Fans Plan To Skip Wine In The Woods Event After It Loses MD Wineries Association's Support

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The Maryland Wineries Association board announced Wednesday it has ended its partnership with Howard County's Wine in the Woods due to a cut in its share of the revenue.

Supporters have said on social media that they will boycott the event in protest of Howard County's decision to capture more of the event's revenue and some even want a refund for tickets already purchased.

The Maryland Wine Association co-created the event 30 years ago. Howard County said the 30th Wine in the Woods will go on as scheduled, which has been set for May 18-19 at Symphony Woods by the Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia. Tickets went on sale March 7.

The association said that Howard County leadership has "significantly reduced the terms of the annual revenue sharing arrangement" and that decision "made our continued participation untenable."

"This decision was not made lightly or without careful consideration. (We have) enjoyed a long and successful partnership," the association said on its Facebook page. "We have enthusiastically served as a liaison to our state’s proud wineries, as well as helping to organize, promote and operate a successful annual event. While we are saddened and disappointed by the outcome, our commitment to supporting and promoting Maryland Wine remains unwavering. We will explore alternative programming to meet the financial needs of the association."

Howard County leaders told WMAR that the Department of Recreation and Parks was told Jan. 11 that Grow and Fortified, the group used to support Wine in the Woods, was no longer in business and was transitioning to a new company. DRP staff and representatives from MWA, along with new vendor Cultivate and Craft, met Feb. 1 to discuss a transition.

Leaders say they have a "fiduciary responsibility" to make sure county costs are "directly for the procurement of goods and services that the county requires."

"We valued MWA’s involvement in Wine in the Woods in the past, and are disappointed that the two parties were not able to agree to mutually beneficial terms after several rounds of negotiation," Howard County said in a statement.

Numerous residents have stated on Facebook they will not be going to the event this year due to the crumbling of the partnership between Howard County and the MWA. They said their favorite wineries have pulled out of the event and therefore, they won't be attending either.

"I bought tickets before I knew about the MD Wineries Association fiasco. Wish I hadn't," one Facebook user said.

"Poor decision to not partner with the Maryland Wine Association for a Maryland Wine event...make it make sense. Shame on you Howard County...let's see where this greed takes you," another Facebook user said.

"I bought explorer tickets before the news about the MWA, will I be able to get a refund? It seems like I was scammed into buying tickets to an event that is going to be terrible," another Facebook user said.