A Taste of Litchfield Hills Aug. 25 - 27

From comfort food to gourmet dishes and live entertainment to an outdoor shopping bazaar, the 27th annual Taste of The Litchfield Hills will offer a menu of fine fare and fun at a new location. New England's oldest food and wine festival will be held Saturday & Sunday, Aug. 25-26, 2012, at its new location, Harwinton Fairgrounds, 150 Locust Road, Harwinton, Conn. Since 1985, the festival has annually attracted thousands of guests for a sampling of the region's food and wine, plus upscale shopping and live entertainment. This year's menu will feature such dishes as BBQ pulled pork, braised short ribs, chicken and black bean chili, fresh prosciutto Panini, lamb shawama pita wrap, lobster hush puppies, lobster mac and cheese, grilled pizza, New England clam chowder, seared sea scallops, sesame chicken and many other items. Sweet offerings will include apple cider cinnamon donuts, banana & toffee pie, fruit smoothies, old fashioned kettle corn, white chocolate apricot squares and many other delicious desserts. The 2012 Menu is available for download at www.LitchfieldFestivals.com. Foodies will enjoy "grazing-sized" portions of house specialties prepared by chefs from regional restaurants, bistros and other purveyors of fine food with prices ranging from $4.00 to $8.00 per item. Table seating will be available in the festival's Culinary Tent and outdoor picnic pavilions. Plus, guests are invited to picnic on the grounds with their own lawn chairs and blankets. Participating culinary vendors will include @ The Corner (Litchfield), Backstage Restaurant (Torrington), Faddy's Donuts & Ice Cream (Bloomfield), The Green Room Café (Winsted), Indochine Pavilion (New Haven), Infinity Bistro (Norfolk), Jake's Wayback Burgers (Torrington), Kelly's Kitchen (Winsted), KJ' Grilled Pizza (Torrington), La Cupola Ristorante & Inn (Litchfield) and Noujaim's Specialty Foods (Torrington). An assortment of imported Italian wines from Don Tomasi Winery will be available for purchase by the glass. Samuel Adams Boston Lager beer, plus a variety of soft drinks also will be available for purchase. Live entertainment will include country singer-songwriter Courtney Drummey (Saturday, 12-3 p.m.), jazz recording artists The Christine Spero Group (Saturday, 4-7 p.m.) and blues artists The Andy James Band (Sunday, 1-4 p.m.). Guests will also enjoy an upscale shopping experience in the festivals outdoor bazaar featuring such unique gift items as artisan-crafted jewelry, gourmet food products, kitchenware and other products and services. Hours for A Taste of the Litchfield Hills will be 12 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, and 12 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. Ticket prices are Adult (age 12-64): $10 On-Site or $8 Advance Purchase; Senior (age 65+): $8 On-Site or $6 Advance Purchase; and Child (Under 12): Free admission. Advance tickets and more information are available at www.LitchfieldFestivals.com. Admission does not include food and beverage, which are purchased separately. Harwinton Fairgrounds is located off Route 4 on Locust Road in Harwinton, Conn., just a few minutes from the intersection of Routes 8 & 118 and is an easy day-trip from Albany, The Berkshires, Hartford, The Hudson Valley, Metro New York, New Haven and Springfield. With its antique shops, art galleries, covered bridges and quaint villages, the Litchfield Hills is an ideal vacation destination for the three-day holiday weekend. Lodging options include dozens of bed and breakfasts, country inns, resorts, hotels and motels. Tourism information is available from the Western Conn. Convention & Visitors Bureau at 860-567-4506 or www.LitchfieldHills.com. About A Taste of The Litchfield Hills Since 1985, A Taste of The Litchfield Hills has annually attracted thousands of guests for a sampling of the region's food and locally-produced wine, plus live entertainment and upscale shopping. More Info: www.LitchfieldFestivals.com

Fine Fare, Friends & Fun in The Litchfield Hills at the 26 Annual Taste of The Litchfield Hills Sept. 3-5

Connecticut's Oldest Food and Wine Festival Announces Menu for Labor Day Weekend.

From comfort food to gourmet dishes and from live entertainment to a shopping bazaar, you and your friends will enjoy a menu of fine fare and fun at the 26th Annual Taste of The Litchfield Hills.
Connecticut's oldest food and wine festival will be held on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-5, 2011, at its new location, Ski Sundown, 126 Ratlum Road, New Hartford.

