Wine fest, yacht show top Harbor calendar

Other 2008 events include farmers market, tree lighting

The inaugural event will be the first National Harbor Wine and Food Festival. The festival runs May 17-18. Tickets are $65 for one day and $100 for two days.

The program will offer more than 30 selections of wine along with a traditional clam bake, chef demonstrations, book signings, wine tastings, panels and lectures, said Lynn Schwartz, the festival’s show manager.

Chefs who have confirmed to speak and hold demonstrations at the festival are Michel Richard of Citronelle in Washington, D.C.; Suvir Saran of Dévi in New York City and Wilo Benet of Pikayo in Puerto Rico.

In addition, the festival will feature an artisan products and boutique wines pavilion, a lost culinary arts pavilion and a culinary future pavilion, which will include educational information about sustainable food production, preserving culinary traditions and valuing food quality and variety.

Schwartz said this festival will become an annual attraction at National Harbor.

‘‘This is the first chance for people to see what’s going on both at National Harbor and the wine festival,” Schwartz said. ‘‘And we want the festival to meet the caliber of the National Harbor development.”

Schwartz said the magnitude of the festival will be bigger than the annual two-day Washington, D.C., International Wine and Food Festival, which was held recently at the Reagan Building and International Trade Center which holds around 4,000 people. Schwartz hopes the National Harbor Festival, to be held under tents along the Potomac River, will attract around 7,000 people per day.

‘‘There will also be more of an emphasis placed on food,” she said. ‘‘There will be more of a balance between wine and food than at the D.C. festival, and there will also be more speakers.”

Schwartz said National Harbor is a spectacular venue for the annual festival.

‘‘It’s very exciting to be the first event at National Harbor,” she said. ‘‘It’s the first chance people get to see some of the great things to come at National Harbor.”

Other events scheduled for this year are a yacht show from June 5-8, a summer concert series every Friday from June 6 through August and an Oktoberfest celebration Sept. 27. No acts have been confirmed for the concert series yet, Viniard said.

Also, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays starting May 31, the harbor will feature American Market — an upscale farmers market. The market, which runs through August, will feature fresh fruits and vegetables and other locally grown foods.

The holiday season kicks off at 7 p.m. Nov. 28 with a choir performance, a dramatic tree-lighting ceremony and fireworks. There also will be a regional choir to sing around the tree every Thursday, Friday and Saturday through the end of December.

Details of the 2009 schedule are not available, Viniard said.

Jim Estepp, president and CEO of the Greater Prince George’s Business Roundtable, said these festivities and the National Harbor itself will help Prince George’s County and the entire Capital Region.

‘‘These events indicate a tremendous amount of interest for all things National Harbor,” Estepp said, predicting they will be an economic engine for the region.

‘‘This is a venue we can all be proud of,” he said.

E-mail Ryan McDermott at rmcdermott@gazette.net.

2008 schedule

National Harbor Food and Wine Festival – May 17-18. Tickets are $65 for one day, $100 for both. For more information go to www.foodandwinnh.com.

American Market – Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 31 through mid October.

National Harbor Yacht Show – June 5-8. For more information go to www.nationalharbor.com.

Summer Concert Series – Every Friday at 7 p.m., June 6 through August. For more information go to www.nationalharbor.com.

Oktoberfest – Sept. 27. For more information go to www.nationalharbor.com.

Holiday tree lighting – 7 p.m. Nov. 28.

Voices of National Harbor – Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., Nov. 28 through the end of December.