The Garden State Wine Growers Association will hold its first annual SipTember Wine Festival, Saturday and Sunday Sept. 26 and 27 from noon to 5 p.m. at Essex County Brookdale Park in Bloomfield.

Attendees will have the opportunity to sample more than 250 locally produced wines from more than 25 New Jersey wineries. The two-day festival features award-winning wines, live band performances throughout both days, gourmet food vendors, crafters and kids activities.

Admission is $25 a person. Five dollars from each admission will be donated to the Essex County Parks Foundation of the Essex County Department of Parks, a key sponsor of the festival. The event is being held by the Garden State Wine Growers Association, a state-supported, non-profit organization representing 32 licensed wineries throughout New Jersey.

Attendees will have the opportunity to sample the products of 25 New Jersey wineries including scores of award-winning vintages. Among those participating will be the 2009 winners of the New Jersey Wine Competition including Winery of the Year Award winner, Alba Vineyards of Finesville, which also won the Governor's Cup for Fruit Wine and the award for Best Fruit Wine with its Apple Ice Wine, Tomasello Winery in Hammonton which won the Governor's Cup and the award for Best Dessert Wine with its 2007 Vidal Ice Wine, Heritage Vineyards of Richwood which took the Governor's Cup for Grape Wine with its 2005 Chambourcin and Plagido's Winery of Hammonton which garnered the award for Best American Wine with its Antonio Rosso Fredonia.

Meanwhile, the Garden State Wine Growers Association will be giving out wine trail passport books which encourage wine fans to visit each of the association's 32 member wineries to get their passport stamped. Visitors who get all 32 stamps and return the passport book to the association will receive an elegant set of wine glasses and will be eligible for a drawing for a trip for two to the French wine country.

Anyone obtaining driving directions to SipTember from the Internet should use the intersection of Watchung Avenue and Circuit Drive in Bloomfield. Otherwise, drivers coming north can take the Garden State Parkway North to Exit 151 and make a left on Watchung Avenue. Drivers coming south on the Parkway can get off at Exit 151 and make a right on Watchung Avenue. The entrance to Essex County Brookdale Park is on the right. Parking for the event will be available at the Circuit Drive entrance. Parking is also available on local streets around the Park.


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