By: Shane Bagot
HalloWine started back in 2022 as a fun Halloween event for the community of Millville to dress up for the holiday and enjoy the fall weather. It also acts as a celebration of New Jersey wine and the industry. The event was originally a collaborative effort by Cedar Rose Vineyards partners Steve Becker, Dustin Tarpine, Robert Becker, and investor Sam Pipitone, with some additional help from Tarpine’s wife, Katie.
It is now in its fifth year. It will take place on October 31 from noon to 7:30 p.m. at Cedar Rose Vineyards, 431 Kenyon Avenue, Millville. There are two ticket options: $15 for regular admission or a $25 package including a souvenir glass, a tote, and your first glass of wine as part of the package.
Cedar Rose Vineyards is a New Jersey winery and vineyard. According to Cedar Rose Vineyards, its wines are made from 100% New Jersey-grown grapes, with 95% coming from its estate vineyards. They have tasting rooms where people can visit to try wines from their guided tasting courses, which include a variety of wine styles on showcase, or private tastings with a tour attached. On top of that, they have a kitchen with a full food menu. The vineyard also hosts live music and various wine-pairing events.
HalloWine began as a small event that the South Jersey natives had long wanted to organize. They saw a chance to bring something new to the community they’ve long been a part of. It also allowed them to showcase local vendors and bands.
“We’re proud of what we do here, and the industry is a lot bigger and a lot more developed than I think a lot of people realize. So it’s a great way to get a bunch of people out and, you know, show people how great Jersey wine is, and then just have a really great day with local people, local vendors, and local bands,” said Tarpine.
The founders, being from South Jersey, recognize the other wineries’ events when it comes to setting up their own events. According to Tarpine, the partners drew inspiration from Valenzano Winery’s annual WineFest. Tarpine specifically worked under his mentor Jim Quarella for three years at Bellview Winery. He absorbed what he saw from his time working and the community’s positive response. It all helped aid in their construction of HalloWine. More information about the partners and the winery’s beginnings can be found in Cedar Rose Vineyards’ history.
Drawing inspiration from those experiences, the partners created a Halloween-themed event featuring two separate costume contests for people and pets. Two live bands will perform, with K&J Trio opening and Whiskey Sunset closing the festival. Six food trucks will offer a range of cuisines to accompany the wine, while 25 vendors will have goods for festivalgoers to discover. Fireworks, introduced at last year’s festival according to Tarpine, are scheduled to return at 7:15 p.m. to conclude the evening. Additional festival information is available through VisitNJ’s HalloWine Fest listing.
The Cedar Rose team wants to make sure they are closely organizing with the community in mind. That includes paying attention to local bands and their popularity. They do outreach for the vendors six months in advance to find goods people are actually interested in.
The community comes away from the fest with a lot of different things. According to Tarpine, when you walk through the crowd, you see attendees having a great time listening to bands, shopping with local vendors, and enjoying Cedar Rose wine. Tarpine is grateful to have run a successful event for the community for multiple years.
“I think it’s kind of a different thing, a different way to celebrate Halloween. You know, something out of the ordinary, instead of just going trick-or-treating or going to a house party or something. You can come out here and enjoy the fall weather and check out all the vendors. Listen to some great live music,” said Tarpine.
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This article was produced as part of Follow South Jersey’s student journalism program, which provides aspiring journalists with practical experience in professional news reporting and writing.
