By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
According to event coordinator Louis Boehle, owner of Encompass Antiques, the Corks & Hops craft beer and artisan wine walk on Oct. 5, the final one for this season, lured some 450 ticketholders from as far as San Diego, Los Angeles and Fullerton.
“It’s a good number of ticketholders,” Boehle said, speculating that they may have been encouraged to come here now that the heavy smoke and ashes from several wildfires burning for over a month in the Inland Empire area had, for the most part, settled down.
Monica Castro from Fullerton came here for the first time ever, to visit her old friend from high school, Noemi, who lives in Crestline and invited her to take part in last Saturday’s event. Participants get a wristband with 10 pull-off numbers, entitling them to 10 small cups of beer or wine at each of the 10 pour stations in the Top Town and Lake Drive business districts.
Local guitarist Ryan Dufford entertained folks on the crowded sidewalk with familiar songs.
Their first stop was at Hearth and Sage Emporium in Top Town, where they both decided to try the Casa Ariza Blanc de Blanc white wine. From the smiles on their faces, it was readily apparent they liked it.
Jane Chaname from Banning enjoys some red wine while watching the band play at Bizzyland.
Jane Chaname, a resident of Banning, decided to try a French made Pinot Noir. Daley Hake, co-owner of Hearth and Sage, explained this Jenny and Francois Gaspard Pinot Noir contained fine tannins and was made from a symphony of red and black fruit from 30- to 40-year-old vines. Outside, local guitarist Ryan Dufford was entertaining those on the crowded sidewalk with classic rock music.
Songstress Shannon Bizzy belts out well known jazz and rock classics.
Meanwhile, down in the Lake Gregory Village business district on Lake Drive, Chaname was once again encountered at the Bizzyland floral shop and garden entertainment center, where songstress Shannon Bizzy was on stage with her band, belting out classic rock and jazz favorites to an admiring crowd.
Participants mingle at Encompass Antiques.
Down the street at Trinket Trader, crowds were enjoying tacos from Tacos Y Mas and Mexican-style Amber Lager from Eureka Brewing. Farther down Lake Drive, a band was playing at Encompass Antiques, where folks munching on fried chicken from Chicken Republic were mingling and dancing.
Event sponsors and organizers from the Crestline Chamber of Commerce are reportedly planning on staging the next Corks & Hops event in February 2025, indoors at Crestline’s historic San Moritz Lodge.
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