The 25th Annual Atascadero Wine Festival packed the Lake Park from 4-8 Saturday afternoon and evening. About 1300 people attended the festival which featured local wine, beer and distilled cider.
Josh Cross of the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce, said the wine festival included live bands, including Deja Vous, and Erin and the Earthquakes. The shade of the giant oak trees in the Atascadero Lake Park provided shade during the afternoon, and a cool breeze come up in the evening.
Again this year, some of the wineries and breweries set up booths inside the Charles Paddock Zoo. Some of the proceeds benefit the zoo, but proceeds also benefit the Atascadero Fire Department and other beneficiaries. Zoo Director Alan Baker said, “Most of the animals enjoyed it, some of them went to bed as they usually do. The weather wasn’t too hot, and it cooled down when the sun went behind the mountains. It was a nice evening.”
Barbi Butz has helped with the Atascadero Wine Festival for many years. “I told people that we had a Normal Rockwell park, and now we’re using it for the Wine Festival. It’s turned out to be one of the best wine, beer and distilled cider events in the county.”
Terrie Banish and others working on the Atascadero Wine Festival stayed long after the event concluded, and cleaned up the park by 10:30 Saturday evening.
