La Vendemmia – Grape Fest 2012
La Vendemmia is all new in 2012!
Saturday, September 22nd, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
La Vendemmia is taking it to the Street this year!
Come to Preston Street and Meet the Merchants!
Our business owners are setting up in front of their businesses to give you a taste of their specialities.
There will be demonstrations from our healthy lifestyle businesses including dancing, yoga and kick-boxing.
You can tour Bridgehead’s new roastery, see and taste pizza made in an outdoor wood stove, or learn how to make wine! There will be cooking demonstrations, sidewalk sales, lots of music, and entertainment!
The Jive Wires will be playing Louis Prima tunes at Pub Italia, The Sakto Stage at Preston Square will feature up and coming musicians from our own Shine Music Academy, and Junkyard Jonny will be on the street to perform!
The Family Fun Zone, located in the Piazza at the Adult High School Parking lot, will host free rides for Kids including Alien Invasion Laser Tag, a Roller Coaster Obstacle Course, and a Wizard’s Castle! Hop on Hollybrooke Farms’ Horse Drawn Wagon rides at any of the stops between the Plant Rec Centre and Preston at Adeline (free, courtesy of your Preston Street Merchants).
The Show n’ Shine, brings together 150 members of Ottawa’s specialty car clubs to show off their “baby”. Vintage cars from North America and around the world will be lined up along Preston Street for your ogling pleasure! From Fiats, to Chevrolet, to souped-up hot-rods there will be an auto to suit every taste.
And what would a Vendemmia celebration be without wine-making? Come to the Adult High School Parking lot where we will have respected members of the Italian community on hand to demonstrate the art of wine making. From stomping the grapes barefooted to bottling and corking, this is the place to come to see how it’s done, and ask questions of the experts.
Our “Mercato”, artisans market will be in full swing, and the farmers will bring their bounty to the Little Italy Farmer’s Market.
We’ve got lots more programming and events to entertain you during this year’s re-mixed La Vendemmia! Here is the full list of events:
“Meet the Merchants” Participating Businesses
PRESTON BETWEEN CARLING AND BEECH STREET
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce CIBC
CIBC merchandise and meet and greet.
Il Piccolino
Food tastings
Mia Bridal Co.
Sidewalk sale with jewelry, accessories and cocktail dresses.
The Moonroom
Local small batch brewmaster offering samples of their seasonal fall beer and a Prince Edward County Winemaker promoting the latest release of their wines. They will have musicians playing acoustic sets on their roman balcony.
Pub Italia
Pub Italia presents the Jive Wires– a jazz group playing Louis Prima tunes. As well, Pilsner Urquel and Peroni beer samplings, featuring St. Ambrose Pumpkin Ale, wine samplings, fall dinner specials, pumpkin cheesecake.
La Roma
The outdoor patio will be open for full service and they’ll be serving up some Grape inspired treats.
N-1 Thai Kickboxing
Kickboxing demonstrations, Charity event inside.
Industrial Cleaning Supplies Ltd.
Industrial Cleaning Supplies will be offering small gifts and telling people about their products. We send them our sincere thanks for supplying, delivering to and maintaining our Stomping Stations!
The Prescott
Sampling hors d’oeuvres sized famous Prescott pizzas.
Stomp Station.
BEECH STREET
Greco Beech St
This Personal Training Boutique offers Athletic training, Circuit Training and Yoga among other specialty programs. They will be handing out free class passes, shake samples and demoing some exercises.
The Nutty Greek Bakery
Food tastings
PRESTON FROM BEECH STREET TO THE QUEENSWAY
Stoneface Dolly’s
Stoneface Dolly’s will be serving up tastes of their delicious Spicy Red Thai Soup. An exotic blend of spices with Asian vegetables and coconut cream.
Absolute Comedy
Comedians from Absolute Comedy will be performing on their patio. Passes for complimentary admission.
Il Primo
Food tastings.
Heart & Crown
Food sampling and T-shirt sale and Grape Stomping Station.
Preston Optical
Sidewalk sale.
Kiko Sushi Bar
Will host an outside table offering tastings of sushi and assorted appetizers
Starbucks
Fall themed “carnival” with fun games and activities for everyone to enjoy. There will be small prizes and lots of samples given out.
The Upkeep Shoppe
Shoulder and scalp massage demos.
La Favorita
Will be featuring a very large assortment of bite size tastings of their assorted pastas and pizzas. As well, they will be giving out $10 Gift Certificates to dine at La Favorita.
Simply Biscotti
Taste their famous biscotti samples.
Gelatini Gelato
Samples of their tasty gelato, as well as samples of brand new treats.
Da Sergio Ristorante Italiano Food tastings
Broadway Bar & Grill
Sampling of their famous homefries. Live music on the Patio.
PRESTON FROM THE QUEENSWAY TO GLADSTONE
Piazza at the Adult High School Parking Lot
Family Fun Zone
Wine Making Demonstrations
Little Italy Bakery
Food tastings
Casa Nicastro
Sampling of cheese, imported Oils, Balsamic vinegars, and their famous Sausages.
Delightful Taste Bakery
Featuring samples of their nut free offerings including cupcakes and other sweet treats!
Moksha Yoga
Special guest presentations, Sidewalk Sale, wholesome treats & snacks, local entertainment.
GLADSTONE AVENUE
The Gladstone Theatre: Open house
Arthur Murray Studio “Walk in, Dance out” 928 Gladstone Ave.
Time: 11:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Have you ever walked into an establishment and come out dancing? Cha Cha, Waltz, Fox Trot, Rumba, Swing, Salsa and so many more. Come visit the studio and enjoy some refreshments while catching a glimpse of some of our wonderful dancers twirling on the dance floor, gracefully, for your pleasure. Then sample a mini private or group class yourself, where we will have you up and dancing in 5 minutes or less by using our famous Arthur Murray Inter-related system of teaching. As a spectator or participator you will have a dancing blast!!
PRESTON FROM GLADSTONE TO LAUREL
Trattoria Caffe Italia
Serving some Grape inspired treats.
Preston Hardware
Wood-burning Pizza oven demos: Learn how easy it is to make pizza in your own backyard wood-burning pizza oven. Then taste how deliciously the pizza turns out! Sidewalk sale of wood ovens and barbecues.
Wine Making Demonstrations: Come around to the parking lot to take a tour of Preston Hardware’s busy wine-making shop, and see the complete wine-making craft.
Wine Barrel making demos: An Essex County Cooper will be on hand to teach you how to make and maintain wine barrels combining modern science with the ancient craft of cooperage.
DiVino
Share a bottle with friends and receive a complimentary risotto al tartufo suppli’ from our Chef!
Sala San Marco
Food tastings.
Paesani’s
Paesanis will be doing Abbruzzo-inspired tastings, and a demonstration of Abbruzzi cooking.
Pasticeria Gelateria Italiana
Bocconcini- filled cream puff samplings.
La Dolce Vita
Pizza sampling and kids’ sidewalk chalk art and bubbles.
Sanguiccio Deli Cafe
Barbecue featuring sausages, chicken breast, and other meats.
PRESTON FROM LAUREL TO SOMERSET
Little Italy Flower Shop
Will showcase a collection of Vendemmia and harvest-inspired arrangements to browse and or to purchase. Come see the colours and textures of Fall’s natural bounty set in rustic, elegant and eclectic displays.
Darrell Thomas Textiles
Sidewalk Sale of Beautiful fabrics at drastically reduced prices-up to 40% off.
Bridgehead
Tour Bridgehead’s new state of the art Roastery facility at 10 am and 1 pm and taste samples of their great offerings.
