The event was bustling even from the early hours of the festival, according to Tom Ryan of Heritage Vineyards.
WASHINGTON TWP -- Washington Lake Park kicked off the fourth annual "Sip into Summer" wine festival this weekend.
The festival, which was hosted by GPS Inc., features 18 New Jersey wineries, live music, local food and craft vendors, and much more.
According to Kathy Bullock, GPS Inc. Vice President, the event has brought thousands to the park in past years, and she anticipates a good turnout this year.
"We are so happy," said Bullock. "This has been a wonderful event right from the beginning and the community of Washington Township has always embraced this event."
With hundreds showing up for Saturday's festivities, the event was bustling even from the early hours of the festival, according to Tom Ryan of Heritage Vineyards.
"It's really jumping and there's a lot of people here," Ryan said. "The customers have been great and everyone is having a great time."
The offering of wine and entertainment were not the only factors that increased attendance, according to Bullock.
"There's an absolutely gorgeous park and we are blessed with beautiful weather," Bullock said. "It's the perfect time for a wine festival."
For the guests, the warm sunny day was only part of the reason they came out to the first day of the weekend long event.
"My favorite part of the festival is the beautiful weather as well as the community," said Danielle DeMatteo. "It's a lot of fun."
"I came out for wine, friends, and family," said Tracey Fitzgerald.
For the vendors, the event was more than a way to show off their selection of wines and new seasonal products. According to Ryan, wine festivals are a good way to get people to try something new.
"Don't be afraid to sample something that you wouldn't normally drink," Ryan advised. "This is what a festival is all about. You can sample new things and broaden your experiences and learn about some new flavors."
Some were drawn to the festival for more than the large selection of wine. According to Stephanie Kogel, the event's location was a bonus when she was deciding what to do during her weekend.
"It's close to home and it's something to do on the weekend," said Stephanie Kogel. "It's an inexpensive and fun adult activity. Everything is great. There's fantastic wineries, vendors and music here."
Donna Kogel, who attended the festival with her daughter, added "I liked everything; there's good music and good weather and it's just the right time of year for it. Instead of going to the shore and fighting traffic you can come here."
In addition to the selection of food and wine samples, the festival also offered a variety of family-friendly activities including live music and children's crafts and games. Bullock said that the festival helps people kick off their summer in a relaxing and fun way.
"It's become a great family event, and that's what we really want. Everyone can come out and have fun and that's the vibe we wanted to set for people to get their summer started. They can Sip into Summer with us."
Although many of the day's attendees were seasoned wine samplers, others were experiencing the event for the first time.
"We've been to wineries before but we have never really been to a wine festival before, said Candice Richardson, who attended to festivities with her husband Isaiah. "So for our first one, this is great."
The event brought out a wide variety of wine lovers, from the most experienced to those who needed to try a little of everything to learn the ins and outs of wine tasting.
"We're seeing beginners and seasoned samplers," Bullock said. "There are people here from all across the spectrum. Whether you're a beginner or experienced, it's a great atmosphere for sampling a wide variety of New Jersey wines."
For more information about the wine festival or to purchase tickets, visit www.newjerseywineevents.com