The Perfect Pair: Wine and Jazz

May 20th
4th Annual Nebraska Wine and Jazz Festival

While you won't get your Wine Tour passport stamped at the Nebraska Wine and Jazz Festival in Kearney, it is a great opportunity to sample wines from all over Nebraska without traveling across the entire state. Admission is moderately priced, and includes ten tasting tickets as well as a free souvenir glass. Other items, such as food and gifts, are available as well.

The Nebraska Wine and Jazz Festival typically brings in a dozen different vineyards and wineries, as well as several different musicians and bands. This year, there were wines from thirteen Nebraska vineyards. The festival also featured Thunderhead Brewery this year, which appealed to a wider audience, and is proof of the festival's growth and constant change.

I have been a dedicated attendee since the second year of the festival, and each year I have gained a more refined palate and wonderful memories.

My favorite memory from the Nebraska Wine and Jazz Festival was made in my first year of attendance, 2009. Pam, a friend of mine, had been asked to help out with overnight "security", and was allowed to bring helpers. Katherine and I quickly volunteered. Our job was to hold down the fort - or rather, the tent - and make sure nobody ran away with the sound equipment provided for the musicians. We passed the hours of the cold night by singing and dancing on the stage, watching movies on a laptop, and consuming ridiculous amounts of caffeine.

The late night proved to be worth it - for our vigilance, we were rewarded with free admission to the festival, and a tradition was born. We also discovered the most amazing white sangria, and I keep the recipe as secret as if it were passed down in my family for generations. The story of how we discovered the sangria is a secret too, but for different reasons... We don't want to be banned from the annual festival.

Although the Nebraska Wine and Jazz Festival is held in May and the climate is still a bit chilly, the wine, music, and friendship you'll find there will warm your heart.