Palisade, Colorado 2009 Calendar of Events

Plan your 2009 visit to Palisade today. This year will be chock full of activities to enjoy in Colorado's Wine Country. The moderate temperatures, fruit orchards, vineyards and a quaint town make for activities galore. Whether you come in spring, summer, fall or winter, Palisade, Colorado, will have something to offer you. Here is the 2009 Calendar of Events, courtesy of PalisadeTourism.com :

April
April 15-19

29th Annual Peach Blossom Art Show

The Palisade Art Lovers Peach Blossom Art Show is one of the largest judged art shows in the Grand Valley, boasting nearly 125 artists and exhibiting more than 400 works of art each year. This fine art show exhibits everything from oil paintings to watercolors, pastels, batik, photography, and more. The show draws artists from throughout western Colorado and is the perfect gallery to showcase the quality, talent and variety of work this valley produces. Many awards are given by a notable judge, carefully selected each year. The show is set up in an inviting, gallery type setting with soft music, live greenery and refreshments for visitors. The admission is free. Entry forms and a prospectus is available on this website.

Contact Lise MacGregor, Show Chairman, for questions and information at 970-255-1553.

April -May
April 25-26, May 16-17

Barrel Into Spring Barrel Tastings

A couple of weekends of self-guided tours, wine tasting and delicious food brought to you by the members of the Grand Valley Winery Association. This is your chance to discover wines in the making and see how your favorites are made.

This self-guided tour includes several participating wineries. Each winery will pair delicious foods with their wines.

May
May 9

Palisade Bike Festival

The Bike Festival combines the Palisade Classic Mountain Bike Race and the Fruit Loop Cycling Tour for a day of bikes, bikes and more bikes!

The Palisade Classic Mountain Bike Race is an off-road competition and the Fruit Loop Cycling Tour offers three routes ranging from easy to challenging. You can also choose to ride in both events.

There is also a Grand Valley Bike Swap. Bring your bike, gear and wallet and buy, sell or swap gear. There is no charge to sell. For details, call Rapid Creek Cycles at (970) 464-9266 or Palisade Chamber of Commerce at (970) 464-7458.

May 30-31

3rd Annual Palisade Parade of Roses

Pavilion.Roses and Black Muscat champagne are on the brunch menu at Varaison Vineyards and Winery . The winery is releasing its inaugural champagne this weekend in conjunction with a rose “parade” competition amongst Palisade rose gardeners..

The Grand Junction chapter of the American Rose Society will judge the roses. Rose categories include two different classes: rose gardens that are five years or older, and those less than five years old. The varieties include hybrid tea roses, the best floribunda, best grandislora and best climbing or hedge roses.

June - September
June 21-Sept 20

Palisade Farmer's Market

The Town of Palisade is excited to announce the return of the Palisade Sunday Market. The market will feature local artisans, crafters, musicians, non-profit organizations, wineries and, of course, our wonderful Palisade produce! It will be located in downtown Palisade near the intersection of 3rd and Main. The market will be organized and sponsored by the Town of Palisade.

June
June, 12, 13, 14

Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Music Festival

Bluegrass, Folk, Acoustic Blues, Old-Time, Celtic, Singer/Songwriter & More!
The festival formerly known as the North Fork Bluegrass & Roots Music Festival in Hotchkiss, CO.

This is an acoustic music event made in the shade. --Right on the banks of the Colorado River in the west side of Riverbend Park. Festival features on-site camping, jam sessions and kids activities. Local wines, micro-brew, food and area artisans. Workshops for guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, vocals, songwriting. Artisan demonstrations for adults and children. .
Easy access off Interstate-70.

July
July 4

Annual Independence Day Celebration

Fourth of July Family Celebration with a great parade and fun games and food in Palisade Memorial Park.

July 3-5

Reds, Whites, & Blues Festival, Varaison Vineyards

August
August 13-16

41st Annual Palisade Peach Festival

Ah, peaches – soft, sweet fruit with enough juice to run down your chin when you bite into one. Come and celebrate the peach with the 41st annual Palisade Peach Festival. The festival kicks off four days of fun-filled, entertaining events and features more than 100 food, art and craft vendors, live music, a children’s area and various culinary activities. And of course, lots of Palisade Peaches.

August 21-23

8th Annual Ravenshire Renaissance and Pirate Faire

Western Colorado Renaissance Festival welcomes everyone back for another year of festivities with the 8th annual Ravenshire Renaissance and Pirate Faire. The festival is fun for the whole family blending the Renaissance in the year 1550 and pirates of the 18th century. Dress up in period attire and just come as you are. Experience special activities, performances, vendors and food.

September
September 17-20

Colorado Mountain Winefest

Wine lovers unite! Thousands make the annual pilgrimage to Palisade to sample an array of Colorado wines and participate in a variety of events including workshops, wine and food pairing events, dueling chefs, grape stomps, winery tours, winemaker competitions, chocolate tasting, golfing, jazz concerts and artisan vendors.

Don’t forget the bike tour of the Valley. This 25-mile bike tour of Colorado’s wine country passes through the vineyards of the Western Slope and gives cyclists and opportunity to see the area’s wineries and fruit orchards. Participants can then attend the Winefest.

