For over fifteen years, Lemon Creek Winery has hosted their Annual Wine & Art Festival on Memorial Day Weekend. This year, the festivities begin Saturday, May 27th, 2023, and will feature two days of live music, artist exhibits, wine specials, and food trucks– everything Southwest Michigan loves about summer.
“It is traditionally the ‘kick-off’ tourist weekend for the summer, and this has been a wonderful way of celebrating it,” says Kait Lemon of Lemon Creek Winery. “Throughout the years it has stayed more or less the same. Artists rotate annually, but for the most part, the core essence of the event remains constant: highlighting quality art and wine, to the backdrop of music in the vineyard.”
Art exhibits will be open from 12 p.m to 6 p.m on Sunday and Saturday, and you’ll find different mediums on the grounds, including hand crafted stained glass, jewelry, pottery, photography, woodworking, and fine art paintings. “Cathy Lemon was the one who began the art fest, and did it as a way of providing the cultural opportunity to showcase regional artists in our area. For a number of years, the event partnered to fundraise with Planting Hope, a non-profit that raised awareness about Child Trafficking.”
With roughly 2,000 attendees over the weekend, this event is family-friendly, and busy! Local food trucks Taqueria Don Chepe (authentic Mexican food out of Niles), Nola Roux (Cajun & Creole eats from St. Joseph), and Wood, Stock, & Grill (volkswagen-smoked BBQ from New Buffalo) will be serving delicious fare all weekend long. You’ll also hear Keith Scott, one of Lemon Creek Winery’s favorite performers, and his popular “sizzling blues” tunes.
“With over thirty-seven years of wine-making experience, Lemon Creek Winery has elevated our wines to the award winning “art” that they have become,” says Lemon Creek. 100% estate grown and bottled, Lemon Creek’s artisanal wines will be available for tasting via glasses and flights. There are twelve flights from which to choose, including reserve, dessert, and high end flights, for those looking for older and specialized wines. They are also proud to announce their new wine slushies, which will be offered for those looking for a more chilling experience.
“Supporting local artists is supporting ourselves and our communities,” Kait says. “If we want to keep this region authentic and unique, small businesses need to be sustained — We are one ourselves, and happy to provide the space for the talent within our community to showcase what they are capable of.”
The Memorial Day Weekend Wine & Art Festival is free to attend, with ample parking and gorgeous views of the orchards and vineyards of the property. The relaxing and inviting atmosphere is one you’ll keep coming back to, all season long. Lemon Creek Winery is located at 533 E. Lemon Creek Road, and is now open seven days a week. The calendar is full of fun events throughout the summer, like Live Music Fridays, and their 39th Annual Father’s Day Festival on June 18th, 2023. Learn more on their social media page, or at lemoncreekwinery.com.
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
jocelynet@moodyonthemarket.com
