By Paul Garrod
Staff Writer
PAW PAW – Paw Paw Wine & Harvest Festival’s three-day event, Friday, Sept. 9, through Sunday, Sept. 11, will feature something for everyone, including the return of the popular “Refresco Grape Stomp.”
The Refresco Grape Stomp will be held Friday, from 4 to 5 p.m., at Lakefront Park, then Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., before wrapping up with the finals on Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Other events on Friday include a book sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Perfect Storm West, Kalamazoo Street. It continues Saturday, and concludes Sunday, beginning at 10 a.m., with a “Grab All” event for book lovers.
The Lucky Wolf at the Paw Paw Playhouse will mark its opening Friday and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., serving lite meals.
The Carnival Midway, sponsored by the Paw Paw Area Chamber of Commerce, will begin its three-day run on Friday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and conclude Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The carnival will be located at the corner of Industrial Drive and Gremps Street, behind St. Julian Winery.
Festivalgoers will have a chance to enjoy a wide variety of music throughout the three days, at Warner Vineyards with Rockstar at 8 p.m. Paw Paw Brewing Co., 780 Gremps St., will feature Tony Fields Music at 5 p.m., followed by Somebody’s Music at 8 p.m.
From 3 to 6 p.m., St. Julian Winery will feature the music of Deacon Earl, then Neil Jansen, from 6 to 9 p.m.
The Festival Tent, sponsored by Tapper Heating & Cooling, Tapper Towing, and Honor Credit Union, will feature the sounds of Memphis Underground, from 5 to 8 p.m., and The Bronk Bros from 9 p.m. to midnight.
At the Lakefront Amphitheatre, sponsored by MEC, Chad Thompson will perform from 5 to 7 p.m., and from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., The Unknowns will take the stage. At dusk, 9:30 p.m. fireworks with light up the sky over Maple Lake, sponsored by Paw Paw Downtown Development Authority.
Events continue Saturday, starting with the Grape Escape Classic Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show on Michigan Avenue, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., sponsored by Tapper Automotive, followed by the Grape Lake 5k Run/Walk. For more information on the walk and run, call (269) 657-6500 or e-mail, grapelake5k@gmail.com.
Festivalgoers will have a chance to shop at the Arts and Crafts Show, Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., sponsored by the Paw Paw Service League, or take in the Wine & Harvest Pickleball Tournament Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Paw Paw Middle School, sponsored by Senior Services of Van Buren County. For more information on the pickleball tournament, call (269) 655-8000 or (574) 596-7073.
Other Saturday events include the Paw Paw Kiwanis Turtle Derby on Michigan Avenue and Stompyland, behind St. Julian’s.
At noon, Saturday, the Grape Lake Kayak Race will be held at Sunset Park, sponsored by Lounsbury Excavating.
Live entertainment at St. Julian will include LaSoulful Rock from noon to 3 p.m., Grace Theisen from 3 to 6 p.m. and Dave Johnson from 6 to 9 p.m.
Live entertainment at Warner Vineyards includes Old Hank’s Son at 1 p.m., followed by 1985 at 5:30 p.m., and Fool House at 9 p.m.
Paw Paw Brewing Co., will include Jimmy and the Mortals at 2 p.m., followed by TYPO at 5 p.m., and wrapping up with Poisn’D Crue at 8 p.m.
Live entertainment under the Festival Tent, sponsored by Tapper Towing, Tapper Heating & Cooling and Honor Credit Union includes Chad Thompson from 2:30 to 4:15 p.m., Hairmania from 5 to 8:15 p.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight, P.S. – Dump Your Boyfriend.
On Sunday, the final day, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Church on the Lake will be held at the Lakefront Amphitheatre. At 1 p.m., the St. Julian Festival Parade will kick off.
The Finals for the Hole-In-One contest will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. at Lakefront Park, sponsored by the Paw Paw Lions Club.
At 2:30 p.m., the Lions Club Duck Race will be held at Warner Vineyards. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Gold Together Program, STOP, and Gold Star Mothers 179.
St. Julian Winery as well as Warner Vineyard will have specials offered all weekend.
For a complete schedule of events or more information, visit: www.wineandharvestfestival.com.