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Kentucky’s official wine festival was a hit, according to the Executive Director of the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce and Wine and Vine Festival organizer, Ronda May. 

 

This year was the 21st annual festival, and it was also bigger than it has ever been, with 20 wineries in attendance this year, including the three local wineries: 1922 Vineyard and Winery, First Vineyard Winery, and Ghost Fox Winery. 

 

In the future, the number of wineries will be capped at 20. May said it’s so that there are “not too many wineries, and they all have the chance to shine.”

 

Kentucky has about 75 wineries, and the festival had 17 Kentucky-based non-local wineries attend.

 

“We had them from Paducah, Smiths Grove, all over, really,” May said. 

 

May hasn’t counted the numbers yet, but she believes the one-day-event had anywhere from 1500-2000 people in attendance, with visitors coming from all over the region, including from Tennessee, Indiana, and Ohio. 

 

“That was amazing,” she said. “So we just continue to grow, and each year gets bigger and better.”

 

Other than the star-of-the-show wine tasting, there were about 50 craft vendors from Kentucky at the event, food vendors, and inflatables for the kids. Games this year included the veteran “Run for the Merlot,” event and the new “Wine Toss” event. All winners received prizes, with winners of the wine toss winning free wine from the attending vendors.