Hospitality group will take moms on tour of best wineries in state
Tickets cost $60 per person at door, includes wine glass, buffet, tastings
JOSEPH GARDNER | THE DAILY EVERGREEN
White wine fills a Valhalla Wine Festival glass on Tuesday at Valhalla Bar and Grill. Spenser Peery says the annual Winefest combines several hospitality groups on campus, which helps these students get more experience in their field.
April 11, 2019
WSU Sigma Iota will hold its 35th annual Winefest during Mom’s Weekend in the Marriott Foundation Hospitality Teaching Center in Todd Addition. The event will be held in two sessions, both on April 12, with the first from 5-7 p.m. and the second from 8-10 p.m.
This Mom’s Weekend staple is the sister event to Brewfest, which is held during Dad’s Weekend.
“The original intention of this event was to give our hospitality students something fun to do with their moms,” said Jennifer Sandstrom, the faculty adviser of Sigma Iota. “To have our parents in [the teaching center], to be able to showcase the culinary side of our program and to highlight the student centeredness is awesome to me.”
This year’s event will highlight the flavors from great wineries around Washington. The wineries include local favorite Merry Cellars from Pullman, Siren Song Vineyard Estate from Lake Chelan, Amavi Cellars and Basel Cellars from Walla Walla, One Tree Cider House from Spokane, as well as many others.
“We try to target different wineries from around the Pacific Northwest,” said Winefest event coordinator Spenser Peery, who is also a senior strategic communication major. “A lot of them are from around the area, and all of them are from Washington state this year.”
Peery said Sigma Iota promotes student work at its events. For the food-pairing portion of the event, the hospitality school catering company will cater it. All club members have helped in the kitchen throughout the week as well, Peery said. A live band from the School of Music will perform.
“So we’re incorporating other student groups from campus,” Peery said. “A lot of the different hospitality clubs are helping out with it for decorations and catering.”
The cost for registering online is $50 per person, and tickets will be available at will call, or tickets can be purchased at the door for $60 per person. The price includes a buffet catered by the hospitality team, a commemorative wine glass that you get to keep and ten tickets to taste among the many vintners available.
