This Weekend: Mountain View Celebrates 44th Annual Art & Wine Festival, September 12-13

Festival insiders know the Mountain View Art & Wine Festival is the crème de la crème on the Bay Area festival scene. Voted “Best Festival in the South Bay” multiple times and still hitting on all cylinders better than ever, this year’s 44th annual festival, September 12-13 promises to be a “festival like no other”.

An authentic and moveable feast for the senses. The cool, vibrant, multicultural Castro Street vibe. The Bay Area Super Bowl Committee’s impressive “The 50 Tour: Champions of the Bay” exhibit. A fabulous tasting tent – “Wine Haven, Taste of the Mountains Passport Days” – to sample fine wine from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Exceptional handcrafted work by 600 of America’s top artists and craftmakers. Stellar live music on stage and street throughout downtown including the return of mega-hit “Salsa Sunday”. Fabulous food and drink. The Comcast Pigskin Party Lounge with giant screen TV. Artisan specialty food purveyors. Home and garden exhibits. Health and wellness displays. An organic and green products showcase. Tons of fun and games for kids with ultra thrilling bungee jumping and super fun, roll-on-water “waterballerz” among the amazing attractions. An affordable, sun-splashed, memorable, leisure-filled weekend.

The San Francisco Bay Area Super Bowl 50 Host Committee is bringing “The 50 Tour: Champions of the Bay” to appear at the festival this year. It’s a huge mobile exhibit designed to celebrate the history of the Bay Area’s championship teams, the Oakland Raiders and the San Francisco 49ers. The tour appearance will feature:

•Champions Row: The Bay Area has more Super Bowl wins than any other region. Eight Bay Area Super Bowl Vince Lombardi Trophies will be on display – five from the San Francisco 49ers and three from the Oakland Raiders – with photo montages capturing the championship wins. The 50 Tour will be the first time that all eight championship trophies will be displayed together.

•The Chevron STEM Zone: An initiative to promote higher education in science, technology, engineering, and math, the Chevron STEM Zone will invite Tour visitors to learn more about the science of football. Together, Chevron and the 49ers Foundation have donated $4 million dedicated to providing engaging STEM curriculum for Santa Clara area students.

•Autograph Sessions: on Saturday, September 12, fans will have the opportunity to meet current and former NFL players, as well as other Bay Area champions.

Widely considered one of America’s top art festivals, huge throngs of art lovers are expected to pour onto Castro Street in Silicon Valley’s epicenter for this “Cultural Community Celebration” presented by the Chamber of Commerce Mountain View. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Admission is free.

The festival will feature an exceptional lineup of artists and craftmakers, many with fresh, new work and a variety of affordable price points. Buyers and browsers will find thousands of handcrafted items by America’s best artists while browsing among 600 well-stocked booths featuring original work in glass, ceramics, metals, fiber, leather, wood, jewelry, and fine art. Beautiful vases, clocks, dishes, wall and table decorations, paperweights, stained and beveled glass, etchings, sculptures, photography, oil and watercolor paintings, beadwork, gold and silver jewelry, vests, handbags, hats, wallets, footwear, and waterfalls will be among the thousands of one-of-a-kind items available.

Returning for a second year is “Wine Haven, Taste of the Mountains Passport Days” presented by the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association. Wine lovers will bask in the glow of a cool tent tasting wine from premier Santa Cruz Mountain Vintners including Cinnabar, Domenico, The Mountain Winery, Russian Ridge and Roudon Smith, enhanced with live music and seating.

Get your groove on! Thirteen dynamic bands will play a wide-ranging musical mix on the Civic Center Plaza Music Stage and multiple street locations throughout downtown –– pulsating Salsa, Motown, rhythm and blues, contemporary country, classic rock ‘n roll, jazz, soul, world-beat, Americana, Latin rock, disco and party music. The entertainment lineup includes the return of smash-hit ”Salsa Sunday” with Orquesta Borinquen and Ruckatan plus The Peelers, Old School, Lyin I’s (Eagles Tribute), Pacific Soul, Emerson & The Growiser Band, Bob Culbertson, Aryeh Frankfurter, HeartStrings Music, Mike Fair, John Clarke, and Ancient Winds.

