Dayton’s largest wine festival settles in at Carillon Park

After more than a quarter-century, the Fleurs de Fete — Dayton's largest wine-and-food festival — is settling in at its new-and-old home in Carillon Historic Park.

This is the 26th year for the festival, which began at Carillon Park but bounced around to multiple venues during its 25-year tenure. Festival-goers are hopeful the event may have found a forever home back at Carillon, which will host the Fleurs de Fete from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 21.

This year’s festival will include more than 400 wines available for sampling, along with complimentary dishes from local restaurants. It will also feature a Stella Artois Belgian Beer Garden, live music, and a silent auction showcasing fine wines, baskets, travel packages and other experiences donated by local businesses.

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Tickets cost $70 in advance, $75 on the day of the festival, and are available at Carillon Historical Park, both Arrow Wine locations, and online.

The main beneficiary of this year’s festival will be Dayton History, the non-profit organization that operates Carillon Historic Park, although a portion of the proceeds also will be donated to A Special Wish Foundation, Dayton History officials said in a release.

The outdoor wine-and-food festival was founded in 1990 by Heidelberg Distributing Co. and Arrow Wine & Spirits as a charity event benefiting local non-profit organizations. It was held at Carillon Park for a few years following its inception, spent several years at Lincoln Park Civic Commons in Kettering, and returned to Carillon Park in 2001, where it was held through 2014.

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The event assumed the name “Fleurs et Vin” along the way and spent 2015 at Welcome Park near Welcome Stadium in Dayton before returning to its roots for “a new beginning, a new start” last year as “Fleurs de Fete at Carillon Park,” Dayton History President and CEO Brady Kress said in 2016.

For more information, call (937) 293-2841, Ext. 119, or go to fleursdefete.com.


Want to go?

WHAT: Fleurs de Fete wine-and-food festival

WHERE: Carillon Historical Park, 1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton

HOURS: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 21

INFO: (937) 293-2841, Ext. 119 or fleursdefete.com

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