The Whole Vine Festival will return to Fresno State on Saturday, Nov. 1, celebrating the San Joaquin Valley’s grape-growing legacy and the families who sustain it.

Now in its third year, the free, family-friendly event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the lawn northeast of the Science II Building, near Barstow and Woodrow avenues.

Festivalgoers can enjoy grape and raisin tastings, local wine and beer, food trucks, live country music, art exhibits and a Kids Zone featuring agricultural activities.

This year’s festival will be dedicated to Fresno State alumni Dan and Monica Malcolm and their 12 children, who operate Malcolm Media, publisher of American Vineyard Magazine — the nation’s only monthly magazine focused on the grape industry. The family will be honored at 10 a.m. during the event.

Organizers said the festival celebrates the Valley’s unique distinction as the only region in the U.S. that produces table grapes, raisin grapes, and wine grapes in one place.

“Our Valley is rich with people who serve well, work hard, and push for a better life for their families,” Vickie Goudreau, President of Whole Vine Inc., a nonprofit organization, said in a statement. “This event is our way of honoring that legacy and celebrating the beauty and resilience of the community.”

Sponsors include the California Farm Bureau, American Vineyard Magazine, Fresno State, Farm Credit, the California Table Grape Commission, Raisin Administrative Committee and Fresno BMW.

More information is available at thewholevine.com.

—

Connect with Anthony W. Haddad on social media. Got a tip? Send an email.