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Home > Blogs > Uncorked > Archives > 2007 > May > 16 > Entry
Fleurs de Fete: THE place to be this Sunday
The following story is scheduled to run in Friday’s Go! section of the Dayton Daily News — but because you’re special, you get a sneak peak. Also, you can click here to reprise a “Top 10 survival tips” guide to getting the most out of the Fleurs de Fete. Any advice or Fleurs de Fete suggestions of your own? Post a comment and let us know. Cheers!
“In the 15 years since it was launched, the Fleurs de Fete has evolved into the Miami Valley’s premier wine-and-food event, setting attendance records nearly every year.
The festival endured some venue changes in its early years, but apparently has found a comfortable home at Carillon Park. When the weather cooperates, there’s no finer venue for an outdoor wine festival. And when it doesn’t, well — the tents are very large. Good thing, too, since attendance has swollen to 1,700.
The wines have remained plentiful through the years: there are about 300 available for sampling, and whether you like dry or sweet, red or white, still or sparkling — you’ll find a wine or five that you’ll like.
The food has evolved perhaps the most. Restaurants in recent years seem to compete against one another to impress the festival-goers. This year, the event has attracted at least 27 restaurants and other food providers — an all-time high. The last couple of years, the Fleurs de Fete may have been worth the admission price for the food alone.
The admission price includes all of the food and wine samples at no extra charge, but wine enthusiasts should bring their checkbooks anyway to participate in the live auction and silent auction. All proceeds benefit the Wellness Connection of the Dayton Region, formerly the Dayton Area Heart and Cancer Association.
Tickets may be purchased at the following locations through Saturday: Arrow Wine & Spirits, Boston Wine Cellar, Cuvee Wine Bar & Cellar, Dorothy Lane Market, Grapes of Ruth, Jerardi’s Little Store, Leaf & Vine, Miami Valley Wine & Spirits, Montage, Sips Cafe and Wine Works.
Here’s a list of participating restaurants: 5th Street Deli, Bahn Mai Thai Cafe, Benham’s, Caffe Anticoli, Carvers, Central Perc, Chef’s Touch Catering, Dewey’s Pizza, Dorothy Lane Market, Dublin Pub, Encore Bistro and Bar, Giovanni’s, Jerardi’s Little Store,, Mamma Disalvos Restaurant, Nothing But Noodles, Oakwood Club, Oasis Pub & Cafe, Pacchia, Peerless Mill, Sharkey’s at the Dayton Marriott, Sips Cafe and Bar, Thai 9, Mandalay Banquet Center, TomKatz, Toone P. Wiggins, Tuscany Grille, Wellington Grille.”
how to go
WHAT: 16th Annual Fleurs de Fete.
WHEN: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 20, 2007
WHERE: Carillon Historical Park, off of South Patterson Boulevard, Dayton.
COST: $50 in advance, $60 at the gate.
MORE INFO: (937) 223-4117, ext. 107.
DAYTON — Back by popular demand — and enhanced by readers of our Uncorked wine Web page (www.daytondailynews.com/wineblog) — here are the Top 10 Tips to Survive the Fleurs de Fete, the wine-and-food event from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Dayton History at Carillon Park:
Arrive early. Check-in will take place at a special tent in the parking lot to streamline the proceedings at the 1 p.m. opening bell.
Once inside, make a quick pass around the tent to scope out what the two dozen-plus restaurants are serving, while your festival partner can do the same for the 300 wines. If food lines start getting long, then split up to secure sufficient snackage.
Pronounce the event like a savvy veteran: FLUR-duh-FET. Translation: Festival of Flowers.
Go slow on the wine consumption — this is a marathon, not a sprint — and if you don’t like a wine, or just want a small sip, use the dump buckets to pour out the wine in your glass and move on. Dumping is not considered rude.
When you’re poured a sample of wine — and there’s a line of folks with empty glasses behind you — for crying out loud, step out of the way!
While we’re on etiquette: Those of you who charge in and lay claim to a table, then disappear for the next two hours, ask yourself: Would your mother approve?
Even if you don’t intend to buy, stay the final hour for the live auction. It can feature some rather entertaining bidding wars. And you can use the rest.
While you’re standing around, keep your elbows close to your sides. This reduces the chance of your food or wine being bumped out of your hand and onto your — or your neighbor’s — clothes.
Leave the stilettos for another occasion when you’re not tromping around in wet grass. And while we’re giving fashion advice, don’t wear white. Doesn’t go well with red wines. See tip No. 3.
And the Top Survival Tip for this year’s Fleurs de Fete: Water. Drink lots of water.
Comments
By steve
May 17, 2007 3:29 PM | Link to this
looking forward to this event (as we do every year)! Incredible food, wonderful wine, what more can you ask for on a beautiful sunday afternoon? I always found it ironic that the event that sets out to raise funds to fight cancer and lung disease is one that really attracts the smoking crowd (and that they are allowed to smoke in amongst the entire crowd). Besides, doesn’t the taste of Marlboro’s interfere with the taste of that cabernet?