ARENI VILLAGE TO HOST WINE FESTIVAL
ARKA
Oct 14, 2009
YEREVAN, October 14, /ARKA/. On Saturday the village of Areni in the
southern Vayots Dzor province will host a wine festival. The first
Areni Wine festival was held in 2004 by USDA and Tufenkian Hospitality
with the aim to introduce an ancient Armenian tradition of winemaking
to the World.
Mekhak Apresian, head of an economy ministry’s department dealing with
tourism and regional development, said today this year’s festival
is to promote tourism development of the region. Zhirayr Yeghian,
head of Areni community, said the festival was held only twice,
in 2004 and 2007, but added they want to make it annual.
He said apart from being a showcase for great wine, the festival is
a major event for traditional food making and tasting. The event
program includes traditional dancing, singing, food-making and
tasting, wine-making and tasting, traditional games, contests and
so on.Villagers will sell home-made products- cream, honey, nuts
and walnuts, vegetables, fruits, dried fruits, baked goods, lavash,
home-made jams and jellies, sweet sujukh, herbal teas and all the
other products that a typical Armenian household usually prepares
for its members.
Zhirayr Yeghian said U.S. ambassador to Armenia,. Marie Yovanovitch
and several Armenian ministers, as well as members of a Ukrainian
government delegation are expected in Areni village.