September 19

16th Annual Tour of the Vineyards

Come join us for a great great way to celebrate the start of fall, by joining in this bicycle tour of Colorado’s Wine Country. This 25-mile ride through the vineyards of the Western Slope (on paved roads with a few hills) gives cyclists an opportunity to pass by the area’s wineries, as well as acres of fruit orchards, located in the Grand Valley prior to the Colorado Mountain Winefest “Festival in the Park”.

December

Olde Fashioned Christmas

Turn back the clock with the nostalgia of Olde Fashioned Christmas in downtown Palisade. Beginning at noon, activities include street carolers, holiday music, wagon rides through downtown Palisade, as well as kids’ activities throughout the day. Tour some of Palisade’s Victorian homes or enter to win the Gingerbread House contest. The Gingerbread House showcase is open to the public.

There will be a parade and Christmas Tree Lighting taking place in downtown Palisade. Make it a Christmas to remember for all ages.

December 31

2nd Annual Varaison Vineyards New Year’s Eve Gala

Happy New Year 2009 From the Wine Country Inn

The old year dies and we face the new year, as though it were an entity, new as a newborn babe...Yet all our yesterdays are summarized in our now, and all the tomorrows are ours to shape... and new years is neither an end or a beginning, but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. --Hal Borlund.

Good luck and a Happy and Prosperous 2009 from the owners and staff of the Wine Country Inn.

Try Palisade Sparkling Wines For New Year's Eve

There's more than Colorado's famous Champagne powder to try this New Year's Eve. We recommend these sparkling wines that are local to the Palisade area:

Varaision Vineyards has invested heavily into a dedicated sparkling wine facility (Charmat method). All of the Colorado sparkling wine is Estate Bottled from Chardonnay, Orange Muscat, and Black Muscat grapes grown in the Grand Valley AVA. The Chardonnay has a light toast flavor and a smooth biscuit finish from fermentation sur-lees. Exquisitely balanced for acid and smooth finish, this exceptional Colorado sparkling wine is sure to please the most sophisticated palate. Limited production of this product will be made available in 2008.

Black Muscato sparkling wine is new to Varaison in 2008. Produced in limited quantities, this sparkling wine is a unique and pleasing experience! The wine is brilliant pink with aromas of blackberry, strawberry, and honey. This wine is finished as Extra Brut with a bright acidity that is well balanced with the traditional biscuit flavors of fine Champagne. An exceptional and unique wine produced for the first time in 2008.

Orange muscato is produced as a semi-sweet to sweet dessert wine at this Palisade winery. The wine has a rich and smooth body, lingering finish, and is accentuated by the aroma of orange blossom. This is a delightful wine either by itself or paired with semi-sweet dark chocolate, angel food cake, or fresh fruit tortes.

Varaison Vineyards produces a special occasion and wedding sparkling wine which combines the traditional biscuit flavor of Champagne with the aroma of oranges. Mimosa is produced as a very limited sparkling wine and is made available only through booking of the new Varaison Pavilion reception facility.

Oh yeah...as you raise a glass of Palisade wine or bubbly this New Year's Eve, don't go overboard. Please drink responsibly. Salut!

Powderhorn Ski, Varaison Vineyards Plan New Year's Eve Bashes

So what's going on in Palisade and Grand Junction, Colorado on New Year's Eve? Celebrate the New Year with some revelries not too far from the hotel. Both Varaison Vineyards and Powderhorn Ski Resort are offering premium events near the Wine Country Inn:

At Varaison Vineyards, they're offering their First Annual New Year's Eve Gala, 7 pm - 1 am. For $149 per couple, revelers receive five gourmet courses, two dessert courses, four wines, champagne toast and valet parking. For reservations, call 970-464-4928.

This is what they're saying over at the Grand Junction Free Press:

"Powderhorn Ski Resort’s New Year’s Eve events start immediately after lifts close at 4 p.m."

"At that time, Vintage Voltage, a band that plays ‘60s to contemporary rock, will play at the day lodge, said Do Crowe, business services officer at Powderhorn."

"After the sun sets, ski instructors, patrol and others will take a ride up to the top of the mountain and then slowly ski down carrying lit flares, Crowe said."

“They snake down the ski run with lit torches, and in the end, we go through the ring of fire,” Crowe said. “It’s all flamey and fun.”

"After the crew douses the flames, a fireworks display takes over the sky."

'At 8 p.m., when Vintage Voltage winds down, live music flares up next door at the Wildewood Restaurant with Jimmy and the Instagators (“Yep, that’s how they spell it,” Crowe said.)"

"The Wildewood Restaurant will serve up gourmet food to the music."

"Reservations are suggested for the buffet, which includes rosemary chicken, London broil, shrimp, vegetables, bread, and dessert. The buffet price of $29.95 does not include drinks. The buffet runs from 5-7:30 p.m."

"Then, the restaurant offers three different price levels of champagne, ranging from $15 to $50, Crowe said."

"This is the first year Powderhorn offers music immediately when the lifts close, Crowe said."

“It’s nice to have some fun music right from the get-go,” she said."