Union-Bulletin

WALLA WALLA -- Feast Walla Walla, the annual celebration of wine, food and art, is already brimming with wineries and restaurants, organizers say.

The fifth annual Feast, sponsored by Banner Bank, takes place under a giant tent downtown in one month. Downtown Walla Walla Foundation Marketing and Events Manager Jennifer Northam said the number of wineries for the event has already reached capacity and only two or three more spots are available for eateries.

New this year among the 50 vendors: dishes from Waterbrook Catering, Dayton's Weinhard Caf?©, the Walla Walla Country Club and Frosted -- A Cupcake Shop.

Also new for those who attend the $50-per-person event will be concierge services from Imbibe Tours. Sam Galano and Jay Swank of Imbibe will be on hand throughout the three-hour April 14 event to make calls on behalf of attendees for reservations at local restaurants, check tasting room hours and recommend tasting routes or special events, Northam said.

The service is another addition to the ever-evolving event that showcases Walla Walla's wine and culinary scene.

Guests entering the tent at First Avenue and Main Street receive a commemorative wine glass, plate and 10 event tokens, which can be exchanged for samples of wine or food. Additional tokens can be purchased for $2. Guests must be at least 21 years old.

An onsite wine store is also set up as a feature of Feast. It allows participants to purchase bottles of the wines they taste. Internationally renowned sculptor Nano Lopez will have selected works on display. Live music will be performed, as well.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation for the continued enhancement of downtown.

The event was created as a benefit to merchants as well as attendees during a typically slower time for tourism. It was established with the cooperation of the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, Tourism Walla Walla, Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance and the wine and food industry.

On the menu

Here is a list of participants set for next month's Feast Walla Walla:

Amavi Cellars

Andrae's Kitchen

Ash Hollow

The Bank Grill

Blue Mountain Cider Co.

Bright's Candies

Bunchgrass Winery

Cadaretta

Canoe Ridge

Charles Smith Wines

Corvus Cellars

Cougar Crest

DaMa

Don Carlo Winery

Dunham Cellars

Dusted Valley / Boomtown

El Corazon

Forgeron Cellars

Foundry Vineyards

Frosted - A Cupcake Shop

L'Ecole No 41

Locati Cellars

LongShadow Vintners

Mace Mead Works

The Marc

Mill Creek Brew Pub

Morrison Lane

Northstar

Olive Marketplace Caf

Pepper Bridge Winery

Reininger Winery

Sapolil Cellars

Seven Hills Winery

Sinclair Estate Vineyards

South Fork Grill

Spring Valley

SYZYGY

T. Maccarone's

Tamarack Cellars

Tranche

Trio Vintners

Walla Walla Country Club

Waterbrook Winery

Waterbrook Catering

Weinhard Caf?copy;

Wine Country Culinary Arts Institute

Woodward Canyon

Zerba Cellars