Ten years, hundreds of wines, and countless cheers later, The Wine Festival at Kurtz’s Beach has become a signature fall event in Pasadena. This year’s festival – set for Saturday, October 18 and Sunday, October 19 – marks a full decade of celebrating the region’s best wines, local businesses, and community spirit – all set against the backdrop of Kurtz’s Beach.
“We wanted to share our amazing waterfront venue with the community and also find a fun way to give back,” said John Mason, President of Kurtz’s Beach LTD. “We’ve partnered with the Baltimore Washington Medical Center Foundation on this event since the inception of the festival.”
Since its start, the festival has benefited The Tate Cancer Center at UM BWMC – a partnership that Mason says has always felt natural. “The Tate Cancer Center is a mainstay in this community, and cancer reaches everyone,” he said. “With October being breast cancer awareness month, it was an organic partnership that just made sense.”
Over the years, the Wine Festival at Kurtz’s Beach has evolved to include a variety of vendors and attractions. “We’ve learned many lessons since this event started,” Mason said. “We’ve incorporated not only local Maryland wineries, but many regional wines as well. This festival has grown to include arts, crafts, distilleries, breweries, and food trucks. We’ve expanded the experience to include our pavilions filled with vendors, a large tasting tent in the field, and even more food options.”
Attendees this weekend can look forward to sampling more than 100 wines, enjoying live music, and exploring a marketplace of local vendors and artisans. “Regardless of the weather, we’ve been blessed to have attendees support this event to the fullest,” Mason said. “There’s always a festive atmosphere both Saturday and Sunday. People come to relax, celebrate, and enjoy the Chesapeake.”
The festival has also become the backdrop for many memorable moments over the years. “We’ve become a go-to for various groups of friends, family, and neighbors,” Mason shared. “Birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, and of course bachelorette parties have all been part of the event – but the most important are those celebrating their cancer remission.”
As Kurtz’s Beach prepares to host the milestone 10th annual Wine Festival, Mason says it’s a weekend of gratitude as much as celebration. “We are overjoyed that we’ve been given the opportunity to celebrate with our community over the last 10 years and open our doors to guests that may have never been to Kurtz’s Beach,” he said.
Tickets for The Wine Festival at Kurtz’s Beach are available online and at the gate. The event runs Saturday and Sunday at Kurtz’s Beach, offering guests a chance to sip, shop, and savor local flavor – all while supporting a cause that touches lives across the Pasadena community and beyond.
