Saturday, September 12th and Sunday, September 13th

The Wine Crush in Old Town is an urban wine festival featuring an enticing opportunity to sample over 50 wines from around the world. The event transforms Wells Street into a European-style open market featuring wine and food pavilions serving the cuisine of popular neighborhood eateries.

This year the festival will last for two days on Wells Street from North Avenue to Schiller. There will be one premium wine tasting tent. The price for wine tasting is $40.00 for 10 wines. Aficionados and novices will have the opportunity to taste wines from domestic vineyards as well as from France, Italy, Australia, Spain, and Chile, among others. Wine tasting is from 1pm to 6pm on both days.
Sample from the following PREMIUM wines:
Moreux 2007 Sancerre "Les Bouffants"
Ceago 2007 Chardonnay
Marimar 2006 Chardonnay "Acero"
Pahlmeyer 2007 Chardonnay "Jayson"
Errazuriz 2007 Chardonnay "Wild Ferment"
Tamayo 2007 Chardonnay
Tamayo 2006 Sauvignon Blanc
Stoneleigh 2008 Sauvignon Blanc
Chateau Graville-Lacoste 2008 Graves Blanc
Salomon 2006 Riesling "Steinterrassen"
Knyphausen 2005 Kiedricher Sandgrub Riesling Spatlese
Chamonix 2007 Sauvignon Blanc
Chamonix 2007 Chardonnay
Chamonix 2007 Pinot Noir
Witness Tree 2007 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
Au Bon Climat 2006 Pinot Noir "Les Bauges"
Flowers 2007 "Perennial"
Alma Rosa 2005 Pinot Noir "La Encantada"
Loring Wine Company 2006 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard
Errazuriz 2006 Single Vineyard Carmenere
Robertson Cabernet Sauvignon "Prospect Hill" 2005
Steltzner 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Ceago 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Chateau Pipeau 2000 St. Emilion
Domaine Cabirou 2007 Cotes Catalanes "Serge & Tony"
Movia Quattro Mani
Ridge Vineyards 2007 Zinfandel, Paso Robles
Norman 2006 Zinfandel "The Monster"
Sattler Zweigelt
Branham 2005 "Senal"
Alcina 2004 Syrah Gabrielli Vineyard, Napa
Bodegas Fernandez 2005 Tinto "Pesquera," Ribera del Duero
Poniatowski 1990 Vouvray Moelleux "Clos Baudoin"

The Wine Crush also features live-stage performances throughout the festival. In addition to music, the entertainment will also include live comedy acts and food demonstrations. Art Vendors will line the street showing their goods - and of course all of Old Town's favorite specialty shops and restaurants will be open all day long.

Why is it called the Wine Crush in Old Town, you may ask? Because there is a good old fashioned grape stomping contest! Teams of two will be competing to be named the number one grape stompers of the festival. The Grape Stomping Competition will take place both on Saturday and Sunday.

HISTORICAL FUN RUN!
A historical fun run will kick off the day's events for the Old Town Crush, Music & Comedy. The run will start at the entertainment stage on Wells St. just south of North Avenue. A Chicago historian and avid runner will rally the troops and then take them on a roughly 4 mile jog north on Wells St. and wind through Lincoln Park until the group finishes at the intersection of Wells and Schiller.

At the end of the run, participants will be able to hear a seminar on the benefits of wine for the runner. Entrance fees to the Old Town Crush, Music & Comedy festival will be waived for runners and they will receive some token gifts from the neighborhood.

The run is free of charge and will always move at a very recreational pace (no more than 12-minute miles). Runners will meet at 11am at the intersection of North and Wells by the entertainment stage within the festival grounds. The run is expected to take about one hour and fifteen minutes -- this accounts for breaks taken to discuss historical spots and points of interest. Please visit www.chicagoevents.com to sign up for the fun run!

ENTERTAINMENT STAGE SCHEDULE (NORTH AVENUE)
-Saturday-
12:30 ABBA Salute Band
2:15 The Hat Guys
6:00 Lounge Puppets
8:00 Gin Blossoms

-Sunday-
12:00 True Praise Gospel Choir
2:15 Jambon
4:00 16 Candles

ENTERTAINMENT STAGE (O'BRIENS LOT)
-Saturday-
12:15pm - Dan Hubbard & the Humadors
1:45pm - Beauty School Dropouts (comedy)
2:00pm - Eric Landshaft Trio
3:30pm - Red Orchid Theatre "Youth Ensemble" (comedy and music)
3:45pm - Josh & the Empty Pockets
5:15pm - Red Orchid Theatre "Youth Ensemble" (comedy and music)
5:25 - Todd Kessler
6:55pm - Ralphie Roberts (comedy)
7:10pm - Jason Reeves
8:45pm - Martin Gollogly (comedy)
9:00pm - Laura Warshauer

-Sunday-
Noon - Taylor Carson
1:00pm - Bob Jay (comedy)
1:15pm - One Sweet Jane
2:15pm - Bob Jay (comedy)
2:30pm - That 1 Guy
4:15pm - Chicago Cabaret Project (music & comedy)
5:15pm - Chicago Cabaret Project (music & comedy)

COOKING DEMONSTRATION STAGE (SCHILLER)
-Saturday-
1:00 p.m. - Chef Christian Phernotten, Old Town Brasserie
2:30 p.m. - Kamehachi Restaurant
4:00 p.m. - David Datallo, The Fudge Pot (Chocolate dipping demonstration)

-Sunday-
1:00 p.m. - Chef Othon Angel, Adobo Grill (Zucchini quesadilla -- and more!)
2:30 p.m. - Chef/Owner Dino Lubbat, Dinotto Ristorante

The gates will open at 11am on Saturday, September 12th and close at 10pm. On Sunday September 13th, the event is open from 11:00am to 6:00pm.