More than 250,000 people are expected to fill Grapevine this weekend for the city's annual GrapeFest, which is entering its 36th year.
"This benefits the city. It makes a big difference for the residents," said Holly Gaddy with the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It just draws attention to Grapevine as a destination."
The city's population was about 54,000 in 2020, about 20% of the total expected to attend the festival. Gaddy said as the region's population grows, GrapeFest can help people just moving to North Texas learn about Grapevine. She said the festival also showcases local artists and restaurants.
"These are all local artists who will be painting on-site," she says. "A lot of their works will be available at local galleries as well."
"I like that it's quaint," one woman from Mississippi said. "It's not like the big cities."
"I've been here once before for the Christmas parade," another woman from North Texas said. "That's a hoot because it's like a small town Christmas parade."
The festival runs through Sunday. The Grapevine CVB said Texas has more than 470 wineries and produces 3 million gallons of wine each year, making Texas the fifth largest wine-producing state in the country.
This year, Grapefest has added several new items. From the Convention and Visitors Bureau:
VIP Tasting Experiences
All new for 2022 exclusive VIP tasting sessions will provide festival-goers additional comforts and amenities such as a private tent with limited capacity for a more intimate tasting experience, deluxe seating, gourmet charcuterie boards, live entertainment and more. The VIP Tasting Experience will be available at both the People’s Choice Wine Tasting Classic and Liberty Park Plaza Wine Experience (both $50).
Charcuterie Workshops
Also new is the addition of educational opportunities such as Charcuterie Workshops in which participants will be able to explore the flavors of a classic charcuterie board. In this hour-long class led by YaYaYum Boards owner Ayesha Patel, participants will pair savory bites from a perfectly crafted charcuterie board with a souvenir festival glass of wine, and then have a chance to make their own 6 by 6” grab-and-go charcuterie box that they can take outside to enjoy throughout the festival. Workshops will be held in the Grand Hall at the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau and are limited to 40 participants to ensure closer interaction between the instructor and participants.
Live Art Demonstrations
This year’s festival will highlight the talent of local artists who will be creating art during live demonstrations at the People’s Choice VIP Sessions. Artists include RTown Studio + Showroom owner Rachel Townsend as well as gallery artists Julie Wende and Donna Palmersheim.
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