Spring is in the air! Well, okay, it's almost in the air, which means it's coming soon, which means lots of wine festivals and other outside gatherings such as the Tar River Wine Festival in Eastern North Carolina. This even is coming up this May, so time to start planning your trip now.

Here are more details from an event press release:

Rocky Mount - The Tar River Wine Festival, one of Eastern North Carolina's premier wine events, will be held on the evening of Thursday, May 3rd, at Rose Hill Farm & Conference Center. The beautiful and historic Rose Hill is located in the gently rolling countryside just west of Rocky Mount on Highway 58. Festival guests will enjoy a diverse sampling of great wines, including many of our impressive North Carolina wines, as well as gourmet foods and tempting dishes to complement the wine selection.

"We are very proud of the success the wine festival had in its first two years. It's become a signature event for the area. In 2006, we had over 400 guests from all over the State and participants poured wine from all over the world" said event chair Deborah Sperati, an attorney with the Rocky Mount office of Poyner & Spruill. "Its success is built upon the many volunteers, vendors, and distributors who work very hard to make sure our guests have a wonderfully elegant and valuable experience."

The Festival is sponsored by the Rocky Mount Area Community Fund and all proceeds are used to build permanent endowments to benefit cultural, educational, and charitable organizations in the Twin County area. Tickets for the festival are $50 and include a signature tasting glass. Interested vendors, distributors, wineries and restaurants must reserve their space before April 1, 2007. To register as a participant vendor, or for general information and tickets, contact Jean Evans at (252) 451-0538