You'll Want To Attend This Arkansas Grape Festival That Is Over A Century Old
By Carol Ann Carson|Published July 25, 2019
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Carol Ann Carson
Author
Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. The graduate of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Carol Ann earned her B.A. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. in Library Science. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite.
It’s hard to believe but August is just a week away. The beginning of the new month means that Tontitown will soon be hosting the 121st Tontitown Grape Festival. This longstanding tradition celebrates the town’s Italian heritage in the tastiest of ways. Let’s check out the upcoming events at this delicious and fun festival.
August marks grape harvesting season in Arkansas, which means the Grape Fest will soon be underway.
This festival has been celebrated for well over a century. The event originally began in 1898 as a picnic to observe the Feast of St. Peter by the Italian families that founded Tontitown. Later, in 1913, the event was moved from June to August to highlight the town's staple crop - grapes. The 121st Tontitown Grape Festival will be on August 6th - 10th, 2019.
Address: 154 E Henri De Tonti Boulevard, Springdale, AR 72762
No grape festival would be complete without a grape stomp!
The festival pays homage to the founding families' work in the vineyards. Although the town no longer has a thriving grape industry, a grape stomp still highlights the town's history. Don't worry, these squished grapes will be for fun only and won't be used afterwards. Anyone can come stomp during 7-9 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday of the festival.
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Another signature item at the festival is the grape ice cream!
The ice cream has a tangy but sweet flavor that will have you wanting another scoop or two during your visit. You could say you'll be "grapeful" for going.
In preparation of the spectacular spaghetti dinners offered during the festival, volunteers spend hours making homemade noodles. Just seeing pictures of the rows and rows of drying racks will make your stomach growl.
Grapes aren't the only thing to expect at the festival.
The founding families of Tontitown were all Italian Catholic immigrants so the cultural factor in this festival is huge. In addition to celebrating the generations of grape growers, this fest also has homemade spaghetti dinners to commemorate the town's Italian heritage. The dinners will be served from 4:30 - 8:30 pm Thurs - Sat.
This food fest is a delicious way to celebrate the small town's big history.
For more information on the festival you can visit their website. You can also follow their Facebook Page as well.
Has your family made a tradition in attending the Tontitown Grape Fest? Or will this be your first time to attend? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
This isn’t the only Italian-based festival in Arkansas! Make plans to attend the fest in Little Italy later in the fall. If you’d rather celebrate the state’s grape-making sooner, take this waterfall and wine road trip!
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