Downtown Bryan festival draws statewide attention

The third annual Texas Reds and Grapes Festival starts Friday, June 19. Live music, a steak cook-off and wine tasting highlight the events of the weekend.

By: Alex Worsham

Posted: 6/18/09

More than 25,000 people are expected to sink their teeth into Texas steak and sip Texas wine in downtown Bryan this weekend.

The third annual Texas Reds and Grapes Festival, a free public event, will kick off Friday with live music.

"Midnight Express will open for Big Otis," said event coordinator Gwynne Shillings. "Big Otis is more of an all around R&B rock and Midnight Express is more classic rock."

More than 20 wineries from Texas will be competing in a taste-off.

"We'll have wineries from all over the hill country and Dallas and some from the bluebonnet trail," Shillings said. " You can purchase glasses of wine or you can purchase a bottle."

Every wine is worth tasting, she said.

"[The wineries] are all great. They're all different," Shillings said. "Of course we have the Messina Hof from here in town. They're here every year."

The Messina Hof staff will shuttle guests Saturday for free tours to the Messina Hof winery, located on Reliant Road in Bryan.

"We like to have a variety out there because not everybody has the same taste," Shillings said. "There's something there for everybody who likes wine."

More than 20 teams will compete at 11 a.m. Saturday in the steak cook-off, including last year's best of show winner Hometown Gang from Bryan, Texas.

Local celebrities, including elected officials, will be judging the steaks, said April Saginor, Bryan communications director and a 2008 steak cook-off judge.

"You don't know you can cook steak that differently. They were all very different," she said. "Some were cooked in wine or seasoned with different seasonings or have special cuts. They're all very unique."

A Kids Zone and Grape Stomp will be open until 7 p.m. Saturday. The Grape Stomp competition costs $5 and proceeds benefit the Texas Reds 4-H scholarship program. The champion stomp-off will begin at 6:30 p.m. and prizes include passes to Texas amusement parks.

"If you haven't done [the Grape Stomp], you should," said Darrell Lovelette, director of parks and recreation. "It's a lot of fun."

A big turnout is expected at the festival this year, Shillings said.

"The first year was very successful; we brought in about 8,000 to 10,000 people," she said. "The second year was estimated about 18,000, and this year we expect 25,000."

The festival helps the city of Bryan economically, Lovelette said.

"This is a festival that really puts Bryan on the map," he said. "We market to all of Texas including the Houston area, to Dallas and Austin.".

Robert Earl Keen, a Texas singer, will be performing at 9 p.m. Saturday.

"I think it is catching on by word of mouth. Robert Earl Keen is drawing a lot of attention this year from outside Bryan," Saginor said. "I had a lady from Austin call me the other day asking about this event. She'd never heard of the festival but she wanted to take her husband to see [Keen] for Father's Day. It's a great way to introduce other people to our little town."

Father's Day has been a big help to draw attention to the festival this year, Saginor said.

"I think [Father's Day] enhances it," Saginor said. "It's a pretty good Father's Day gift to eat the food, drink some wine and enjoy the show."

The third annual Texas Reds and Grapes Festival, a free public event, will begin at 6 p.m. Friday and ends at 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Admission to the event is free, but tickets must be purchased for the steak cook-off and wine tasting. Presale tickets are $15 and can be purchased at HEB-Bryan, JCody's , Clear Channel, Readfield Meats, Producers Co-Op, LaSalle Hotel, City Of Bryan Parks and Recreation, City of Bryan Municipal Office Building, B/CS Chamber of Commerce, B/CS Convention and Visitor Bureau, and Bryan Broadcasting. Tickets can also be bought at the festival for $20. Saturday morning the festival will begin with wine tasting at 10 a.m. For more information visit texasredsfestival.com