“The idea of the Grape Stomp is to stomp as much juice as possible out of those grapes. It’s a great way to celebrate the harvest and to taste some good wine.”
Those are the words of Pahrump Valley Winery owner Bill Loken, regarding this weekend’s annual Grape Stomp on Oct. 6-7.
The winery is at 3810 Winery Road, off of South Highway 160.
Gates open at 11 a.m.
“The Grape Stomp has become a traditional fall celebration in Pahrump,” Loken said. “The stomping of the grapes starts in the afternoon around 1 p.m, and you must sign up for the grape stomping in advance. There is usually seven two-person teams stomping every 15 minutes for a four-hour period. It takes a lot of energy to stomp just a couple of minutes.”
Loken also noted that the grape stomp has rapidly become a symbol each year to local residents that fall has arrived.
Loken, along with his wife Gretchen, continued the rite of fall tradition back in 2003, after purchasing the winery.
Its roots date back to 1990.
“We only attracted about a couple hundred locals at the time,” he said. “Now, the tradition has grown over the years and attracts over 3,000 to 4,000 visitors from all over the region. While at the festival, visitors will find craft booths, food, and live music and wine tasting. We love dogs, but we think Lassie will be more comfortable at home, so please, service dogs only.”
Additionally, Loken noted that attendees can enjoy the park-like atmosphere, beautiful trees and fall weather as they sit and enjoy a glass of refreshing wine.
“People wanting to taste the different wines will be able to sample a variety of brands,” he said. “We expect to sell well over 250 cases of wine during the celebration. General admission is $10, for those who are stomping in the event. Parking is free.”
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com, on Twitter: @pvtimes