NEPM partners with Provisions of Northampton and Guest Host Amy Traverso, senior food editor at Yankee magazine and co-host of public television’s Weekends with Yankee for the region’s largest benefit wine and food event March 6–7.
Springfield, Mass. (January 22, 2020) -- The 35th annual Wine & Food Lovers Weekend marks the return of a tasty tradition. For more than three decades, public television and PBS member station WGBY has raised funds for educational programming in the region by selling tickets to two nights of decadent sampling. This year the event is presented by New England Public Media—the new alliance of NEPR and WGBY—and Provisions of Northampton, and moves to a new location at MGM Springfield. This year’s guest host is Amy Traverso—senior food editor at Yankee magazine and co-host of Weekends with Yankee which airs on WGBY Sundays at 11 a.m.
Tickets are available at wgby.org/wine and at Provisions, 30 Crafts Avenue, Northampton, MA.
The Wine & Food Lovers’ Tasting will be held on Friday, March 6 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at MGM Springfield. Guests will have the choice of more than 200 wines, craft beers, and ciders presented by Provisions of Northampton. Talented chefs from around the region will offer tapas-sized servings of their signature dishes expertly paired with wines. Yankee magazine’s senior food editor and Weekends with Yankee co-host, Amy Traverso, and other special guests will present pop-up conversations throughout the evening.
A new premium ticket will allow guests to “beat the crowd” with 5 p.m. early admission and a VIP experience. ‘Sip and Slurp’ will feature a raw bar by Cuttyhunk Shellfish Farms and special guest ‘Scott Shucks’ from 5-6 p.m. General Admission guests will be welcomed at 6 p.m.
The Friday tasting is followed Saturday, March 7 by a fine dining experience— the Wine & Food Lovers’ Dinner. Guests will enjoy a unique “foodie” experience inspired by the New England food traditions and trends that are explored on Weekends with Yankee. The seven-course menu, curated by food expert Amy Traverso, will be expertly paired with wines selected by Provisions of Northampton. “We at Provisions like to think of ourselves as one of the best places people can go in the region for wine, beer, cider, and fine foods,” says Bruce McAmis, co-owner of Provisions, “Partnering with New England Public Media on this event is a perfect fit.”
Amy Traverso is the senior food editor at Yankee magazine, and host of Weekends with Yankee which airs locally on WGBY Sunday mornings at 11. Season 4 of the popular 13-part travel and lifestyle series premieres in April 2020. Previously, she was food editor at Boston magazine and an associate food editor at Sunset magazine. Her work has also been published in The Boston Globe, Salon.com, and Travel & Leisure, and she has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. Traverso is the author of “The Apple Lover’s Cookbook,” which was a finalist for the Julia Child Award for best first-time author and won an IACP Cookbook Award in the “American” category. Traverso lives in the Boston area and is a graduate of Smith College. “It will be a great pleasure to return to western Massachusetts for the Wine & Food Lovers’ Weekend and I’m very excited about the menu for the dinner.” said Ms. Traverso, “I look forward to working with the talented chefs at MGM Springfield.”
“It’s exciting to see the many ways this annual tradition has evolved over the years,” said Marie Waechter, director of events for New England Public Media. “As WGBY and New England Public Radio come together as New England Public Media, we’re looking forward to working with talented chefs and purveyors from across our region to make the 35th Wine & Food Lovers’ Weekend both a wonderful celebration of our local food and wine scene, and of course, the tastiest way to support local public media in our region.”
Proceeds benefit New England Public Media, the New Alliance of NEPR and WGBY. The Wine & Food Lovers’ Weekend is presented in partnership with Provisions, Yankee Magazine and Weekends with Yankee and sponsored by Country Bank, Tower Square Hotel, AM Litho, with Massachusetts Aquaculture Association, Cuttyhunk Shellfish Farms, and Scott Shucks—Curator of Fine Oysters, Durocher Florist, Happy Valley Organics and Richardson’s Candy Kitchen. Media Sponsors are: Edible Pioneer Valley, MassLive, The Republican Newspapers, Business West, Healthcare News, WMAS, The Daily Hampshire Gazette, and Valley Advocate.
For the Press: Photos and interviews available. Contact Vanessa Cerillo, 617-413-9873 or vcerillo@nepr.net
ABOUT NEW ENGLAND PUBLIC MEDIA
Based in Springfield, Massachusetts, New England Public Media is the new alliance of NEPR and WGBY-TV. Through a deep commitment to independent local journalism, trusted educational content, inspired cultural offerings, and civic engagement, NEPM endeavors to share new voices and inspire new conversations. It provides audiences with a broad array of local and national programs across all media -- TV, radio, online, and mobile, including PBS and NPR programs as well as locally produced series, podcasts and specials. Its four digital TV channels, and two radio networks present news, jazz and classical music, documentaries, talk, drama, plus cultural and educational programming. New England Public Media is a community-supported, independent non-profit organization. nepm.org
ABOUT WGBY
With four digital television channels, video on demand, and streaming video, WGBY brings quality public broadcasting programs to audiences across western New England. WGBY is available over the air on digital channel 57-1 and on cable throughout western Massachusetts and northwestern Connecticut and can be seen in high definition in western Massachusetts at Comcast 857, Time Warner 1221, Spectrum 782, and over the air on channel 57.
ABOUT NEPR
NEPR's flagship signal, 88.5FM WFCR (and 5 repeating stations in Berkshire County), presents news, jazz, and classical music, while the six stations of the NEPR News Network provide the region with news, talk and cultural programming 24/7. NEPR.net offers three streams including an all-classical selection, NEPR-produced podcasts, and other digital offerings.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Vanessa Cerillo
Senior Director, Marketing, Communications and Events
New England Public Media
WGBY-TV and New England Public Radio
413-735-6605
vcerillo@nepr.net
EVENT CONTACT:
Marie Waechter
Director of Events, Development
New England Public Media
WGBY-TV and New England Public Radio
413-735-6629
413-246-3707 Cell
mwaechter@wgby.org