CARDINGTON- The Inaugural 2022 Cardington Wine and Arts Festival hosted and sponsored by the Friends of Cardington was held Saturday, September 17 in the American Legion Community Park.
The first annual festival, originally planned for 2021, was held after Cardington village voters overwhelmingly approved ballot measures earlier this year to expand access for wine sales and consumption in the park and throughout the village.
The seven wineries from around Ohio who joined Cardington in the festival were Shamrock Vineyard, Waldo; Wishmaker House, Bellville; Dalton Union Winery, Marysville; Bokes Creek Winery, Raymond; Lincoln Way Winery, Wooster, Plum Run Winery; Grove City and Bunker’s Mill Winery. Cardington artists who shared their talents during the festival included 3R Live Edge,Wells Designs, A Message from Above Designs, Mount Gilead; Brielle Blue Art, Handmade in Harmony, Marengo; Ginger Gypsy and Mellow Mixtures, Marion; Holmes Homie Blankets and More, Lancaster; Brenda Howell, Caledonia; Kreider Kabin Farms, Ashley; The Laughing Gourd Studio; Galion; Masked Double B Spin Art, Prospect; Poppen Art, SA J Designs and Jan Shade, Galion; and 547 Soap Company, Roger and Cathy Cole, Michelle Cope, Creative Keepsakes by Missy, C T. Pallet Designs, Delisa Michelle Florals, Happy Heidi Paints (Columbus) Cardington native, Underground Art Studio 37; Wheat’s Woodland Creations and Jackie Winchell, Cardington.
Additionally, an art display by local artist Joanne Mathews was displayed in the historic Linstedt Log Cabin with art by local students.
There were five food trucks for the event and they included Riverside Homemade Ice Cream, Marion-Cardington original; Chef Shacik, Marengo; Le Delicia, Marion and Gyro Corner and Alien Marie’s Delivious Dishes, Cardington.
Playing throughout the day on the park’s main stage were After Silver, Delaware and Parental Guidance, Cardington.
The Cardington-Lincoln Public Library along with former Cardington art teacher Jen Poppen, hosted a kids chalk art gallery on the pavement of the old skate park. The library also sponsored take and make crafts and a wine and arts theme trivia game.
Rick Mitchell, Cardington Wine and Arts Festival Chairman, said, “Thank you to everyone that made the Cardington Wine and Arts Festival happen. It was by all accounts a success and happened because of the Cardington community came together to overcome obstacles and pave the way for a great community event that has placed Cardington on the map in the Ohio Wine Culture. There were many people who came to Cardington from all over Ohio and even a tennis pro from Australia to experience what Cardington and Morrow County has to offer. The intent of the festival was to fund raise for Friends of Cardington. The day raised funds to make sure there will be more and improved events in the village in the coming years. Put September 16, 2023 on the calendar for the next Cardington Wine and Arts Festival.”
The following sponsors are thanked ; Groovy Plants Ranch, Stage Sponsor; LSI/Hot Shot Secrets, Barrel Sponsor; Finishing Touch Car Wash, Suz-E-Q’s, 1836 Restaurant and Tavern, Cardington Chiropractic, Lisa Brake ReMax Impact, LeAnne Gompf Century 21 Gold Standard; HP Homes Carafe Sponsors, Pirates Cove Pizza, Gompf Funeral Service, Mid-Ohio Insurance, Village Hair Smith, FC Bank, Friends of the Festival – Park National Bank, Cardington Barbershop, Singinig Springs Nursery and Grocery Nook.
In addition thanks were made to Converse Electric for donating supplies and setting up electric hookups, S & S Dumpsters for donating a dumpster and Lindsey Grimm of Morrow County Recycling/Keep Morrow County Beautiful for providing, setting up and removing trash and recycling for the event.
T-Shirts and commemorative wine glasses from the event will remain for sale at Bunker’s Mill Winery, Cardington. Glasses are $5 and t-shirts, $15.00