The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Photograph by R.W. Bradford

Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Suzi Blackman toasts the annual Art and Wine Festival, which is expected to attract about 150,000 people this year.

Chamber readies to pour it on at yearly art and wine festival

By Katherine Petersen

Wine and beer tasting, arts and crafts, kids' activities: Sunnyvale's 23rd annual Art and Wine Festival in the city's downtown June 7-8 will have it all, says Denise Harris, program manager for the Chamber of Commerce.

The festivities run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Adults can sample wines from 10 different booths and beers at five booths while their children enjoy tossing bean bags and designing pictures with beans in the kids' area.

"It's a very family-oriented event," Harris says.

There's no charge for parking or admission, but in order to taste, people must buy glasses ($5 each) and tickets ($3 each or $5 for two).

Those who favor wine can choose from 24 different varietals, with fare from eight Bay Area wineries, including Bonny Doon Winery, Fenestra and J. Lohr. The five different beer booths will have Budweiser and samples from Stoddard's Brewhouse.

More than 550 arts and crafts booths will line the streets from Sunnyvale Avenue to Mathilda Avenue and from Evelyn Avenue to Washington Street.

"We will have everything from pottery to jewelry to clothing, and it will all be hand-crafted," Harris says. "Some of the artisans are local, and some are from out of the area."

The children's area also will feature Twister and a hockey shoot. The Sunnyvale Parent Preschool will run an inflatable jumping booth and sell craft kits.

Harris encourages people to ride bikes, take the train or carpool because parking will be hard to find. The Silicon Valley Bike Coalition will monitor a bike corral where cyclists can park.

"They can leave them there while they visit the festival because no bikes are allowed on festival grounds," Harris says.

Harris also suggests that people park at either the downtown Mountain View train station or the Lawrence Expressway station and ride one stop to check out the wares.

The Chamber of Commerce is expecting about 150,000 attendees for the festival. While some of the money raised will be kept by the Chamber, some will be given to the 40 Sunnyvale nonprofit organizations that will help pour wine and soft drinks and run the 20 food booths that will be located at Washington and Mathilda.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, May 28, 1997.
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