Harvest Festival Will Mark Its 10th Anniversary This Month

LITCHFIELD — The 10th Annual Litchfield Hills Harvest Festival will be Saturday and Sunday, September 29 and 30, 11 am to 5 pm each day, at Haight Vineyard.

Held at the state’s oldest winery, the two-day festival annually attracts several thousand visitors each day for an old-time celebration of the grape harvest in the Western Connecticut Highlands Viticulture region.

In the tradition of a New England village celebration, artisans display and sell hand-crafted treasures such as jewelry, scrimshaw, home décor, prints, paintings, photography, hand painted galvanized containers and quilts. Gourmet food products, spices, maple syrup, honey, produce, mums, plants and garden supplies are also available for purchase.

In addition to a menu of award-winning wines and hearty harvest fare, the festival features a wine garden pavilion, country store, crafts exhibits, pony rides and a country hayride for kids ages 6 to 60. A popular event at the festival is the traditional children’s grape stomping contest held each day at 2 and 4 pm.

Visitors are invited to take a behind-the-scenes look at the vintner’s craft by watching the picking and processing of this year’s grape harvest. Complimentary wine tasting in the winery store will assist visitors in selecting vintages for their home wine racks and cellars.

Wines of Haight Vineyard are served in the wine garden pavilion, as well as craft brewed beer from Long Trail Ale. An outdoor food court offers a menu of hearty harvest fare including fried clams, fried shrimp, tempura vegetables, curly fries, buffalo wings, onion rings, pulled pork sandwiches, barbecued chicken and beef or pork ribs.

Festival admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and free for children under age 12.

Haight Vineyard is located one mile east of Litchfield Green off Route 118. From Route 8, take Exit 42 and follow Route 118 West approximately four miles, then turn left onto Chestnut Hill Road.

Visitor information is available by phone at 800-577-WINE (toll free in Connecticut) or 860-567-4045.