Last year’s first Rassawek Spring Jubilee Wine and Heritage Festival was a success, drawing praise from visitors for its wide offerings, both for wine connoisseurs and those interested in the history and heritage of the region.

Sponsored by the Goochland Chamber of Commerce, this year’s event promises to be a crowd pleaser too.

“The chamber is excited to once again host the Rassawek Spring Jubilee,” said Goochland Chamber of Commerce President Travis Chewning. “The Jubilee is a great event for our community. Please come out and enjoy a day well spent in Goochland,” he urged.

The festival happens this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, May 19 and 20 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at The Rassawek Vineyards at 6276 River Road West in the western end of the county.

Less than an hour from Richmond or Charlottesville, the festival offers a wide range of activities for visitors, featuring nine Virginia wineries, including Rassawek’s Byrd Cellars. An original greenhouse from James Madison’s Montpelier will serve as one of Virginia’s most original wine tasting rooms.

Other attractions include an antique car show, live music, a unique tree house for the kids, local produce, baked goods and home-cooked food.

Visitors can travel about the grounds on a steam train from one attraction to the next.

Jenny Liesfeld of Rassawek Vineyards said this year’s Jubilee will have even more for visitors than last year’s.

“We’ll have many more artisans and demonstrators,” she said, including potters throwing pots on the wheel, lasso demonstrations, a second music stage and a puppet show for the children.

“We are very excited about it,” said Liesfeld. ‘It’s so wonderful to have the whole community involved.”

A grant from the Virginia Tourism and Marketing Center helped greatly in promoting the event, said Liesfeld.

Tickets are available for the Wine Festival or the Heritage Show or a combined ticket for both events can be purchased.
To purchase tickets or to find out more about the festival, go to the web site at http://springjubilee.eventbrite.com/