Eighth Annual Cal Poly Wine Festival Weekend Set for April 23

SAN LUIS OBISPO – The Cal Poly Vines to Wines club is gearing for its 8th annual Cal Poly Wine Festival Weekend. The weekend kicks off Friday, April 23 at the Cal Poly Arboretum with a barbecue and live auction for winemakers of attending wineries, as well as Cal Poly alumni. Tickets are $50 and space is limited to 200.

The Wine Festival takes place from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, April 24 at Santa Margarita Ranch in Santa Margarita, Calif. The student-run event will showcase wineries from all over California, as well as local restaurants and caterers. Event proceeds support Cal Poly’s Wine and Viticulture Program.

Tickets - limited to 1,000 and on sale soon - are $50 general admission, $45 for students, $15 for designated drivers and special VIP tickets are available for $65 and include early entrance at noon and a specialty wine glass.

Last year’s event drew more than 1,000 wine enthusiasts. Nearly 100 wineries attended the event from the Napa/Sonoma, Lodi, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara regions.

The wine festival committee is seeking sponsors, donors and food vendors to participate in the festivities. Those interested should contact event advisor Emily Reneau at 805-756-7071 or ereneau@calpoly.edu or visit www.calpolywinefestival.com for more information.

About the Cal Poly Wine and Viticulture Program
In spring 2004, Cal Poly began offering an undergraduate degree in wine and viticulture through the Horticulture and Crop Science Department in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. The program now has nearly 300 students, making it the largest university program of its kind in the state. For details, visit www.hcrs.calpoly.edu/programs/.

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