Day Trip to Spring Wine Festivals

Spring is when many parents are thinking ahead to summer programs for their kids and grandparents are planning summertime family vacations. For one very special grandmother in Monmouth County, spring and summer are busy seasons, indeed, as she organizes two annual spring wine festivals as fundraisers to help support the hundreds of “grandchildren” she will visit each summer, with this year’s volunteer trip scheduled for June 10 through June 23, 2020.

Sylvia Allen is the founder of Sylvia’s Children, a non-profit organization that was established in 2003 after the young students at the Mbiriizi Primary School in Masaka, Uganda asked Sylvia, who was traveling in the area on a group trip, to be their honorary grandmother, which is a title held in high esteem in Africa. There are now more than 1,000 students at the school, ranging in age from 3 to 14 years old. Twenty-five percent of them are orphans whose care, housing, and schooling are completely funded by Sylvia’s Children. Advances at the school made possible by the organization have been impressive and the students and staff have proudly earned numerous awards in recognition of their outstanding achievements.

With that mission in mind, Sylvia is once again presenting two of her signature events this spring, both of which have proven to be popular day trips for thousands of guests each year. The proceeds of both wine festivals will go to support the children at the Mbiriizi School.

10th Annual Jersey Shore Wine Festival and Food Trucks

Want to enjoy a great festival while getting in the mood for America’s favorite pastime? FirstEnergy Park, home of the Lakewood BlueClaws baseball team, will again be hosting the Jersey Shore Wine Festival, with exciting changes for this year’s event. The BlueClaws were so enthused about the 10th anniversary festival that they decided to move the date up to Saturday, April 25, 2020 (rain date April 26) and, for the first time, the event will take place inside FirstEnergy Park, rather than outside on the surrounding grounds. From 12 to 5 pm, guests will be able to enjoy a fun afternoon with family and friends against the backdrop of the picturesque ballpark. FirstEnergy Park is located at 2 Stadium Way in Lakewood, NJ.

The festival will feature wine tasting samples from a variety of award-winning wineries from throughout the Garden State, including Chestnut Run Farm, DiMatteo’s Vineyards, Plagido’s Winery, Villari Vineyards, Wagonhouse Winery, White Horse Winery, and Valenzano Winery.  A very special musical highlight this year will be live entertainment from New Jersey’s best American country music group, After the Reign. Guests will also enjoy delicious food truck fare and gourmet foods, unique local crafters and merchandise vendors, and the BlueClaws play area where children can frolic.

Don’t like wine? Beer will also be available for purchase inside the ballpark for those who prefer that beverage. Additionally, discounted tickets are available for non-drinkers who come to enjoy the festival. Each attendee will also receive a souvenir Jersey Shore Wine Festival glass. Please note that no outside food or beverage will be allowed.

Tickets for the 10th Annual Jersey Shore Wine Festival and Food Trucks are on sale now, with an Early Cork Special of $15 for those who purchase tickets before March 15. From March 15 through April 24, tickets will be $20 in advance and $25 on the event day. Tickets for designated drivers are $5 and include festival admission, and children under age 12 are free. To order advance tickets online, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jersey-shore-wine-festival-food-trucks-10th-annual-tickets-92405448183.

6th Annual Waretown Spring Wine Festival

Just one week later, wine aficionados will have the chance to take another festival day trip to the annual Waretown Spring Wine Festival, scheduled for Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3 at the lovely Waretown Lake & Recreation Area, 182 Wells Mills Road in Waretown. Located just a short distance from Long Beach Island, the park offers the perfect setting for guests to enjoy two grape-filled days from 12 to 5 pm while getting ready for Jersey shore summer season.

Festivalgoers will have the chance to sample wines from an inviting variety of award-winning Garden State wineries and vineyards, accompanied by live musical entertainment. There will also be crafters, retail vendors, and food vendors to enjoy, all while overlooking a beautiful lake under magnificent shade trees to welcome the month of May.

Tickets for the Waretown Spring Wine Festival are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/waretown-spring-wine-festival-tickets-92993487023. Early Bird pricing is available before March 15 for $15 per person. From March 15 through 10 pm on May 1, tickets are $20. From that point through the weekend, tickets are $25. Discounted tickets for $5 are also available for designated drivers and include festival admission. Children under age 12 are free.

To plan your wine festival day trip, look for updates on the Facebook pages for Jersey Shore Wine Festival and Waretown Spring Wine Festival or visit www.jerseyshorewinefestival.com and www.waretownwinefestival.com. For more information about Sylvia’s Children, visit www.sylviaschildren.com.

(Author’s note: Both of the spring wine festivals were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic after this article appeared. Please check the Sylvia’s Children website for info about new event dates in the fall and for the virtual wine festival that was created.)