About this time every year,  I feel a definite increase of energy in the air.  People are buzzing about, plans are being finalized and preparations are nearly complete.  My friends - welcome to festival season in the Grand Valley!  It's that time when if you can't find something fun to do, you really just don't want to have fun. 

Next weekend is the mother of all fall festival weekends here. Take your pick. There's the extremely popular Colorado Mountain Winefest, the lively Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge and the family-friendly Two Rivers Chautauqua. You can choose from Pinot Grigio to P.T. Barnum, barbeque to Babe Ruth, Cold Shivers Pale Ale to Coco Chanel. Now is that variety or what?!

Let's start with the much anticipated Colorado Mountain Winefest. Festivities get underway Thursday, Sept. 17 with golf and a special Winemaker Dinner. Friday brings multiple seminars for curious wine afficionados, an "oh-my-God-I-think-I've-gone-to-heaven" Enstrom Chocolates & WineTasting event and more Winemaker Dinners. 

Saturday at 7 a.m. it's time to shake off the cobwebs and head out for the 16th Annual Tour de Vineyards (bike ride) - wayyy too much fun! Then it's the big Festival in the Park with LOTS of vino and very good food. A multitude of artists also sell their wonderful works to visitors. The scenery couldn't be much better with huge cottonwood trees looming over the grassy park while the Colorado River lazily flows nearby and the Grand Mesa stands guard. More seminars and Winemakers Dinners round out the day. (OK, I'm pooped!  How 'bout you?!?)

On Sunday there's another tour of the wineries, a Winemakers Brunch and the Amateur Winemaking Awards and Reception. Additionally, this year, there's an Art Walk in Palisade from 10 - 5 on Sunday with everything from sculpture and works of clay to paintings, jewelry and more. In fact, come by and visit me at The Twisted Brick Studios in Palisade!

Of course throughout the weekend you can visit any of the twenty-some wineries at any time for tastings!  For more information and tickets, log onto www.coloradowinefest.com.

Okay - I must admit this blog is getting a little long and I don't want your eyes to cross. So I'm going to stop here and write more tomorrow about the rest of the festivities. Stay tuned for more fun!