Third annual Wine, Art, & History Festival this weekend

Jon Johnson Photo/Gila Herald: Alisha Bannon of Kief-Joshua Vineyards pours a glass of white wine for a taster. The second annual Wine, Art, and History Festival was a huge success, according to those involved.

Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: Alisha Bannon of Kief-Joshua Vineyards pours a glass of white wine for a taster during the second annual Wine, Art, and History Festival last year.

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

SAFFORD – Looking for history, unique shopping, wine tasting, food, live music, and an overall good time this weekend?

Then look no further than Downtown Safford as the second annual Wine Art History Festival takes place Saturday from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. on the lawn at Safford City Hall.

Jon Johnson Photo/Gila Herald: Arizona Hops and Vines owners, from left, Shannon Zouzoulas and Megan Haller enjoy the festival last year. Arizona Hops and Vines will be one of the featured vendors again this year.

In amongst an outdoor art gallery provided by The Little Art Gallery and the EAC art department, there will be plenty of food and merchant vendors and, of course, wine tasting. 

Five Arizona wineries headline the event, allowing attendees to taste seven different wines. The wineries are Burning Tree Cellars from Cottonwood, Sonoita Vineyards, Village of Elgin, Laramita Cellars from Willcox, and Arizona Hops and Vines from the Sonoita/Elgin area.

The event also features guided walking tours of historic Main Street hosted by the Graham County Historical Association and led by none other than Graham County Supervisor and Safford Downtown Association President Danny Smith. The tour will include a stop at the historic Spencer W. Kimball building, which houses Holliday’s Photo Emporium and the Law Office of J.J. Waite, which finished an extensive remodel this year and also features numerous pieces of artwork. The walking tours are sponsored by OneAZ Credit Union and are tentatively scheduled to start at 12, 2, and 4 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. on Sunday. 

Video By Jon Johnson/Gila Herald

There will be live music throughout both days by local favorites Michelle Moyer, BluesBerry Jam Too, and Darryn Kamae, and Saturday night’s concert from 6 – 8 p.m. will feature Bad News Blues.

Contributed Photo: The tour will include a stop at Jeremy Waite’s law office in the historic Spencer W. Kimball building. The office has been renovated and filled with artwork.

Witty Paint N Take will also be hosting an outdoor canvas painting session which starts at noon. Cost for the session is $25. 

So, if you are in the mood for good music, good wine, and a good time this weekend, or just want to sample some local fare, come to the second annual Wine Art History Festival in Downtown Safford sponsored by the Graham County Chamber of Commerce and city of Safford. 

For more information click here to go to the Graham County Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page.