Each year, since 1985, the festival has attracted thousands of guests for a sampling of the region's food and wine, plus upscale shopping and live entertainment.

This year's menu will feature such dishes as Angus beef sliders, baked mac and cheese, cedar plank roasted salmon, corn and Maine blue crab fritters, cherry-smoked chicken, fried goat cheese salad, gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, grilled pizza, Lao crispy egg rolls, lobster salad sliders, mesquite-smoked pulled pork, New England clam chowder, seared scallops & braised short ribs, sesame chicken, shrimps in a blanket and many other delicious delicacies.

Sweet offerings will include apple cider cinnamon donuts, banana & toffee pie, dessert crepes, fruit smoothies, New England kettle corn, pumpkin chiffon roulade and many other delectable desserts. Northwest Community Bank is sponsoring an Internet download link for the complete 2011 Menu at www.LitchfieldFestivals.com.

Foodies will enjoy "grazing-sized" portions of house specialties prepared by chefs from regional restaurants, bistros and other purveyors of fine food with prices ranging from $4.00 to $8.00 per item. Table seating will be available in the festival's Culinary Tent, at outdoor picnic tables and inside the air-conditioned ski lodge. Plus, guests are invited to picnic on the grounds with their own lawn chairs and blankets.

Participating culinary vendors include Chatterley's Restaurant (New Hartford); Backstage Restaurant (Torrington); Faddy's Donuts & Ice Cream (Bloomfield); Farm Restaurant (Avon); The Foothills Delery (Pine Meadow); The Green Papaya (Canton); The Green Room (Winsted); Little Sister's Grilled Cheese (New London); Indochine Pavilion (New Haven); Infinity Bistro (Norfolk); KJ' Grilled Pizza (Torrington); Mustard's Last Stand (New Hartford); Rocket Fine Street Foods (Torrington) and Summertime Sno-Balls (New Hartford).

The festival will offer wine by the glass from Litchfield Hills wineries, including Hopkins Vineyard (New Preston), Jerram Winery (New Hartford), Miranda Vineyard (Goshen), Sunset Meadow Vineyards (Goshen) and White Silo Winery (Sherman). Thomas Hooker draught beer, plus a variety of soft drinks will also be served.

New this year is the The Farmers Market which will showcase locally grown and raised foods. Barden Farm, Hayes Dairy, Marwin Farms and other family farms located in the Litchfield Hills will offer native fare to enjoy at the festival and to take home.

Live entertainment will include country singer-songwriter Courtney Drummey (Saturday, 1-4 p.m.), oldies band The Rockin' Hearbeats (Saturday, 5-8 pm), jazz recording artists The Christine & Elliot Spero Duo (Sunday, 1-4 p.m.), blues artists The Andy James Band (Sunday, 5-8 p.m.) and jam band Flipper Dave (Monday, 1-4 p.m.).

Festival goers will also enjoy an upscale shopping experience in the festivals' outdoor bazaar featuring such unique gift items as artisan-crafted jewelry, gourmet food products, kitchenware and other products and services.

Hours for A Taste of the Litchfield Hills will be 12 to 8 p.m. on Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 3 & 4, 2011, and 12 to 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 5, 2011. Ticket prices are Adult (age 12-64): $10 On-Site or $8 Advance Purchase; Senior (age 65+): $8 On-Site or $6 Advance Purchase; and Child (Under 12): Free admission. Advance tickets and more information is available at www.LitchfieldFestivals.com. Admission does not include food and beverage, which is purchased separately.

Ski Sundown is located at 126 Ratlum Hill in the charming riverside town of New Harford, Conn., just a few minutes from the intersection of Routes 44 & 219.  This central location makes this Taste of Litchfield Hills Festival an easy day-trip from Albany, The Berkshires, Hartford, The Hudson Valley, Metro New York, New Haven and Springfield.

With its antique shops, art galleries, covered bridges and quaint villages, the Litchfield Hills is an ideal get away destination for this three-day holiday weekend. Lodging optionsin the Litchfield Hills include dozens of charming bed and breakfasts, cozy country inns, and world class resorts, hotels and motels. 



For more information on where to stay and what to do visit: www.litchfieldhills.com