Camp Verde’s Pecan & Wine Festival this weekend

The 20^th annual Camp Verde Pecan & Wine Festival kicks off this weekend returning stronger than ever this year after being moved to April 17 & 18 from its usual March spot. Community Center Field in Downtown Camp Verde is the place to be on Saturday 11 -7 and Sunday 11 – 4.  With over 70 vendors including food, crafts, gifts and sales to benefit non-profit community groups and of course Pecan and Wine vendors this will be the premiere spring event. With wine tasting from 8 local wineries, a beer garden from the Verde Valley Sheriff’s Posse and live music this will be fun in the sun in Camp Verde. Admission to the event is free for all but there is a charge for wine tasting or other purchases.

The Town of Camp Verde, Verde Valley Wine Consortium and Yavapai College have teamed together to not only produce an exciting and diverse event for residents and visitors but to also support the local wine industry as it recovers from the effects of the COVID pandemic. Come grab a bite from a food truck, shop the wide range of crafts, gifts and other products, listen to live local music on the stage and see what your local community groups are doing. Fort Verde State Historic Park will be hosting their annual History of The Soldier event this weekend and thanks to underwriting from the Town of Camp Verde it will be free admission to the Park all weekend long. SRP, Larry Green Chevrolet, Allegra Marketing, and Nackard Pepsi are all sponsors of the success of this community-based event.

The improving COVID situation and increasing vaccine rate all help to make the event possible but people are still encouraged to follow the basic precautions: stay home if you’re sick, wash your hands often and wear a mask when close to other people. With increased vendor spacing, a wine pavilion shade canopy with improved circulation and additional hand sanitizer and washing stations available this should be a safe and relaxing event. Most of the event will be outside in the beautiful sunshine but there will be vendors in our Community Center Gym taking advantage of the spacious inside space. Wine tasting tickets are available for $20 in the large airy wine pavilion or have a beer from the Verde Valley Rangers. 

Wineries include Alcantara Vineyards, Clear Creek Vineyards, Heart Wood Cellars and Salt Mine Wine from right here in Camp Verde. Southwest Wine Center at Yavapai College is both an Estate vineyard as well as a teaching winery, functioning as a premiere wine industry and community resource. Offering both degrees and certificates in viticulture and enology, Yavapai College is also a Platinum level sponsor and partner in the Pecan & Wine Festival. Burning Tree Cellars, Carlson Creek Vineyards and Page Springs Cellars round out the list of award-winning wineries.  

The Verde Valley Questers will be selling homemade pies to benefit the Hance House restorations. Sign up now to enter the Pecan Pie contest on Sunday at campverde.sportsites.com/player, through our website campverde.az.gov, using the Blue Book Now button on our Facebook page or get a paper application at the P&R office. Please register in advance to ensure enough entries to hold the contest.

Contact Camp Verde Parks & Recreation at 395 S. Main St., parks@campverde.az.gov , (928)554-0820 Option 3 or www.visitcampverde.com/events  as well as Facebook for more information.