JULY
Saturday, July 4 - Founding Festival Picnic
11:00 am to 6:00 pm
Picnic with Sandhill Crane Vineyards Saturday, July 4 from 11 am to 6 pm for the 5th annual Founders' Festival Picnic (Jackson is 180 years old on July 1).

New this year is a BARBEQUE competition! Do you make great BBQ sauce? Now's the time to show your stuff.

Anyone interested in entering the BBQ competition is asked to fill out the form (below) and mail, email, or fax (517.764.3260) it to the winery.  Entry fee is $10. Once you've entered, we'll send you more information on the competition.  Prizes include $50 SCV gift certificate for the winner, and $25 SCV gift certificates for three runners-up.

Visitors may pay $5 to try samples from all the participants then vote for their favorites. Judging will be entirely by popular vote. All proceeds from the BBQ competition will be donated to a hunger organization.

Visitors may also purchase BBQ meals from local grillers, "Soul Stops Here," and Sandhill wines by the glass or bottle to enjoy on the beautiful winery grounds. We'll introduce the 2008 vintage of our Riesling at the festival, and have Staccato Sangria for sale by the glass.

There'll be blues all day! Local blues duo, Mojo Phoenix Lite will perform from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm.

This family-friendly event will also include an arts & crafts table for the kids. Robin, our resident art teacher, will offer lots of fun art projects while the parents taste wine.

Admission is free to the picnic (as always winetasting is free!). Mark your calendar and plan to picnic with your friends at Sandhill Crane Vineyards on the 4th of July!

The GREAT BBQ COMPETITION Entry Form

Name____________________________________________

Address__________________________________________

City_____________________ State_______ Zip_________

Phone_______________ Email________________________

Name of BBQ sauce________________________________

I will be able to help serve my BBQ sauce     ___Yes  ___No    
I understand that I am committing to provide two quarts of the BBQ sauce listed above to The GREAT BBQ COMPETITION by 10 am on Saturday, July 4.  Entry fee is $10 (all profits will be donated to a hunger organization).

Signature_________________________________________
Send to: Sandhill Crane Vineyards, 4724 Walz Road, Jackson, MI 49201
Or email to: heather@sandhillcranevineyards.com


Sunday, July 26 - "A Taste of Honey" Mead & Jazz Festival
Noon to 6:00 pm
Last fall we were awarded a Value Added Producers Grant from the USDA to expand our line of meads. Now it’s time to celebrate!

We will hold our first mead and jazz festival, “A Taste of Honey,” on Sunday, July 26. The day will feature a lineup of jazz musicians and the release of two meads: Miel Amour, our award-winning melomel made with Asian pears, spices, and local honey, and a new Vignoles Pyment (grape and honey mead), made with estate-grown grapes and local honey.

Admission is free.


AUGUST
Saturday, August 1 & Sunday, August 2 - Pioneer Wine Trail
Wine Days of Summer event
For more information visit www.pioneerwinetrail.com

NOTE: Pampering Day for Women will be on hiatus this year as we expect to be under construction.

Sunday, August 23 - Wine Tasting Dinner at Charlie's Pub & Grill
4:00 pm, Charlie's Pub & Grill
Charlie’s Pub & Grill has been planning a late summer winetasting dinner for us! As always, we’ll pair our wines with five courses (including two entrees). The summery menu will include the favorite of our customers -- Mesquite-Rubbed Steak with Charlie’s Corn.

The cost for the meal is $45 per person. This includes food, wine, tax, and gratuity. Charlie’s Pub & Grill is located at 1052 Cooper Street in Jackson, about 3/4 mile south of I-94. Wines by the bottle will be available for sale that evening. Seating is limited. Call Sandhill Crane Vineyards at (517) 764-0679 for more information or to purchase reservations. Full menu available soon.


SEPTEMBER
Saturday, September 12 - Raspberry Festival
You are invited to Sandhill Crane Vineyards’ 6th annual Raspberry Festival on Saturday, September 12.

Highlights of the festival include:
• live music on the front porch
• Gilbert’s chocolate fountain (minimal charge)
• lunch foods made with raspberries (minimal charge)
• kids’ arts and crafts area

Join us to celebrate our award-winning raspberry wines, Rhapsody in Red, Raspberry, and Raspberry Rosé.... along with the possible release of our new Raspberry Mead!

We’ll have live music on the front porch all day! Bring your lawn chair (or use one of ours!) and relax on our grounds with a glass of wine and live music. Wine tasting is always free and or you may wish to purchase wine by the glass or bottle.


OCTOBER
Friday, October 16 through Sunday, October 18 - Cranes, Colors, and Cabernet Festival
Mark your calendar for the first annual Sandhill Crane festival! The festival will include:
Workshops on bird watching, Sandhill Cranes & nature art
Wine tasting - We will release our new vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon
Local food & wine dinner catered by Zingerman's (Friday evening)
Story-time and arts-and-crafts table for kids
Bus tours to watch cranes feeding in nearby fields with the final stop at the Haehnle Sanctuary to watch the cranes fly in for the night
Performance of "Hawk, I'm Your Brother" by Wild Swan Theater Saturday
afternoon
Saturday night bonfire (weather permitting)
Booths with local and state-wide nature organizations
Vendor booths with nature-themed gifts and local foods

Other programs will take place off-site (around Jackson County) including
the Eddy Discovery Center and the Ella Sharp Museum Andrews Gallery of Wildlife Art

Free admission
Local overnight packages available through the Jackson County CVB