A festival that’s fun for the whole family

Published 2:36 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008

Labor Day weekend offers many opportunities to travel, but a new local festival promises an array of

Northwest treats to keep Valley residents nearby.

Remlinger Farms in Carnation is holding its first Snoqualmie

Valley Watermelon, Wine and Ale Music Fest Sept. 2-4.

“I think we’re going to pull off something like a

mini-Bumbershoot,” said Sally Kennelly, who

organized this weekend’s entertainment. She hopes the music, food and

contests will make people want to stay closer to home. And it’s all for a good

cause as part of the funds will go to the Carnation Chamber of Commerce

Fourth of July Festival committee.

The festival will offer live entertainment on three stages, a wine

and ale tasting garden, food and activities for children.

Admission is $15 per adult, $28 per adult couple, $10 for children

and young adults ages 2 to 21.

Prices include entertainment, but food is extra. All adult admissions

include six drink sample tickets, redeemable in the Wine Garden, and

a selection of fruit, cheese and bread to munch on while sampling.

And there will be watermelon — everywhere.

“Everyone loves watermelon, especially kids,” said farm

co-owner Bonnie Remlinger. She said the entire farm will be opened up, which is

not usually done, so everyone can enjoy the grounds.

“It’s a family music festival and music for the children and

everything we do is for families,” she said.

Remlinger Farms General Manager Darryl Sherfy is cooking up

watermelon games and contests so everyone can have a slice of the fun.

The farm’s gourmet market, gift shop and Northwest Country

Showcase will be open for the weekend, so Valley residents can stock up on

favorite fruits, famous Remlinger pies and crafts from local artists.

Beverages will be plentiful for the sampling and buying over the

weekend. In fact, seven Northwest wineries and five breweries will be

showcasing their tasty treasures.

Remlinger Farms is debuting its new Bumbleberry wine which is

manufactured by Hoodsport Winery in Hoodsport, Wash. It was designed

to compliment Remlingers’ popular Bumbleberry pie, made up of

one-third each; blueberry, boysenberry and raspberry.

“To my knowledge, nobody else has ever done a Bumbleberry

wine,” said Mike Minaglia, who runs Remlingers’ produce market.

But the wine does not taste the way most people would think it does.

“People have this concept that the fruit wines are sugary-sweet,”

said Hoodsport’s Wine-maker Dick Patterson, explaining that this type

of wine is more like a regular grape wine than an overly-sweet drink. “Our

concept is to make a wine that tastes like the fruit off the bush, not like

other companies’ fruit wines.”

Only 80 cases of Bumbleberry have been made, so supplies are

limited.

Remlinger Farms has sold Hoodsport’s wine in the past, but

for the first time, a Remlinger label will decorate the bottle. It is the first

of several wines that will have the label, Patterson said.

Hoodsport is also showcasing its Chenin Blanc, Loganberry and

Island Belle Merlot wines. Island Merlot has a long history in the Puget Sound

area, dating back to the late 1800s, and was the first commercial wine made in

the state of Washington.

The breweries will also bring a large selection. The Snoqualmie

Falls Brewing Co. will bring its Alpine Amber, Light From the Falls

Cream Ale and Copperhead Pale Ale to the festival.

Company co-owner Pat Anderson said all three beers are

enjoyable, but Copperhead is his favorite.

“It’s just a great beer, he explained. “That’s my everyday,

take-it-home-enjoy-it-with-dinner, type of beer.”

As for entertainment, Kennelly said she’s lined up an eclectic

offering, suitable for enjoying the last weekend of summer.

Many musical groups will hit the three stages, including; the

Clinton Fearon Boogie Brown Reggae Band, the New Orleans-style; Two

Scoops Combo and a country and honkey-tonk ensemble; Big Whiskey.

Also appearing are the Cajun-style File’ Gumbo Zydeco Band,

world music favorites Guarneri Underground and Children of the

Revolution, an 18-member band of musicians, singers and dancers from

all over the world.

After performing Sept.1 at the Experience Music Project, local

band; Los Orchids with the Valley Girrrls, are sure to entertain Labor Day

weekend crowds. The Girrrls will also sing with The Dambreakers, a classic

rock and roll, swing and blues band.

And for children, TV favorite Tim Noah will make an appearance

on Sunday. Noah is the star of ABC’s “How `Bout That” and performs

a fast-paced, charismatic musical production. The James Marionette

show will appear six times daily and is a favorite with local kids and

parents alike.

“I’m excited for seeing all my friends there and the live music,”

said Bridgette Kennelly, 10. “And I like to dance.”

Entertainers’ times and locations can be found on page 14.

Since folks from around the Valley and beyond are expected to

sample the food, fun and music at Remlinger Farms, King County police will be

on hand to control traffic so State Route 203 doesn’t get clogged.

And since some of the festivalgoers’ money goes to

the Fourth of July committee, they will be essentially giving back to

themselves next Independence Day.

The committee wants to get a head start on its fund-raising so it can

produce an even bigger and better festival next year.

“We really have been trying to scramble for funds at the last

minute and each year it gets more expensive,” said Kennelly, a Carnation

committee member. “We want to have a great Fourth of July festival next year

and we can do that by planning ahead. And that equals fund-raising in the fall.”

She said the committee’s goal is to be able to purchase more

fireworks and entertainment and add a few new events to the Carnation celebration.

Kennelly added that this is one of two money-raising events to be

held at Remlinger Farms. The second will be held Oct. 1, to kick off the

farm’s 27th annual Harvest Festival. It will also feature several bands,

including a mysterious and famous Northwest oldies group (think: “Yeah, yeah,

we gotta go now…”).

For more information about the Snoqualmie Valley Watermelon,

Wine and Ale Music Fest, call (425) 333-6800.