FAMU Grape Harvest Festival | The Center for Viticulture and Small Fruit Research | Promo Video
Celebrate family, food, fun, and agricultural discovery in recognition of FAMU’s role as a national leader in viticulture research. Featured activities include the vineyards trailer ride, grape and wine sampling, popular grape stomping contest, water slides, a grape throwing competition, a hula hoop competition, live entertainment, fun vineyard run and walk-a-thon (MAP), grape picking, a health fair, and more than 60 community exhibitors and vendors.
General admission is $10. Children under age of 12 and FAMU students with the valid ID are admitted for free; 50% discount for students and 20% discount for seniors 65 and above.
Festival Parking at the “Antique Car Museum” (6800 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32317, phone: 850 942-0137) will be open at 7:30 a.m. at the day of the event.
Complementary “Bus shuttle” to festival ground is provided on every 10–15 minutes schedule.
Chair: CAFS Dean Dale Wesson
Event Coordinators: Dr. Violeta Tsolova, Angela Harper & Vernon Bryant
Event Parking available at the Antique Car Museum (6800 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32317) will be open at 7:30 AM.
Complementary Shuttles to festival grounds every 10-15 minutes.
Event Schedule:
8:00 AM – Festival Registration (Required for all activities)
8:30 AM – DJ Musical Selection: I Heard It Through the Grapevine
8:30 AM – 2:00 PM – Health Fair and Exhibits
Special Presentations:
BSE Program Smart Farming Computer Simulations, USDA-ARS/FAMU CBC Insect Demonstrations, CAFS Extension Program Displays
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM – Fresh Fruit Grape Varietals Tasting
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Guided Vineyard Trailer Rides
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM – Fitness Demonstration Sessions
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM – Grape Throwing Competition
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM – Hula Hoop Competition
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Wine Making Workshop (1st and 2nd session – main building patio)
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM – Festival Opening Ceremony
Welcome Greetings - Interim President Timothy L. Beard, Ph.D.
Remarks - Chief Operating Officer Donald Palm, Ph.D.
Acknowledgement of Special Guests - Dale Wesson, Ph. D., Dean CAFS
*11:00 AM - 2:00 PM - U-Pick Grape Gift Bag Experience
**11:30 PM – 12:00 PM – Grape Stomping Competition (10 teams X 4 members)
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Wine and Cheese Tasting Experience
Notes/Disclaimers:
*Registration is necessary to participate in the U-Pick Grape Gift Bag Experience: Multicolor 5lb durable gift bags will be provided to be used for this activity.
** Please consider before attending that “U-Pick Grape Experience” and “Grape Stomping” events are physically demanding activities requiring extra physical exertion under hot and humid conditions and prolonged walking over the uneven open field conditions at the research vineyards.
***Some grape juice may cause allergic reactions. If you are sensitive to grape juice, we encourage you not to participate in the 'Grape Stomping" contest.