The FAMU Grape Harvest Festival returns this Saturday, August 20 at the FAMU Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research, at 6361 Mahan Drive in Tallahassee.
The 20th Annual Grape Harvest Festival is expected to draw more than 2,000 participants who will celebrate family, food, fun, and agricultural discovery to recognize the University’s role as a national leader in viticulture research. Like most large gatherings, the Grape Harvest Festival took a two-year hiatus due to COVID.
“The FAMU Grape Harvest Festival is not only one of the highlights of the summer, but it is also one of the most fun, family-friendly, health and wellness promoting events in Tallahassee. We are looking forward to welcoming the community back to the Viticulture Center,” said Sharon Robinson, honorary chair of the Grape Harvest Festival Committee.
Featured activities include vineyard trailer rides, wine-making workshops, grape and wine sampling, mobile marine lab, water slides, grape throwing competition, hula hoop competition, live entertainment, the 5K/2K fun vineyard run and walk-a-thon, grape picking, a health fair, and dozens of community exhibitors and vendors.
The opening ceremony will be held at 11 a.m.
There will also be wine and cheese tasting as well as a wine-making workshop, grape harvesting, and tours of the tours of the 45 acre vineyard.
The FAMU Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research is a national leader in muscadine grape research. The Center maintains the most extensive muscadine grape germplasm collection in the world and serves as one of the five National Clean Plant Centers for Grapes.
Tickets for the Harvest can be purchased on-site the day of the event. General admission is $10. Children under the age of 12 and FAMU students with valid ID are admitted for free. Seniors age 65 and above receive a 20 discount on admission; a 50 percent discount for non-FAMU students is available with a valid ID.