ROCHESTER - Rochester Main Street's annual fundraiser "Wine in the Gardens ~ Beer in the Woods" was held on June 5 at Studley's Flower Gardens on Wakefield Street.
The event was open to the public and featured several courses of wine and craft beer tastings which were paired with food courses from local Rochester restaurants. The event also featured a silent auction, a basket raffle, and live music from Gabby Martin Music.
Although the event date competed with other area events and affected attendance, Main Street's Executive Director Angela Mills stated the event was a success.
"We had really good support from the community and from guests who attended and supported our silent auction," Mills said.
This was their ninth year hosting this annual fundraiser, so Main Street decided to introduce a friendly competition between the area restaurants. Guests were encouraged to vote for their favorite food course. Participating restaurants include Lilac City Grille, Burrito Bandito, Windjammers Seafood Restaurant, Curlies Comedy Club, Revolution Taproom and Grill, The Governors Inn, and The Potters House Bakery and Café. Refreshments were also provided by Hannaford Supermarkets.
Mills said the competition was very close, and every course received votes. "Every course was great," Mills said. "There was only one vote separating first and second place, and only one separating second and third place."
First place was awarded to Lilac City Grille for their Mango-Habanero Chicken Mac & Cheese. The runner-up was Revolution Taproom and Grill with their Smoked Scallop Crudo with Bacon and Brie Crostini. Third place was awarded to Windjammers Seafood Restaurant for their Mini Lobster Rolls. Additional courses included Cheese and Crackers platters from Hannaford Supermarkets, Chicken Burritos from Burrito Banditos, Assorted Mini Subs from Curlies Comedy Club, Spring Rolls from The Governor's Inn, and Chocolate Eclairs from The Potter's House Bakery.
Wine was provided by Flag Hill Distillery and Winery of Lee. Craft beer was provided by Hobbs Tavern of West Ossipee.
Auction items ranged from gift certificates to event tickets to art.
"Thanks to the attendees, our auction was a success," Mills noted. "Fundraisers like this allow us to help strengthen downtown by hosting workshops for businesses, by promoting and marketing downtown, and by bringing people to the district to see what we do have to offer."
This event was co-sponsored by Studley's Flower Gardens, Federal Savings Bank, and Waterstone Properties. Mills credits the sponsors and the event volunteers for making the fundraiser successful. "Thanks to tremendous volunteer input, we were able to host a successful event to feature our area restaurants and partners. These volunteers are amazing," Mills said.
Rochester Main Street welcomes volunteer involvement in all events. If you are interested in participating, contact their office at director@RochesterMainStreet.org.