Wine, food and music festival gears up for Oct. 1

Now is the time for businesses to throw their hats into the ring and give back to their local community by becoming sponsors for the 7th Annual Southern Delaware Wine, Food & Music Festival, set for 12 to 3:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1. The Covered Bridge at Hopkins Heartland will be donating use of its property for the festivities for the first time.

“We are so excited to be in our new venue supporting two amazing nonprofits – Pathways to Success and the Children’s Beach House,” said Executive Director Stacy LaMotta, who founded the festival in 2014. “We are so proud to not only provide an extraordinary experience for our guests, but also to have been able to raise close to $200,000 for various local charities over the past six years.”

Sponsors and guests got to experience the beauty and expanse of the event’s new venue at the kickoff party held earlier this month. “We are thrilled to be recipients of this fantastic event,” said Fay Blake, executive director and founder of Pathways to Success. “Twenty-eight percent of the 132,000 underserved in Delaware are right here in Sussex. We determine what they need to learn, thrive and grow.”

The Pathways to Success mission is to prepare youth, adults and their families for successful lives by using innovative and creative approaches in mentoring and education to help individuals develop into healthy, productive, contributing and responsible citizens. Pathways works to serve at-risk communities in a spirit of offering hope through education and information, and creating positive systemic change through empowerment.

Rich Garrett, executive director of Children’s Beach House, said, “We are very pleased and honored to share this event with Pathways. We are excited about this new venue and new energy being brought to the event this year. The Children’s Beach House mission is to improve the lives of children, youth, families and communities by helping them to identify, understand and use their own strengths, talents and resources. From its founding in 1936, Children’s Beach House has devoted itself to meeting the most pressing needs of Delaware children.”

“This event is the very best of coastal Delaware – our restaurants, breweries, wine merchants and musicians,” said LaMotta. “We are expecting a sold-out crowd this year.”

Attendees will feast on food from more than 20 local restaurants and beverages that include more than 75 varieties of wines, craft beers and cocktails. Participants will rock to four bands in different locations on the historic grounds. The Chef Throwdown, the signature event, will have a unique twist as two teams of creative chefs battle in a “Chopped”-style  competition. A silent auction will include special packages to bid on and other surprises.

This southern Delaware festival is widely known for providing an array of culinary experiences, award-winning chefs, and a wide variety of wines, beer and cocktails, but it’s so much more than an amazingly indulgent day. It’s a celebration of life, laughter, friendship and togetherness that pours each year’s proceeds into local nonprofits doing important work to strengthen area communities.

For sponsor and volunteer information, or to purchase tickets, go to sodelfest.com.