By MADELYN FAIRBANKS
Published August 8, 2012
Wine walk downtown growing each month
SNOHOMISH - In its second year and still growing, Sunsets in Snohomish Wine Walks will be hitting the pavement for its second-to-last walk Saturday, August 11 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Put on by Historic Downtown Snohomish and staffed by mostly volunteers, the event brings people downtown during sunsets in the summer.
“It’s so beautiful this time of year. Sometimes you can see hot air balloons in the sky from the nearby airfield,” HDS Director Debbie Carlson-Gould said.
Carlson-Gould explained that participants can purchase tickets online in advance for $5 or $8 at the door (cash only). The entrance fee includes five drink tickets, which each afford the event-goer a one-ounce tasting pour from five wineries.
Additional tickets to sample all the wine can be purchased for $1 more.
Some of the featured wineries include Dubindil Winery of Snohomish, Cowan Vineyards, and ICON Cellars.
Event-goers check in at a booth inside Bee Bops & Lollipops (1112 First Street) anytime from 5 p.m. onward, and then are free to wander from shop to shop in a sort of “free-flow” fashion, Carlson-Gould said.
Seven stores will host the seven different wineries providing the wine. Participants are told to bring their own glass, and can take their time sipping at each location.
All participating stores are located within a four-block area on First Street, and each store is marked by red balloons.
Several nearby restaurants are offering specials, such as free Snoqualmie Ice Cream at Snohomish Scoop and Sweet Shoppe.
Monique’s Boutique owner Monique Morris said that the store sees quite a bit of extra business in the extra couple hours they stay open during the wine walks.
“It’s busy and fun,” Monique Morris said. She is also on the Historic Downtown Snohomish board and has given away cupcakes at her store during past wine walks.
Carlson-Gould said the idea to do the summer walks sprouted after Historic Downtown Snohomish sponsored a similar event during the 2010 holiday season called “Sippin’ and Shoppin’,” which was successful enough to spawn the first summer series in 2011.
During the first wine walk of the first year in June, 75 participants showed. For the fourth and last walk in September, 275 people came to drink wine and enjoy the night air.
There are four wine walks in each summer series, one each in June, July, August and September, and fall on the second Saturday of each month.
“We’re enjoying hosting the people that come downtown, we’re enjoying our town, and want people to know that by partaking in this, they’re supporting the revitalization and beautification of Snohomish,” Carlson-Gould said.
Next month’s event is Saturday, Sept. 8.
To help volunteer with the event, contact Debbie Carlson-Gould at 425-330-0831.
