Savor the Experience: Your Complete Guide to This Year’s Northeast Wine Fest Schedule!

The Wine Country Harvest Festival in North East is expanding once again.

This year, thanks to zoning changes, festival organizers can now permit wine drinking in Heard Park, which features tents for seating where attendees can savor food from local food trucks. This setup also creates a larger space for children’s activities, including pumpkin painting, grape stomping, a mini-corn maze, and many other enjoyable surprises for kids. At both parks, you’ll discover 75 vendors offering arts, crafts, and specialty goods, alongside more food trucks. Live music will fill the air continuously in Gibson Park, accompanied by wine pouring from over 10 local wineries.

Attendance at the festival is free; however, for those aged 21 and older with valid identification wishing to taste the wines, passes can be purchased from eventbrite.com. Passes start at $25 for a single day and $55 for the entire weekend, which includes a souvenir glass, unlimited tastings, and a token for purchasing a bottle of wine to enjoy on-site.

Gibson Park can be found in downtown North East at the junction of Lake and Main streets, while Heard Memorial Park is situated less than a quarter mile from Gibson at 40 N. Lake St.

The schedule for this year’s festival features the following events:

4-8 p.m.: The wine tents at Gibson Park will open, accompanied by live music.

4 to 6 p.m.: Join the first of two bike rides through wine country. You can register at lakecountrybike.com/tours.

4-7 p.m.: Enjoy pumpkin painting with Little Miss NE at Heard Park, along with grape stomping, a photo booth, and various activities for kids.

4 p.m.: Gibson Park: The Ralph Chamberlain Duo takes the stage

5:30 p.m.: Gibson Park: Denny & Heather are set to perform

7:30 p.m.: Gibson Park: Shoreline will be entertaining the crowd

8 p.m.: Final pour from the wineries at Gibson Park

9 a.m.: Participate in the Wine Fest 5K walk/run. You can register at runsignup.com/Race/PA/NorthEast/StrideStomp5k.

9 to 10:30 a.m.: Check in for the second of two bike rides exploring wine country. Registration is available at lakecountrybike.com/tours.

10 a.m.: Enjoy a Bubbly Brunch at The Skunk & Goat Tavern, located at 17 W. Main St., North East.

11 a.m.: Head to Heard Park for horse and carriage rides from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

12:00 PM: Gibson Park: Kick off the day with the first pour.

12:00 PM to 6:00 PM: Heard Park: Join in for grape stomping, pumpkin painting, and various children’s activities.

1:00 PM: Gibson Park: Enjoy a performance by Petty Larseny.

3:00 PM: Gibson Park: Experience the sounds of Whiskey Jack.

3 to 6 p.m.: Come to Gibson Park for complimentary caricatures.

4:30 p.m.: Enjoy a performance by the Italian dancers of Erie at Gibson Park.

5 p.m.: Don’t miss the musical performance by Never Too Late at Gibson Park.

7 p.m.: Join us at Gibson Park for a lively show featuring Jack Stevenson and the Buried Treasure Band.

8 p.m.: Gibson Park: final serving

11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Gibson Park: wine stations operational

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Heard Park: floral bar (create your own bouquet)

Noon to 4 p.m.: Heard Park: carriage rides

Noon to 3 p.m.: Heard Park: Grape stomping and pumpkin painting

12:30 p.m.: Gibson Park: Rock Avenue performs

2:30 p.m.: Gibson Park: Carnival Brothers perform

Contact Jennie Geisler at jgeisler@timesnews.com. Find her weekly newsletter at https://profile.goerie.com/newsletters/erielicious/.

This article was originally published on Erie Times-News: Wine Country Harvest Festival in North East opens Friday at 4 p.m.

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About the Author: Chris Lehoux

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