WINTER PARK WEEKENDSby Madelyn MillerSince I take about 30 different trips a year, I don't get back to most places very often. So to go back somewhere two weekends in a row really says a lot. But there are two wonderful, don't-miss events in Winter Park, Colorado that I would love to schedule every year. The Winter Park Alpine ArtAffair and The Rocky Mountain Wine and Beer Weekend. They offer two of my favorite sports…eating and shopping. So the fact that they happen two consecutive weekends made me make a big commitment to Colorado. After a scenic and slightly challenging trip through the mountains, I arrived in Winter Park and knew I had made the right decision. Leaving behind 110degree weather in Dallas, made this cool climate seem like paradise. I checked into the Iron Horse Retreat and had a very unique condo. The room was set up like a mini-apartment with a kitchen alcove, table for four, a couch in a sitting area and a fireplace. As I checked it out, I suddenly realized there was no bedroom. After a few minutes I figured out that behind the huge mirror was a Murphy bed. It was my first experience with a Murphy bed and it was easier to use and more comfortable than I expected. And it was nice to have it out of the way all day.
Parents proudly carried their offspring's creations so the paintings could dry in the gentle breeze. And Winter Park must have the most cultured canines in the world. I have never seen so many dogs at an art show. The most astounding thing was the prices of the artwork. And I mean that in a positive way. There were lots of things for under $10, including earrings, glasswork, , hand-painted tiles, wooden children's toys, small purses made of recycled ties and more. This is the place to go Christmas shopping. You could get very special one-of-kind things and probably save the cost of your ticket. And it sure is a lot more pleasant than the mall madness in December. Even the food booths were creative. Instead of the usual hot dogs and hamburger fare, they offered grilled portabella mushroom sandwiches and buffalo burgers. There was Cajun food and corn salsas. The most popular food tent was the candied apples, artfully covered with caramel and chocolate and M&Ms. When I told the man selling them they looked delicious, he quickly corrected me and told me they were Granny Smith. Even the most expensive, loaded with two different chocolates, caramels and the works was only $5. I have seen similar ones at Saks Fifth Avenue for $15. But you won't be able to save these for Christmas. You won't be able to resist for more than a few minutes. Since this particular booth was strategically located at one end of the ArtAffair, it could be either your first or last purchase. Or both. Not only do things look and taste good, they sound good too. Artisan-musicians are often demonstrating their double talents by playing their hand-made instruments. Joe Sanguinete of Branson, Missouri constructs mountain dulcimers and sells them along with his own instruction books on how to play the instrument. He was often playing his dulcimer or tapes and CDs of authentic Ozark folk music in his booth. Some of the other highlights were candles by Kim Wood of Boulder, Colorado who creates hand dipped or individually poured color candles which, when lit, glow from the inside. I splurged on headbands ($13) and a vest ($60) made from vintage ties by Peggy Kutila of Colorado Springs. I also bought a fuzzy caterpillar puppet ($12) from the booth that was a fundraiser for the Fraser Creative Learning Center. The friend I was shopping with had a four-month-old baby boy and I don't know how she resisted the hand-carved wooded cars and animals on wheels ($2). She almost bought a little red wagon made from an antique coke crate ($10). This was supposed to be my artsy-craftsy weekend. But I got a taste of the culinary skills of the area at Gasthaus Eichler, (78786 US 40, tel. 970-726-5133) a local institution. Better known as a restaurant than a lodge, you can also stay in one of the upstairs rooms. No matter where you stay, do not miss the baked Brie with speck ($7 appetizer) and be sure to end with the bread pudding with custard sauce ($6). It is important to note that, because the meals are so big and with so many courses you will be full even without those extras. Each dinner includes soup, salad, blue cheese and crackers (not a choice of one of the above, you get all of them) I'd recommend the Schnitzel Holstein but was told the smoked pork was the most popular dish. I am eager to go back and try that one, too.
Grand Wine Tasting and Beer Garden tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door. Tickets for the wine and beer seminars are $5 each (seating is limited). Few other festivals offer such a variety of wine, beer and food in a mountain setting for such a reasonable price. And this event has the added benefit of supporting a great cause. Proceeds from the 14th Annual Rocky Mountain Wine, Beer and Food Festival benefit the National Sports Center for the Disabled, a non-profit organization that provides year-round mountain recreation for children and adults with a disability.
To reserve festival tickets and lodging packages, call Winter Park Central Reservations at 800-420-8087
Wine Festival courtesy of Byron Hetzler, National Sports Center for the Disabled. |
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TM
My first weekend was the Winter Park Alpine ArtAffair, held annually the last weekend in July. This year nearly 100 artists exhibited, many of the regulars since the show was first organized in 1972. The natural setting is spectacular and since much of the artwork focuses on nature it seems very appropriate to wander through the trees while gazing at watercolors, oils and photographs of the great outdoors. But I really enjoyed the craft part of it most. People did amazingly creative things with antler antennas, local woods, stones, pressed flowers and other indigenous materials. There were many fabulous jewelry artisans, much of it made from Sterling silver. 
One of the best things about the ArtAffair is that it is truly a family event. There were tents for children to make their own artwork with sand and stones and beads and paper.
The next weekend I was lured by the Annual Rocky Mountain Wine, Beer and Food Festival. This slightly undiscovered gem of Colorado’s festivals features five days of decadent eating and drinking, with everything from multi-course Festival Dinners to a tasting with hundred of wines and beers. A champagne brunch tops off the event.
Highlighting this weekend in the Rocky Mountains is the Grand Wine Tasting and Beer Garden. The tasting offers more than 200 international wines, and visitors can spend the afternoon choosing from smoked salmon, chocolate-covered strawberries and other delectables to pair with their selected vintages. Beer enthusiasts can enjoy more than 100 domestic, imported and micro brews, the perfect counterparts tot he bratwurst, barbecue and other summer snacks sizzling on grills. Cuisine tasting stations and demonstrations from more than a dozen local restaurants are included in the price of admission.
Before the tasting begins, start the day off with a beer seminar at 11am. In 1999 it will be “Gold to Amber, Red to Chocolate,” conducted by Bob and Peter Davidoff of H.C. Berger Brewing Company. At noon, you can enjoy a one-hour seminar exploring “ A taste of California Wines,” presented by Robert Mondavi Estate Manager Debi Stavich.
And if two festivals weren’t enough, I found a heritage festival going on during the weekend of the wine festival. But that is another story 