70°F
weather icon Windy

Thousands expected at Grape Stomp event

Expect to see a large number of cars flocking up Winery Road Saturday and Sunday as thousands of people join in the fun at the annual Grape Stomp hosted by Pahrump Valley Winery.

Owners Bill and Gretchen Loken said they are expecting between 3,000-4,000 visitors over the two-day event.

“This thing gets more popular every year,” Bill said. “We have 186 stomping teams signed up and I’m still getting 30 calls a day for people wanting to participate.”

He said reservations for the stomping action have been sold out for the past two weeks. “We can’t handle any more than that.”

The teams will begin the stomping at 11 a.m., with the competition lasting for two minutes to see who can get the most juice from the grapes. “Two minutes doesn’t seem like a long time until you try it,” Bill said. “I remember Jack (Sanders) telling me about the first Grape Stomp. They scheduled it for 15 minutes. He said people were ready to pass out.

“Well, you can’t change the rules in the middle of the game, so they did it that way all day long. You learn from experience,” he said.

Seven teams at a time will compete with a first prize of $150 gift certificate awarded at the end of each day. The contests will continue every 15 minutes with a break every hour for music and random prize drawings. The raffle tickets are available when visitors sign in at the gate.

Spectators have just as much fun as the stompers. Not only do they get to watch others get a workout, but it’s a good way to enjoy the day listening to live music while sipping on a glass of award-winning wine.

Other activities are scheduled as well. Bill said Symphony’s Restaurant will be open and will have an expanded menu of items like sliders, skewers and other finger foods for sale outside so people can munch while they stroll the grounds.

“For the first time, we have outside food vendors,” Bill said. Romero’s Mexican Restaurant will be selling food and there will be roasted corn and sno-cones as well.

Thirty other vendor booths will offer everything from T-shirts and jewelry, to handmade arts and crafts.

The biggest wine sale of the year will be conducted during the event. Loken said all but two of the wines will be discounted by 40 percent on a case purchase and 20 percent on six to 11 bottles. “This sale is for these two days only. People can mix and match bottles, too.” The winery sells between 500-800 cases of wine during the Grape Stomp and some people come to the winery just for the sale. The event is an added perk.

Normal wine prices run from $13.95 to $23.95 per bottle and this event is the time to stock up.

Loken said there is plenty of extra parking this year to avoid congestion on Winery Road. In years past, it wasn’t at all strange to have cars parked on both sides of the street during the event.

Live music from Roxanne and Stetson will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Tables and chairs, benches and hay bales will be provided for seating, but Loken said visitors are welcome to bring chairs and blankets of their own.

Admission to the event is $5 per person.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Beatty Clinic gets tons of help with new a/c

BEATTY — The Beatty Foundation, an affiliate of AngloGold-Ashanti (AGA), did tons of good at the Beatty Clinic on March 22. Nine tons, exactly.

How an injured and abandoned dog in Pahrump overcame the odds

A stray dog that was homeless, hospitalized and facing euthanasia earlier this month is now on the mend thanks to several in the community who helped raise thousands for its life-saving care.

End of an era: 50-year-old Beatty business closing

Owner Jane Cottonwood, who made ribbons, trophies and awards for organizations all over the country, plans to retire and close her shop at the end of February.

PHOTOS: How Pahrump helped dozens facing homelessness

Every three months, the Community Crisis Intervention Committee puts together the Homeless Wraparound, quarterly happenings geared specifically toward serving those experiencing homelessness in Pahrump.

PHOTOS: Wild horses come home for the holidays

The wild horse herds that were removed from the Pahrump Valley earlier this year are finally home, and just in time for Christmas. Here’s how the community came together and made it happen.

Community Christmas Dinner set for Dec. 23

Christmas is just around the corner and it’s all hands on deck for the Pahrump Holiday Task Force as the nonprofit prepares to celebrate the season with the entire community.

A night of cookies with Santa

This past Saturday, the valley was invited to enjoy some cookies with Santa and dozens of families turned out for an evening filled with festive fun.