This month, Bourbon Street is coming to the Cayuga Wine Trail.
The annual Mardi Gras on the Wine Trail will kick off this weekend.
Participants have multiple chances to win prizes throughout the day, but everyone will get to taste the spicy Cajun treats and, of course, wine, hard cider and other beverages along the trail.
Entering wineries, people have their pick of coins. The winner of the “lucky coin” will get a prize that particular winery selected.
The sponsor, the Cayuga Wine Trail, also offers three grand prizes, which change each year. For the fifth year, three people can win an overnight stay for two at the Best Western University Inn in Ithaca, a $25 gift certificate for Maxie's Supper and Oyster Bar, or a wine refrigerator stocked with a sampler case of 15 types of wines and a hard cider.
For those who believe they make their own luck, there's another prize that takes the cake. The couple with the best, most festive costume will earn the crown as the King and Queen of Mardi Gras.
Besides their royal throne, the winning couple with the most festive costume will receive tickets to all of this year's Cayuga Wine Trail events, tickets to the 2007 Finger Lakes Wine Festival, and one night stay in a King's Suite at the Aurora Inn.
They will be crowned in a reception in early spring. Last year's queen was Mary Sullivan from Ithaca.
The first year brought in 600 people. Last year, nearly 1,100 came out for the winter event. Organizers expect to draw in their target amount, 1,200 people, said Cathy Millspaugh, director of Cayuga Wine Trail Inc.
Besides the Holiday Shopping Spree in December, this is the most popular winter event, Millspaugh said.
Although the event is conducted after Ash Wednesday, they always organize it in the last weekend of the month.
“We were looking into having another event for the winter to promote bringing in people this time of the year. Some of the wineries had Valentine's events, so we wanted to do something with the same sort of theme,” she said.
Organizers send out advance tickets that includes which winery to start at and maps of the trails. A map is also available on the Web site www.cayugawinetrail.com.
In honor of the world-renowned Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans, wineries will offer food reminiscent of the city. Stops will include Cajun pasta fresca, gumbo with cornbread, Cajun pork tenderloin in a Creole orange mustard sauce or Cajun corn chowder.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
If you go
What: Mardi Gras on the Cayuga Wine Trail
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; noon to 6 p.m. Sunday
Cost: Advance tickets $20 plus a $2.50 handling fee and sales tax; designated driver tickets $15, plus the handling fee and sales tax; any tickets available the day of the event $25 plus tax
Extras: A souvenir wineglass, beads, wine tastings,
appetizers and chances to win prizes
For details: Call (800) 684-5317, www.cayugawinetrail.com or visit any Wegmans store
Participants have multiple chances to win prizes throughout the day, but everyone will get to taste the spicy Cajun treats and, of course, wine, hard cider and other beverages along the trail.
Entering wineries, people have their pick of coins. The winner of the “lucky coin” will get a prize that particular winery selected.
The sponsor, the Cayuga Wine Trail, also offers three grand prizes, which change each year. For the fifth year, three people can win an overnight stay for two at the Best Western University Inn in Ithaca, a $25 gift certificate for Maxie's Supper and Oyster Bar, or a wine refrigerator stocked with a sampler case of 15 types of wines and a hard cider.
For those who believe they make their own luck, there's another prize that takes the cake. The couple with the best, most festive costume will earn the crown as the King and Queen of Mardi Gras.
Besides their royal throne, the winning couple with the most festive costume will receive tickets to all of this year's Cayuga Wine Trail events, tickets to the 2007 Finger Lakes Wine Festival, and one night stay in a King's Suite at the Aurora Inn.
They will be crowned in a reception in early spring. Last year's queen was Mary Sullivan from Ithaca.
The first year brought in 600 people. Last year, nearly 1,100 came out for the winter event. Organizers expect to draw in their target amount, 1,200 people, said Cathy Millspaugh, director of Cayuga Wine Trail Inc.
Besides the Holiday Shopping Spree in December, this is the most popular winter event, Millspaugh said.
Although the event is conducted after Ash Wednesday, they always organize it in the last weekend of the month.
“We were looking into having another event for the winter to promote bringing in people this time of the year. Some of the wineries had Valentine's events, so we wanted to do something with the same sort of theme,” she said.
Organizers send out advance tickets that includes which winery to start at and maps of the trails. A map is also available on the Web site www.cayugawinetrail.com.
In honor of the world-renowned Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans, wineries will offer food reminiscent of the city. Stops will include Cajun pasta fresca, gumbo with cornbread, Cajun pork tenderloin in a Creole orange mustard sauce or Cajun corn chowder.
Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net
If you go
What: Mardi Gras on the Cayuga Wine Trail
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; noon to 6 p.m. Sunday
Cost: Advance tickets $20 plus a $2.50 handling fee and sales tax; designated driver tickets $15, plus the handling fee and sales tax; any tickets available the day of the event $25 plus tax
Extras: A souvenir wineglass, beads, wine tastings,
appetizers and chances to win prizes
For details: Call (800) 684-5317, www.cayugawinetrail.com or visit any Wegmans store
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