Wine away those winter blues

Colorado's weather seems to be off the wagon after a dry January gave way to alternating days of record warmth and bone-chilling cold in February's opening week. Between hazardous travel, binge shoveling, and two-hour school delays, hitting the bottle for some fermented relief has never been more tempting. If you'd like to channel that urge towards a good cause, join friends and neighbors at the sixth annual Let's Wine About Winter, a store-to-store tasting event through Niwot.

"This is just a really special Niwot event that you can't do anywhere else," said Anne Postle, vice-president of the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, the event sponsor. "It gets people exploring Niwot and Niwot's businesses, and learning more about what we have to offer here. We're really excited about it."

This year's festivities kick-off at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22. Three dozen Niwot merchants on 2nd Avenue and in Cottonwood Square will be open for business and offering a selection of wine, beer, non-alcoholic drinks, and food, which is quickly becoming as tempting as the beverages, according to Postle.

"It's improved every year," she said. "People are doing mini-pasta dishes and wonderful desserts. We even feel at Osmosis that we've got to get our act together and raise the bar for us too."

Postle urged participants to be ready for any kind of weather, as the third weekend in February has brought a wide range of conditions to Boulder County since the festival got its start in 2015. Indeed, much of it has been the kind that inspired the name, which only adds to Wine About Winter's charm, Postle said.

Postle urged participants to be ready for any kind of weather, as the third weekend in February has brought a wide range of conditions to Boulder County since the festival got its start in 2015.

Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 on the day of the event. Ticket holders receive a membership in the Let's Wine About Winter club, as well as a commemorative mug and a $10 coupon redeemable in Niwot through mid-March. Presales have been brisk, and Postle said the event has been growing every year.

"There are a lot of people who've done it every single year, and they're the ones who are inviting more and more people. So, it's fun to see people come every year and compare it with past years."

Proceeds will be put toward maintenance expenses for Niwot Children's Park and the new concession building at Whistle Stop Park.

"This is one of the funds we really rely on to do the maintenance for Children's Park," Postle said. "Maintenance costs are about $11,000 per year, just for mowing, cleaning, new wood chips, things like that."

For more information, contact Osmosis Gallery at 303-652-2668, or email Michelle Henzel at mhenzel@osmosisarchitecture.com.To purchase tickets in advance, visit https://niwot.com/events/lets-wine-about-winter. Pre-purchased tickets can be picked up at Niwot Real Estate (7915 Niwot Rd), starting at noon on Feb. 22.