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Cheers! It's time to sip back and relax at the world’s first Queer Wine Fest. It’s taking place June 24 in rural Williamette Valley’s wine growing region, celebrating queer-owned wineries in Oregon, Washington and California.
As reported by Eater, Queer Wine Fest will be held at Remy Wines in Dayton, Oregon. The event is put together by Wine Country Pride, founded in 2020 by volunteers to bring Pride celebrations to rural Oregon. The organization’s president is Remy Drabkin, owners of Remy Wines, who is also McMinnville, Oregon’s interim mayor: the first woman and queer-identified person to hold that office.
Seventeen wineries will be participating with 30 different wines, including fellow Williamette Valley vintners like Roco Winery and Sis and Mae Wine, as well as vintners Hip Chicks Do Wine, Portland’s oldest urban winery. To accompany, there will be food pairings and a live performance by Camp Crush, a new wave pop band.
As if that isn’t great enough, there’s also a free street fair the next day in McMinnville, the first ever large scale Pride event in rural Oregon. Over the entire month, Rainbow Quest involves more than 50 local businesses offering Pride-inspired beverages, food and retail items to raise money for Wine Country Pride initiatives and events. There’s even a punchcard to win prizes! Remy Wines offers free BLM and Progress Pride flags for any businesses, churches, organizations or farms.
Wine Country Pride has also organized a June 12 Lez Brunch with wine and trivia, a June 17 Boho Yoga party and, that night, an Alt Prom for ages 12-24, a very fun-sounding Dragstravaganza 2022 on June 26, as well as a family car parade and picnic in nearby Newberg sponsored by PFLAG, a national community of people working to support LGBTQ+ people and those who love them... the list goes on! It’s an impressive gathering of pride events – and tons of wine, of course.