Wine and Cheese Festival in Silverton

Last Saturday, we headed south to the charming town of Silverton, OR.  Pat, from my watercolor class had mentioned that they were having a Wine and Jazz Festival that ran from noon to midnight, so we had to check it out.  Imagine standing on a street corner and hearing a wonderful mix of Blues, Traditional, and Latin Jazz wafting through the air-it was all there!  This was the fourth year of the festival, and I was surprised that I'd never heard of it before.  It was a great time, and pretty inexpensive.  We purchased a 'bracelet' for $25, and it got you into any venue all day long, plus tickets for five wine tatings were included.     

Silverton is a charming town, of shops and restaurants.  Plus, nearby is the The Oregon Garden where there are not only beautiful gardens, but also a pet friendly hotel and restaurant: http://www.oregongarden.org/

The Red Bench Antique Shop was one of the shops hosting musicians.  In fact, most of the shops had musicians, wine samplings and food, including The Palace Theater, Elks Club, and side streets. It was very well thought out, with tons of volunteers.

Award winning wines were everywhere!

This ensemble advertised "Three lifetimes of great musical Experience into one exciting sound."  Their individual experiences ranged from playing with Henry Mancini and Duke Ellington, to playing at President Truman's inaguration as a child.  They were amazing!

There's art and history all over Silverton-on the walls, in the shops, etc.  One of the stories involved a lost and found dog named Bobbie:http://www.silvertonor.com/murals/bobbie/bobbie_wonder_dog2.htm

This Latin Group, The Bobby Torres Ensemble, was fantastic and had everyone dancing in their chairs!

Finally, the Dan Balmer Duo was another group that I'm going to look for around Portland.  We didn't get to see all the Jazz artists, but this is one event I'll be looking to attend next year!