Wine Tasting Event Coming to This Year's Durham Fair

This article was written by Michael Hayes:

Durham Selectmen on Monday night approved a request from the Durham FairAssociation to host a Connecticut Wine Festival tasting event at this year's fair.

While the event will mark the first time in the fair's nearly 100 year existence that alcohol will be served, fair officials assured town officials that the wine tasting event was being added as a way to promote local agriculture and not simply as a means to sell wine.

"This is not just a wine tasting event, it's more in line with our attempts this year to make the fair more agriculturally focused," said Durham Fair president Daniel Miramant.

Miramant added that the September 26-29 fair is one of only two venues chosen by the Connecticut Wine Festival to host such an event. The group has played a significant role in Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's promotion of Connecticut agriculture, he said.

The Durham Fair remains one of only two "dry" fairs in the state, according to Durham Fair entertainment director Wendy Manemeit, who said the idea was first brought up when fair officials were approached by two former dairy farmers who transitioned from raising cows to growing grapes. 

"I've never been in favor of alcohol at the fair," Manemeit said. "This was something that was brought to our attention based on the agricultural aspects of the farmers."

The wine tasting event will be held in a tent on the town green and feature seven Connecticut wineries, she said. Visitors will be required to wear ID wristbands and a security detail will be provided by organizers to monitor the event.

In addition, fair officials have invited representatives from Cabot Creamery and Pepperidge Farm, a company that got its start in Fairfield, Connecticut, to the event. 

A variety of musical acts will entertain fairgoers on the Green Stage, which will return to the town green this year after a one-year hiatus, Manemeit said. A tent showcasing Connecticut agriculture products will also be erected on the green.

"We're trying to make a nice little venue up there, really agricultural focused," Manemeit said.

First Selectman Laura Francis said the town will require additional insurance from the fair for the wine tasting event.

Miramant addressed concern among some at the meeting that the event would open the fair up to serving other alcoholic beverages.

"We were very careful in our discussions getting to this point to make sure that this was not setting a precedent moving forward," he said. "We are all against having alcohol at our fair."