There are all kinds of festivals and events happening about this time of year, especially in areas where it isn't so cold because we can finally get outside and not die of the heat.

Here's some information on a wine event happening in Orange County California this month.

From an event press release: The Orange County Wine Society (OCWS) announces its 2006 Wine Classic: A Celebration of California Wine. On November 12, 2006, from 2:00 - 5:00 PM the OCWS is wrapping up its year-long 30th anniversary celebration with its annual tasting of medal winners. Joining the festivities will be over 100 Californian award-winning wineries, many of Orange County's top restaurants and assorted wine-related vendors. The Orange County Wine Society will welcome nearly 1,200 guests to the Hilton Anaheim's California Pavilion to enjoy this year's Wine Classic.

This annual pilgrimage of wines features old favorites that return year after year to the Wine Classic to share their wines as well as wineries that have recently opened their doors for business. Participating wineries are limited to this year's medal winning wineries from the prestigious Orange County Fair Commercial Competition, a well-known and respected competition that the OCWS has been running for 30 years.

In addition to the many wineries and restaurants at the event, other items to enjoy include the live entertainment, a souvenir Riedel wine glass, and a variety of vendors selling wine-related paraphernalia such as shirts, wine glasses, decorative corkscrews, and wine storage products. A raffle and silent auction are also included in the event to raise funds for the OCWS' scholarship programs.

The Wine Classic is a fund-raising event for the OCWS, a non-profit, 501(c)(3) educational corporation. The Society supports wine and culinary arts related scholarship programs at several California institutions including: University of California at Davis, Cal State Fresno, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Orange Coast College and Napa Valley College. The Society is also responsible for running the Wine Courtyard at the Orange County Fair as well as numerous meetings, wine tastings and dinners throughout the year to promote wine education and raise funds for their numerous programs.

For pubic information or ticket sales, contact OCWS Office: 714-708-1636 / 714-546-5002 FAX or online at www.ocws.org. For press information, contact Carolyn Schoff, Director/Secretary of the Orange County Wine Society at 714-469-9463 or e-mail ocwsschoff@aol.com.