Ligonier plans annual sampling of wine, sweets and spirits

Fans of Ligonier’s Wine, Whiskey & Sweets Walk may find the event’s appeal more potent than ever after a year’s wait.

The third annual invitation to sip, stroll and shop in downtown Ligonier was postponed, and then canceled, last year — after the arrival of the covid-19 pandemic.

Finally, the outdoor event is slated to proceed from 1 to 5 p.m. on May 8, rain or shine. Tickets cost $25 each and are limited to just 400.

“It’s Mother’s Day weekend,” said Amy Beitel, executive director of the Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a great opportunity to treat your mother to a sampling of wines, spirits and sweets.”

Samples will be available from a variety of vendors. The walk is organized by the chamber, which has popularized such similar strolling events as the annual Soup’s On sampling of broth-based recipes — last held in March, in its 11th year.

Participants in the May event must be 21 or older and will receive a wristband during registration, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Ligonier’s Town Hall Courtyard, 120 E. Main St.

Those attending also will be required to wear a face mask and to follow any other pandemic health guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that are in effect at the time.

Beitel noted there will be plenty of room for social distancing as vendors will be spaced in tents around Ligonier’s Diamond and extending two blocks east and west.

Wine vendors include: B & L Wine Cellars, the Bee Kind Winery Ligonier store, Bella Terra Vineyards, Bushy Run Winery, Good Life Wine & Spirits, LaVigneta Winery and Wine O’Clock Somewhere Winery.

The array of whiskey vendors includes: Chicken Hill Distillery, Country Hammer Moonshine, Quantum Spirits, Stateside Vodka and Tattiebogle CiderWorks.

Also available, through a partnership of the town’s historic Fort Ligonier and Pittsburgh’s Wigle Whiskey, will be Wigle’s 1762 Whiskey.

Inspired by Lt. Archibald Blane’s painting of Fort Ligonier that hangs in the fort’s museum, the whiskey was introduced during the fort’s Cannon Ball fundraising event in September. Blane created the watercolor image while he was in command of the fort in 1762.

“We’re looking forward to participating in the chamber’s event and sharing Fort Ligonier’s incredible story through our 1762 Whiskey,” said Julie Donovan, director of marketing and public relations at the fort. “We only sell it a few days during the calendar year, and this is our first whiskey sale of the year.”

Walk vendors with sweets designed to tempt include: Little Garden Kitchen, O’Shea’s Candies Sweet Shop, Scamps Toffee and Simply Good.

Ligonier merchants will hold sidewalk sales from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 8.

Tickets for Wine, Whiskey & Sweets may be purchased in the chamber office, at 120 E. Main St., or online, by searching for Wine, Whiskey & Sweets Walk at eventbrite.com. A $3.16 process fee applies for online ticket sales.