit, relax and visit with friends.
The Lloyd Larson Trio started the musical entertainment about 1:45 PM. They gave another great performance that people are used to. Following their performance there was scheduled a ‘Lucy Look-a-Like’ Contest. However, there must have been a lot of shy people at the Vineyard that day, because there was only one person who participated. Through long deliberation, a winner was selected and prizes were awarded. The feature band for the evening was a group out the Bismarck-Mandan area Missouri River Boys. The wowed the crowd during their first set, and then during their break, we introduced the participants for the Grape Stomp Competition. This contest is always a very popular event, for both participants and those who came to cheer them on. After winners were decided and prizes awarded, the Missouri River Boys concluded their concert for the evening.
Sunday, August 26th was designated as a Family Day or Children’s Day. When the gates opened at 1:00 PM it soon became evident that visitors were aware. Planned for the day was free caricature drawings for everyone, and a Strolling Magician who continued to move through the crowd and entertain children ages 2 to 92 with balloon art and tricks. There was also a formal show on stage for all to enjoy. Immediately after the Magician Show, we had numerous teams of children competing in their own version of the Grape Stomp Competition. Excitement peaked as parents and grandparents watched and encouraged their pride and joy as they toke the stage and stomp their hearts out. Needless to say, this got to be a messy proposition, but well worth the expressions captured by cameras of these young people.
As soon as everyone washed and dried their purple feet, it was time for the Children’s Games and Contests. Here games geared to numerous age groups were available, and there was even an obstacle course where tasks needed to be accomplished at each station before moving to the next one.
As the day neared it conclusion, we thought it was only fair that if grandpa and grandma had the opportunity to cheer for their grandchildren in a Grape Stomp Competition, then it was appropriate that Grandparents get up on the stage, so the Senior Grape Stomp Competition began. This, too, proved to be a crowd-pleaser, and, fortunately, there was no need for the paramedics to join the festivities.
Sunday did bring with it temperatures a little cooler, and winds instead of gentle breezes, but I don’t think anyone really minded. They came to the Festival to have fun, and it seemed everyone did. As the second day of the Festival wound down, many people stuck around to reminisce with people they hadn’t seen for a while, or continue conversations with new friends. Long after the sun disappeared, people started to venture for home. When the last group had driven out of the parking lot, we thought that we had come to the end of the excitement for the weekend.
Wow, were we ever mistaken! If you had been at the 2006 North Dakota Wine and Grape Harvest Festival, you will recall the huge storm which occurred during the performance of the concert at the end of the day. How fortunate we felt this year that there was nothing like that which happened. Well, we were fortunate that it didn’t happen during the Festival, but once again a target had been placed on Red Trail Vineyard for the day, because hours after the last people left, a huge storm did decide to cross the path of the Vineyard. Unfortunately, tents were still up and there was quite a lot of damage. This storm definitely had a plan on destruction in mind, because it eventually found its way northeastward to Northwood, ND, where it was classified as an EF-4 tornado.
Don’t believe anyone who might say there isn’t anything exciting to do on the prairies of North Dakota. Plans are already under way for the 2008 North Dakota Wine and Grape Harvest Festival, again a two-day event. This should prove to be even more exciting that 2007, and we are planning for no storms in 2008. Hope to see you at the Vineyard!
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