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Wine or Beer? Chester Tasting Has You Covered

The Chester Fair will hold its eighth annual Wine & Beer Tasting on Saturday, June 1 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Chester Fairgrounds, sponsored by the Chester Package Store. There will be wine and beer vendors, live entertainment, and various local restaurants on hand selling tasty tidbits. Admission to the event is $20 and all proceeds will go towards the Chester Fair educational programming.

Michele St. Marie, who is the second vice president of the Chester Agricultural and Mechanical Society and chairperson of this event, calls the evening a gathering where old and new friends come to taste, talk, enjoy, and relax.

Little House Brewery co-owner Carlisle Schaeffer said his crew is looking forward to the tasting, and will be bringing an array of different beers to sample.

“We are hoping that people will come over and hang out at the brewery after the tasting,” said Schaeffer, who is still trying to decide just the right beers to offer at the evening’s tasting.

“This event continues to grow and grow. People comment each year that they mark their calendars for the first week in June for this event because it’s so much fun and they see everyone they know,” said Nancy McGee, a member of the Wine and Beer Tasting committee. “The music and food are always great and there are so many great wines and beers to taste. It’s a perfect way to kick off to summer”

She added, “We are excited each year to provide new educational programs at the Chester Fair in August including this year’s presentations about owls. We also use the money to support our scholarship program.”

“It is a wonderful event,” said Chester Package Store owner Eric Nelsen. “Its an absolute blast, with great beer, great wine, and great music. Plus, all the proceeds go towards a great educational program.”

Participants offering beer, wine, or cocktails include MASH; Staehly Farm; Stomp and Crush; Thomas Hooker Brewery; Traveling Vineyards; Two Roads Brewing; Little House Brewing; Spoke and Spy Ciderworks; East Rock Brewing; 30 Mile Brewing; Middlesex Malters; Slocum and Sons; Hartley and Parker; Winebow; Monsieur Touton; Murphy; cocktails from Allan S. Goodman; Ripe; Thimble Island Brewery; the Craft Beer Guild-pouring Troegs and Hanging Hills breweries; Sterling with beer from Victory and Boulevard breweries and Northeast beverage.

Food for purchase will be provided by The Villager, Dough on Main, Chris’s Dog House, Frank Andrews Mobile Kitchen Pizza, and new this year Taco Pacifico. Music will be provided by Jekyll and Hyde, which plays a little bit of everything from classic rock to jazz and reggae.

“We are so excited to actually be part of this, this year,” said Schaeffer. “We’ve always heard it is a great event, last year we just missed it so, we are really looking forward to it and we hope everyone comes out and joins us.”