Wine Country Fest June 17-19 2016

Father's Day Weekend has it all in Defiance

The Defiance Merchants Association has put together a fun-filled weekend over Fathers Day that is sure to have something to please everyone!  For more details or to register for some events go to:
WineCountryFest.com 

The weekend kicks off with Dancing in Defiance at Sugar Creek Winery.
Advanced Tickets can be purchased online for this evening of music & dancing above the Missouri River Valley in Historic Missouri Wine Country.

On Saturday, two events will be happening both in town and along the Katy Trail.  The Wine Country Market will be held in Masons Park, and the bicycle Pedal Poker Run will provide a fun 6.5 mile leisure ride along the Katy Trail, beginning at Wine Country Gardens, stopping at select locations, and ending at the Trail Smokehouse.

Sunday, Father's Day, wraps up the Fest with a second Day of the Wine Country Market, as well as a BBQ Competition at Chandler Hill Winery.

Admission to the BBQ competition is free for spectators, but competitors need to register online at ChandlerHillVineyards.com


Come on out to Historic Missouri Wine Country to enjoy Father's Day weekend!


 

Spring is finally Here and so is the Plein Air Art Festival

It doesn't seem possible, but the first time we learned of the Augusta Plein Air Art Festival was three years ago.  We were getting ready to open up the Inn, and Nick and I stopped in Augusta to grab some breakfast. There were scores of people milling around and we found that they were all artists, here in the region to paint outside.  Who knew?  Apparently we had a lot to learn.

That same day one of the artists, Spencer Meagher, met us at our yet-to-be-opened bed & breakfast to paint some landscapes.  From that day on we were hooked on Plein Air!

Augusta will be hosting their 2016 Plein Air Art Festival from April 21st through May 1st.  Award-winning artists from across the country will be flocking to the Historic Missouri Wine Country to paint throughout the countryside.

Want to be part of something fun?  Come on out to one of the events to watch these beautiful creations.  You can get more information about the daily events below at:

http://www.augustapleinair.com/about-plein-air/

We are helping to co-sponsor one of the daily events with our friends at Sugar Creek Winery on Tuesday, April 26th from 9 am until 2 pm.

We currently feature several Plein Air artists in our Gallery at Defiance:

Teddy Jackson, Tammie Dickerson, Spencer Meagher, Tatyana Robberts, and Mike Phelps

If you're looking for a fun way to spend a day, come on out to one of the open events or come to the final sale on May 1st.

 

6th Annual Defiance Christmas Festival - Saturday December 5th

Festival & Pet Parade in Historic Missouri Wine Country

 

Don't miss a small-town Christmas Tradition! Kick-off at noon, Wine Country Gardens, Hwy. 94 in Defiance, MO - parade route goes right on Defiance Road to St. Paul's U.C.C.

There's something about the smell of pine in the air, the jingling of sleigh bells, and watching a parade come down the street in small-town America.  The 6th Annual Defiance Christmas Festival will have something for everyone!  We're happy to announce our Grand Marshall -- Monica Adams of KTVI Channel 2 and (of course) Santa Claus!

Want details on how to get in on the fun?  Look at details below...

 Photos below are from 2014 Parade:
  

Sugar Creek Winery - Best Float Winner 2014

Chandler Hill Winery

Monica Adams with Santa

Pets on Parade

Tom Shaw Jr.

Pets (and People) on Parade

Just about harvest time in Historic Missouri Wine Country

Today we rode our bikes on the Katy Trail to Augusta from Defiance (as we often do), and surprisingly the smell of autumn seemed to be in the air.  It was an unseasonably cool August morning, and it was beautiful.  We saw several farmers in their fields harvesting, and now the vineyards are beginning to be ready for harvest as well.

It's really a lot of fun to watch the vineyards and wineries harvest their grapes.  The hard thing though, is to pinpoint exactly when they will be doing it.  So much depends upon the weather and the ripening of the grapes.

There's something beautifully peaceful about getting to one of the vineyards early in the morning and beginning the task of harvesting grapes or watching someone harvest grapes.  Keep a lookout on the winery websites for when they're harvesting their grapes and make a point of going to watch (or simply sample some of the finished product).

Next time you take a sip of a really good wine, think about what all went into the making of it, and be sure to thank the person who grew the grapes -- they're sort of performing a public service!

Augusta's Plein Air Festival - A Day in Defiance

Today our Inn and Gallery, the town of Defiance & the Defiance Merchants Association hosted "A Day in Defiance" featuring the barns of Defiance.  Approximately 65 artists participated and could be seen throughout town, in the countryside, and on the roadsides painting the beauty of our area.  The paintings were judged in the late afternoon followed by an artists' social and a sale to the public. It was a beautiful day in the Historic Missouri Wine Country!

A big thanks to Pop A Wheelie in Augusta, Piazza Deli & Sugar Creek Winery in Defiance for helping to provide food & beverages for the artists!