Sandy Hook Baker Participating This Year—

State’s Oldest Food & Wine Festival Returning This Month

LITCHFIELD — Since 1985, A Taste of Litchfield Hills has attracted thousands of guests to Connecticut’s oldest winery for a sampling of the region’s food and wine, live music, shopping, winery tours, wine tastings, and strolls along the vineyard walk.

The 22nd annual edition of A Taste of The Litchfield Hills will be held Saturday and Sunday, June 23-24, at Haight-Brown Vineyard, 29 Chestnut Hill. A visit to this classic festival and the charming Litchfield Hills region makes an ideal day trip or weekend getaway from anywhere in Connecticut, Massachusetts, or metropolitan New York. Held on the grounds of Connecticut’s oldest winery, the two-day culinary festival annually attracts thousands of attendees.

Local restaurants, bistros and purveyors will serve grazing-sized portions of house specialties at prices averaging from $4 to $8. Covered table seating will be available in The Culinary Tent, plus guests are invited to picnic on the grounds with their own lawn chairs and blankets.

This year’s menu will features such items as baby back ribs, barbecued chicken wings, chilled summer salads, cheese and fruit platters, grilled pizza, seafood kabobs, marinated chicken and beef tenderloin skewers, grilled panini, steamed clams and mussels, plus biscotti, cannoli, ice cream cones, cups, floats and sundaes, gelato, gluten-free baked goods and old-fashioned kettlecorn.

Participating culinary vendors will include AJ’s Main Street Grill from Watertown, Giggle’s of Shelton, Gilbert’s Gourmet Goodies from Sandy Hook, La Cupola Ristorante of Litchfield, The Main Course of Litchfield, Max’s Ice Cream of Litchfield, Nonna Maria’s of Litchfield, Starbucks Coffee of Watertown, and Tilden’s Seafood of Litchfield.

In the Wine Garden Tent, award-winning Haight-Brown Vineyard wine will be served by the glass. Ice-cold draught beer, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and hot and iced coffee will also be available. For kids of all ages, an old-fashioned soda wagon will serve birch beer, black cherry, cream, root beer and sarsaparilla soda.

In addition to food and beverage, the festival will offer numerous activities including live music, upscale shopping, photography exhibits, and presentations on pairing wine with cheese and chocolate. Guests will also have the opportunity to create their own custom-labeled wine.

Headlining the live entertainment will be veteran New England classic rockers Tirebiter, recently voted Best Band in the annual Best of Hartford readers’ poll conducted by Hartford Magazine. Also scheduled to perform are jazz/blues trio Too Human, the eclectic quintet SophistiCats String Band, Beatles tribute band Abbey Road and The Doug Jones Jazz Quartet.

In an outdoor shopping bazaar, several dozen vendors will have exhibits featuring candles, crafts, cutlery, gourmet food products, home improvement, jewelry, real estate and travel.

A Taste of The Litchfield Hills will be held rain or shine on Saturday, June 23, from 11 am to 8 pm, and Sunday, June 24, from 11 am to 5 pm.

Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors (ages 60-plus), and free for children under age 12 when accompanied by an adult. Admission does not include food and beverage, which are purchased separately.

More information, directions and a schedule of festival entertainment and events are available online at LitchfieldFestivals.com or by calling Haight-Brown Vineyard at 800-577-WINE (9463).

Lodging options include dozens of bed and breakfasts, country inns and several resorts. Tourism information is available at LitchfieldHills.com or by calling the Northwest Conn. Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-663-1273.