A total of 2,151 tasting tickets were sold for last weekend's event, under the 2,500 plus sold last year. Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce CEO Laurette Leagon estimates that close to 10,000 were in attendance.
Leagon heard several winery testimonials that offered positive feedback on this year's event.
"The attention to detail, organization and understanding of what makes a wine festival a festival has set the bar high for other festivals,"RagApple Lassie's owner, Lenna Hobson, said. "We loved it."
Benny Parson's Rendezvous Ridge was one of five new wineries whose first time it was at the festival. Their feedback was positive as well.
"It was a great pleasure as a new winery for us to be at the 7th annual festival," owner Terry Parsons said. "Sales were pretty good, and we would definitely like to participate next year."
Several of the food booths present ran out of food by 5:30 p.m. this year. Craft and food vendors also seemed to Leagon to do well with the number of visitors even though the tasting totals were slightly less than the previous years totals.
"Last year there were more tasters," Leagon said. "The difference is less than 100 tickets though." Leagon said the variance was likely because of the cost of gas, a reason reiterated by Bill Cosby Jr., Captain of the Elkin Rescue Squad.
The rescue squad parked cars at Elkin Memorial Park as an on-going tradition to raise donations for its projects. They have been working the festival parking since it's conception seven years ago.
800 cars were parked by the squad for $5 each, much less than the 1,000 vehicles parked the previous year.
"We felt it was still a really good day for us, not as big as last year though," Cosby said. "There were a lot of carpoolers this year."
Cosby described cars as being full with lots of people able to take advantage of one car's space. He also said that the reopening of the Elkin Park footbridge made it possible for people to park along Memorial Park Drive and walk over to the festival.
"People used to meet friends at the ark," Cosby said. "This year they rode together."
He also said that other organizations selling parking affected their numbers.
The Foothills Arts Council ran a spill over parking lot and trolly shuttle service.
The trollies picked up people from several stops around town, including Jonesville hotels. They earned $750 for their non-profit organization, made possible by vehicle rental assistance by the Jonesville Tourism Authority and Downtown Elkin Inc.
A good response was forthcoming from the four hotels involved this week. Margaret Griffin, the arts council's transportation coordinator, said that the hotels thought it was a great idea based on the number of visitors who have asked in the past about public transportation to the event. It helped save them gas, and made people feel safer not having to worry about tasting and driving
Despite climbing gas prices recognized by all participants, Leagon said that there were quite a few people who made the trip from out of town. One woman from South Carolina was randomly selected to win a case of wine.
Five cases were given away as prizes at the festival. Brushy Mountain, RagApple Lassie, Grassy Creek, Black Wolf and Shelton all donated a case for door prizes selected randomly throughout the day.
One of the winners visiting from York, S.C. didn't pick hers up by the end of the day, so Leagon called to figure out a way to get it to her.
When she suggested holding the case at the Jonesville Tourism Center, Leagon said the woman agreed quickly saying that she was already planning a return visit with family to the Elkin area for winery tourism.
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