MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA –– It’s a festival like no other. An authentic and moveable feast for the senses. The cool, vibrant, multicultural Castro Street vibe. Exceptional handcrafted work by 600 of America's top artists and craftmakers. Stellar live music on stage and street throughout downtown. Fabulous food and drink. The Comcast Pigskin Party Lounge with giant screen TV. Artisan specialty food purveyors. Home and garden exhibits. Health and wellness displays. An organic and green products showcase. Tons of fun and games for kids. An affordable, sun-splashed, memorable, leisure-filled weekend. If all that sounds good to you, head to downtown Mountain View for the 41st Annual Art & Wine Festival, September 8-9. Considered one of America's top art festivals, huge throngs of art lovers are expected to pour into Silicon Valley's epicenter for this “Cultural Community Celebration” presented by the Chamber of Commerce Mountain View. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Admission is free.
The festival will feature an exceptional lineup of artists and craftmakers, many with fresh, new work and a variety of affordable price points. Buyers and browsers will find thousands of handcrafted items by America’s best artists while browsing among 600 well-stocked booths featuring original work in glass, ceramics, metals, fiber, leather, wood, jewelry, and fine art. Beautiful vases, clocks, dishes, wall and table decorations, paperweights, stained and beveled glass, etchings, sculptures, photography, oil and watercolor paintings, beadwork, gold and silver jewelry, vests, handbags, hats, wallets, footwear, and waterfalls will be among the thousands of one-of-a-kind items available.
Get your groove on! Thirteen dynamic bands will play a wide-ranging musical mix on the Civic Center Plaza Music Stage and multiple street locations throughout downtown –– Motown, rhythm and blues, country, classic rock ‘n roll, jazz, soul, world-beat, Americana, Latin rock, disco and party music. The lineup includes The Groove Kings, Ruckatan, The Rhythm Vandals, The Boys of Summer, Rodeo House, Duran Duran Duran, Emerson, Bob Culbertson, Aryeh Frankfurter, HeartStrings Music, Oscar Reynolds, Glitterface and Ancient Winds.
The Kids’ Park Community Stage is back! A dazzling array of young performers will strut their showstopping stuff in front of a live audience in this “Mountain View’s Got Talent” style showcase. Action-packed Kids’ Park will keep youngsters plenty enthralled with a special NASA Mars Rover Curiosity exhibit, ultra thrilling bungee jumping, hands-on art booths, Mobile Rock’s gripping 24-foot climbing wall, super cool body art, hula hooping, feather hair extensions, fossil digs, dinosaur art, the spine-tingling Froghopper, Kids Kopters, Uproar and Dixieland Twister carnival rides, one-of-a-kind themed inflatibles and bouncers, plus music, dance, games and prizes with the Radio Disney Road Crew.
Bring your appetite! Festival eateries will be dishing up a world of flavorful fare –– organic quinoa biryani, Chicken tikka wrapped in freshly baked pulka bread, samosas, fresh corn-on-the-cob, baconwrapped hot dogs, souvlaki made with organic, locally sourced ingredients, Teriyaki chicken and vegetables, barbecue chicken and pork skewers, plump smoked sausages, paella, tacos, tamales, burritos, pizza, garlic chicken sandwiches, Parmesan-sprinkled garlic fries, tri-tip and pulled pork sandwiches, smoked turkey legs, Philly cheesesteaks, thin-crust pizza, made-to-order crepes, shepherd’s pie, Irish stew, chicken curry, frozen chocolate-dipped fruit kabobs, smoothies, Hawaiian shaved ice, root beer floats, bundt cakes, kettle corn and more.
Complementing the fabulous food will be premium wines, seasonal microbrews, refreshing margaritas, mojitos, mimosas and sangria. The brewmasters at Tied House will be serving up a tasty Kolsch 45 Summer Lager as this year’s special festival brew along with their flagship Cascade Amber. Heineken, Shock Top Belgian White, Gordon Biersch Marzen and Bud Light will also be served. Wine lovers will be tempted by luscious vintages from from several outstanding winemakers. The wine list includes Renwood Zinfandel, Barbera, Viognier and Pinot Grigio, Charonge, a California white wine with natural orange flavor, plus San Elias Sauvignon Blanc, La Puerta Torrontes, Wyndham Shiraz Malbec, Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon, La Puerta Malbec, Columbia Crest “Two Vines” Pinot Grigio and Toschi Zinfandel. Or enjoy a Sauza Original Margarita, Cruzan Rum Mojito, Morada Sangria or Carbo Cava Brut Mimosa for a deliciously refreshing beverage alternative.
Sports fans will have a place to watch NFL and NCAA football and MLB games on a giant LED screen in the Comcast Pigskin Party Lounge with plenty of seating, festive food and drink –– the perfect spot to kick back and take a break from the teeming crowds. Also on tap is the expanded Organic & Green Products Showcase –– see the latest and greatest exhibits featuring Organic, Natural, Healthy and Eco-Friendly products. Festivalgoers can enjoy free product samples and demos while experiencing first-hand how these products can help you live a healthier and “greener” lifestyle and be a positive catalyst for change.
This year’s Zero Waste Initiative has been stepped up with the Chamber of Commerce, Recology Mountain View, and the City of Mountain View joining forces to maximize recycling and minimize waste. Festival organizers are also encouraging the use of public transit, bicycles and car pools to cut down carbon emissions and vehicular traffic. Free secure bicycle parking will be available at Church and Castro.
The festival will be held on September 8-9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Castro Street between El Camino Real and Evelyn Avenue in Mountain View, California. Admission is free. For festival information, call 650-968-8378
WEBSITE: http://www.miramarevents.com/mountainview
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/MountainViewArtWineFestival
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/#!/miramarevents
YOUTUBE VIDEO: http://youtu.be/QIum7LHRkQ4