Action-packed Kids’ Park will keep youngsters plenty enthralled with ultra thrilling bungee jumping, wild and wacky waterballerz, Mobile Rock’s gripping 24-foot climbing wall, ultra fun obstacle course and bouncers, super cool temporary tattoos, face painting and body art, hula hooping, feather hair extensions, exotic French hair braiding and caricature art.

The Kids’ Park Community Stage is back! A dazzling array of young performers will strut their showstopping stuff in front of a live audience in this “Mountain View’s Got Talent” style showcase.

Festival eateries will be serving up a world of flavorful fare –– cilantro garlic fries, fresh corn-on-the-cob, tri-tip, beef brisket and pulled pork sandwiches, Teriyaki chicken and vegetables, barbecue chicken and pork skewers, chicken wraps, gourmet sausages, chicken wings, garlic chicken sandwiches, Parmesan-sprinkled garlic fries, smoked turkey legs, zesty fried calamari, baked potatoes, fried artichokes and zucchini, bacon-wrapped hot dogs, made-to-order crepes, gyros, cheesesteaks, tamales, tacos, quesadillas, burritos, taco salad, sausage wraps, crispy Roti, barbecue chicken over rice, chocolate-dipped fruit kabobs, ice cream, fresh fruit smoothies, Hawaiian shaved ice, fresh-squeezed lemonade, kettle corn, roasted peanuts and more.

Complementing the fabulous food will be premium wines, seasonal microbrews, refreshing margaritas and sangria. The brewmasters at Tied House will be offering their flagship Cascade Amber plus a batch of a refreshing Some Kind of Lager as this year’s special festival brew. Shock Top Belgian White, Modelo Especial, Goose Island IPA and Negra Modelo will also be served. Wine lovers will be tempted by luscious vintages from from several outstanding winemakers. The wine list includes Chateau St. Michelle Riesling, Columbia Crest Armitage, Chateau St. Michelle Chardonnay, Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, San Elias Sauvignon Blanc, Chateau St. Jean Pinot Noir. Or enjoy a cold Bud Light Lime-A-Rita or Straw-Ber-Rita, tasty Puerta Vallarta Margarita cocktail or Morada Sangria for a deliciously refreshing beverage alternative.

Sports fans will have a place to watch NFL and NCAA football and MLB games on a giant LED screen in the Comcast Pigskin Party Lounge with plenty of seating, festive food and drink –– the perfect spot to kick back and take a break from the teeming crowds. Also on tap is the expanded Organic & Green Products Showcase –– see the latest and greatest exhibits featuring Organic, Natural, Healthy and Eco-Friendly products.

This year’s Zero Waste Initiative has been stepped up with the Chamber of Commerce, Recology Mountain View, and the City of Mountain View joining forces to maximize composting and recycling and minimize waste. Festival organizers are also encouraging the use of public transit, bicycles and car pools to cut down carbon emissions and vehicular traffic. Free secure bicycle parking will be available at Church and Castro.

The Mountain View Art & Wine Festival will be held on September 12-13 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Castro Street between El Camino Real and Evelyn Avenue in Mountain View, California. Admission is free. For festival information, call 650-968-8378 or visit http://mountainview.miramarevents.com

WHAT: 44th Mountain View Art & Wine Festival, “A Festival Like No Other”

WHEN: September 12-13, 2015. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days.

WHERE: On Castro Street between El Camino Real and Evelyn Avenue in Mountain View CA.

INFO-LINE: 650-968-8378

WEBSITE: http://mountainview.miramarevents.com

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/MountainViewArtWineFestival

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/#!/miramarevents

YOU TUBE: https://youtu.be/AwXeuknc7D