Ready for something different in historic Beverly? Come check out the third annual Rhythm and Wine event with music from exciting West Virginia bands and wine-tasting from regional wineries.
The outdoor festival will be held Saturday August 15th from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. near the Beverly Heritage Center. Admission is $10 for adults over 21, and $5 for those under 21.
“We usually showcase our local history during our events,” says Darryl DeGripp, Executive Director of the Beverly Heritage Center. “For this event, we are featuring some of the best of West Virginia today, with up-beat bands showcasing a wide variety of musical influences, mountain-crafted wines and meads, and delicious home-cooked food.”
The wine tasting for Rhythm and Wine will be provided by two notable West Virginia wineries. Forks of Cheat Winery has been in operation for twenty-three years and is located on sixteen acres of fertile hills near Morgantown, West Virginia. They offer award-winning red and white wines, as well as fruit and dessert wines. Kirkwood Winery, established in 1984, produces over 4,000 gallons of wine annually, made using an oak press that’s been in use since the winery’s beginnings. They produce more than 30 varieties of French Hybrid American varietal, mead, vegetable, and other fruit wines.
This year’s event will also feature another, lesser-known drink: mead. Honey River Meads, an extension of Healthberry Farm in Dryfork, West Virginia, is best known for their mead, a traditional sweet wine made from the farm’s own honey and spring water. In addition to their Basswood and Tulip Poplar meads, they also produce fruity molemel and pyment, all of which are aged and sulfite-free. The drink booths will offer tastings to ticket-holders, and will have a variety of bottles available for purchase.
The music will begin at 3 pm, kicking off with EMay. EMay, a regionally-noted singer/songwriter, currently resides in Dryfork, West Virginia, and has been praised as the “Renaissance Queen of the Pittsburgh Scene.” In 2009 she was awarded a Pittsburgh Creativity Project award, and her creative pursuits have been showcased at many well-recognized venues, including First Night, TedXWomen, and Google.
Jesse Milnes & Friends will then take the stage at about 4:30. Their sounds are eclectic, a mix of “old time” and bluegrass, with touches of blues, swing, and country. Hailing from Valley Bend, West Virginia, fiddler and singer/songwriter Milnes is an active and popular performer in the local music scene.
The Dennis McClung Blues Band will offer their unique blend of originals and blues classics around 6 pm. Described as a cross between B.B. King, Ray Charles, and Jimi Hendrix, they have been performing since 1989. In 2006, they were honored by the Governor of West Virginia who recognized Dennis McClung as Ambassador of the Blues for the State of West Virginia by the Blues Hall of Fame.
The Tom Batchelor Band from Morgantown will close out the program, starting about 7:30 p.m. Previously a member of Rasta Rafiki and The Recipe, Batchelor started his own band in 1999. Combining influences from roots to classic rock to reggae, the band plays songs from a wide variety of performers plus their own original numbers.
BBQ will be provided by the Beverly Bistro, a local business known for its farm-fresh cuisine and local meats. Beverly’s Blossom Village will also be selling wine- and champagne-infused gourmet chocolates.
Beverly is located 6 miles south of Elkins, West Virginia on US Rt 219. Event attendees are invited to bring your own comfortable lawn chairs to enjoy the music, and to please leave your coolers and dogs at home.
For more information on this event, please call the Beverly Heritage Center at (304) 637-7424, see www.beverlyheritagecenter.org, or visit the Rhythm and Wine event page on Facebook.
