Gig Harbor, WA. Home to nearly three dozen cideries and ranked first in the United States for apple production, Washington celebrates cider in a big way this September – from Washington Wider Week to the Cider Swig on September 24, 2016, in Gig Harbor, WA.
Now in its third year, the one-day festival welcomes cider makers from across the Pacific Northwest to showcase their ciders, provide samples, and to sell their product directly to ticket holders. Sehmel Homestead Park provides a picturesque backdrop to taste the finest regional ciders from over two dozen Washington and Oregon cidermakers. The family-fun cider-centered event includes live music and entertainment on two stages, the ever popular Kids Apple Zone with a variety of games and activities for children of all ages, the OST “Orchard Gallery” artisan market, and the first annual Apple Pie Contest. The festival will also feature foods for purchase from eights local food trucks and vendors, as well as apple pressing demonstrations, apple launching, and more.
Kicking-off Cider Swig weekend on Friday evening is the first annual Cider Makers Dinner. “Over the past two years, cider enthusiasts attending the festival have asked for more opportunities to interact with cider makers and learn more about the libation that has claimed the helm as the fastest-growing segment of the beverage market,” said Julie Ann Gustanski, President Emeritus of the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation and the festival’s chair for the third year running. “Thus, the birth of the Cider Swig’s Cider Makers Dinner.”
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The exclusive private dining experience will be held at Sehmel Homestead Park in the Volunteer Vern Pavilion on September 23 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. The six-course meal will be paired with ciders from 2 Towns Ciderhouse (Corvallis, OR) and perries from Neigel Vintners (East Wenatchee, WA). Meet brothers, Kevin and Mark Van Reenen, who began their perry-making as a hobby project on their great-grandfather’s 100-year-old pear orchard in East Wenatchee. Joining them will be tasting room manager Sara Cravens, carrying 2 Town’s mission to “Bring Craft Cider Back to the People!” to Gig Harbor. Learn about the orchard to glass process, take in cider lore, and taste six different ciders provided by the cidermakers themselves.
The freshest Pierce County ingredients – from rabbit to greens and all in between – will be transformed
into a culinary masterpiece by three amazing local chefs, Debra Nozawa, and Sarel and Abraham Zalapa of Tacoma-based Picasso's. Debra, former owner of Gig Harbor’s IsaMira Café, a LeCordon Bleu graduate, has had a passion for culinary arts since she was in the sixth grade. Twin brothers Sarel and Abraham have over 50 years of experience between them, across which they have been chefs at area notable restaurants such as C.I.Shenanigans, Salty's, and Stanley & Seaforts.
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Guests will enjoy six exquisite courses featuring the likes of miso-glazed salmon, Caribbean skewered rabbit, Cornish hen, spaghetti squash Puttanesca, succulent short ribs with Bleu-Blue smashed potatoes, a savory Comice pear and goat cheese tart, to name just a few the amazing tastes. The evening’s ambience will be set with beautiful multi-textural acoustic guitar by Rob Rigoni of Budapest West.
Seating for this unique dining experience is very limited to provide an intimate setting in which to learn about and enjoy ciders, as well as take in a delectable farm-to-table meal. The all-inclusive dinner includes an exclusive handcrafted cider cup to take home, by local potter Jordan Meyers
Proceeds will further the Foundation’s support for the Lu Winsor Environmental Grant Program which provides annual funding for environmental conservation, education, and local initiatives that include maintaining and expanding area parks and trails, protecting resource lands, and our KGI watershed.
Tickets can be purchased at www.cidermakersdinner.bpt.me or call the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation at (253) 514-6338
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About the Greater Gig Harbor Foundation
The Greater Gig Harbor Foundation (GGHF) is the only community foundation specifically working to meet the diverse needs of our greater Gig Harbor and Key peninsula communities. The nonprofit organization has invested more than $4.6 million in grants, scholarships, land, equipment and volunteer labor over its 9-year history. At its core, the GGHF is an organization created with gifts from generous people committed to local causes. For donors, the Foundation serves as a philanthropic advisor. For the community, the Foundation serves as a grant maker and a civic leader. Through the support of its donors, volunteers and fundholders, the Foundation has been able to address some of the community’s most pressing needs. For more information, visit www.gigharborfoundation.org
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