Nothing says spring quite like the blooming of tulips and the chirping of birds … and the sipping of cocktails while wearing a big floppy hat or sampling a brew while playing bags.
A new season of beverage-themed events begins with this weekend’s Tinley Park Brew & Vine Festival.
In May, Derby Day at Frankfort Spirits calls for festive hats, sundresses and spring suits for an afternoon of cocktails, southern cooking and televised horse racing inside the distillery and throughout the indoor and outdoor entertainment complex.
A new outdoor event in Palos Park called Love the Park, also in May, will merge fine art with wine and beer.
Other upcoming cocktail parties and craft beer affairs include Tax Day Brew Fest and Cinco de Drinko.
Tinley Park Brew & Vine Festival
More than 40 breweries and a dozen wine vendors will participate in the seventh annual Tinley Park Brew & Vine Festival from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451 Convention Center Drive.
New participants include Creekside Vineyards from Coal Valley, IL, and Off the Vine from Momence along with Blue Island Beer Company, Metal Monkey Brewing (Romeoville), Tribes Beer Company (Frankfort), Miskatonic Brewing Company (Darien), SweetWater Brewing Company (Atlanta, Ga.) and Chicago’s Arcade Brewery, Forbidden Root, Goose Island, Metropolitan Brewing and Half Acre.
“There’s always something new and that’s what makes it fun,” said Bob Haustein, a director and past president of the Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce.
Tinley Park’s Side Street American Tavern and Odyssey Sweet Spot Sports Bar are food vendors new to the fest this year.
A bags tournament is a new addition along with craft beer available in full 12-ounce pours not just 3-ounce samples. Domestic beer also will be offered this year.
The 95th Street Band will play an acoustic set until 6 p.m. followed by the full brass band until 10 p.m.
“It’s an affordable night out,” Haustein said. “People enjoy themselves and it raises money for the chamber.”
Proceeds go to the chamber’s high school scholarships plus local charities.
Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Tickets include a commemorative wine or beer glass and 12 tastings of beer, wine, food or soft drinks.
VIP tickets are $50 in advance or $60 at the door and also include 24 tastings, admission at 4 p.m. and a meet-and-greet with brewers and vintners.
Tickets for designated drivers cost $10.
For more details, call 708-532-5700 or visit www.inleyparkbrewandvinefest.com
Tax Day Brew Fest
The folks behind Midwest Brewers Fest, an annual summertime event which relocated from Plainfield to Willow Springs in 2015, will gather 25 commercial craft brewers and three home brewer clubs for a smaller affair called the Tax Day Midwest Infusion Brew Fest at 6 p.m. Friday, April 15, at Warehouse 109, a special events space at 14903 S. Center St., Unit 109, in Plainfield.
Participating food trucks include the Happy Lobster Truck and Tacos Giselle.
Tickets are $40, or $5 for designated drivers, and available at www.midwestbrewersfest.org
Spring Wine Tasting
At the Frankfort Park District’s Spring Wine Tasting, Wine Styles of Shorewood will offer samples of 50 different wines from 7 to 9 p.m. April 22 at the Founders Community Center, 140 Oak St., Frankfort.
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The cost is $15 and includes hors d’oeuvres and a souvenir wine glass. Pre-registration is required by April 18.
Call 815-469-9400 or visit www.frankfortparks.org
Spring Beer and Wine Tasting
Friends of the Plainfield Park District Foundation will host their sixth annual Spring Beer and Wine Tasting from 7 to 10 p.m. April 23 at 25151 119th St. (at Normantown Road) in Plainfield.
The event will benefit park district events and scholarships and include entertainment, raffle prizes and an adult egg hunt.
Tickets are $25 in advance at the Plainfield Park District Recreation/Administration Center, 23729 W. Ottawa St., or $30 at the door.
Call 815-436-8812 or visit www.plfdparks.org
Cinco de Drinko Party
A special drink menu featuring 100% Blue Agave, gorditas from the Ofrenda Food Truck and music will be featured at the Cinco de Drinko Party from 6 to 9 p.m. May 6 at Tailwinds Distilling Company, 14912 S. Eastern Ave. in Plainfield.
Taildragger white, amber and coffee flavored rums and Tailwinds spirits made with Blue Agave from Guadalajara, Mexico, are crafted at the Beall brothers’ 3-year-old distillery. The tasting room is open Fridays to Sundays. Tours are available for $10.
Call 815-290-0786 or visit www.tailwindsdistilling.com
Derby Day
Best Hat and Best Dressed contests, southern cooking and televised horse racing will be featured at Derby Day from 2 to 6 p.m. May 7 at Frankfort Spirits located at CD & ME, 23320 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort.
The annual indoor/outdoor Kentucky Derby party, which drew 175 attendees in 2015, also will include bluegrass music, games, raffles, samples from One Trick Pony Brewery in Lansing and, of course, cocktails made with the distillery’s creations, including Emil Stimple Double Barrel bourbon and Verdict vodka, both of which recently earned silver awards from the American Craft Spirits Association.
“The Derby Party is all about folks getting dressed up and in the spirit of the Kentucky Derby and celebrating through drinks, music and food,” said Dino Moler, one of the owners of Frankfort Spirits.
Tickets, including two drinks, are $55 in advance online or at the venue and $75 at the door.
Year round, Frankfort Spirits is open for tastings on Sundays at 12, 1:30 and 3 p.m. The cost is $10 and reservations are encouraged.
Call 815-469-7315 or visit www.frankfortspirits.com
Love the Park
Sampling of wines from Cooper’s Hawk and brews from Granite City Brewery will be served at the “Love the Park” Fine Arts Fair from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 21 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 22 at the Metra Depot, 123rd Street and 82nd Avenue in Palos Park.
The inaugural fair will feature art for sale, “Art of the Automobile” display, live music and food.
Admission is free.
Call 708-671-3760 or visit www.palospark.org
Vickie Jurkowski is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.