Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Wine & Arts Festival

Memorial Weekend Wine, Art & Music Festival Kicks Off Early Ticket Sales

MURPHYSBORO, IL -- As summer is unofficially being ushered in, people over Memorial Day weekend will have a great alternative to the usual backyard barbeque. Fun, art and wine with the Friends of Murphysboro and the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail will be uncorked at the region's first annual Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Wine & Arts Festival at Riverside Park in Murphysboro.

Old National Bank, the event sponsor, is now pre-selling tickets for $12, 20-percent off the ticket's face value. Tickets are for sale at nine Old National Bank locations in Murphysboro, Carbondale, Carterville, Desoto, Marion, Mt. Vernon, Harrisburg, and Evansville, Ind. Tickets at the gate will be $15.

Activities will kick off with an 11a.m. Memorial Day service Saturday hosted by the American Legion. Following will be bands such as Etherton Switch, Bourbon Nights, Ivas John, and The Ol' Fishskins delighting the senses with styles ranging from blues, rock, and bluegrass, to Irish and Appalachian traditional ballads with pirate flair to energize the audience.

"This is the biggest event that Friends of Murphysboro is hosting and (we) plan to make it an annual event utilizing Riverside Park and promoting the wineries," Friends of Murphysboro organizer Brad Fager said. "The proceeds are going to Friends of Murphysboro. Our goals are to benefit Riverside Park and the surrounding neighborhood. The Historic Riverside Band Shell was built in 1930 by the same architect who designed the baseball park. It's one top seven oldest parks in Illinois. This band shell is one of only two concrete shells in state of Illinois."

Not only history buffs can drink in the sounds and sights of the festival but baseball fans can too, during the Double Header Vintage Baseball game from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. when the Murphysboro Clarks host the St. Louis Perfectos. Both teams will be donning historic 1800's uniforms, using the old 1800's rules book and enchanting the audience with a throwback of "how the game used to be." Admission to the game is free.

Visitors will taste the regions award winning wines from all nine wineries of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Association. Festival goers can experience a wine slushy for the very first time, purchase glasses at their favorite booth, then purchase some of the experience to take home. Bottle sales will also be available.

"The whole point is not to be different but to have a model of success," Tim Waller of Inheritance Valley Vineyards and Winery said. "I'm most impressed with this group of young people (Friends of Murphysboro) so focused on improving the city. Too many communities are lacking this. I'm impressed that they've got the village behind them. It's a tremendous show of support from area businesses. They've gotten more people involved than I imagined they could have."

For those who are still longing for the backyard barbeque, World Champion Barbeque 17th Street Bar & Grill, among other food vendors, be serving up their Southern Illinois specialties made famous in Bon Appetit magazine.

Visitors will get a glimpse of out of the ordinary craftsmanship with lavish glass blown designs, uniquely crafted wood carved wine corks, exquisitely hand sculpted dolls and much more. Those who are interested in being an artisan vendor can visit the Friends of Murphysboro website to download an application at www.friendsofmurphysboro.com.

"We're hoping to make the 1st Annual Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Wine and Art Festival a success!" said Fager.

The festival runs Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25, from noon to 6 p.m. both days, and there will be hourly giveaways. There will be a $3 fee for non-drinkers. Bands will be performing both days from noon to 5:30 p.m.

Anyone interested in the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Wine and Art Festival can go online to www.friendsofmurphysboro.com, e-mailing info@friendsofmurphysboro.com or by calling the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Association at (618) 967-4006.