Purple Foot Festival Returns in the Finger Lakes for Grape Stomping Fun
Let the stomping begin. The largest grape stomping festival in the Eastern U.S. is back for 2021 in the Finger Lakes.
The Purple Foot Festival returns at Casa Larga Vineyard this year after being canceled during the coronavirus pandemic last year. The annual celebration of the harvest is dedicated to preserving the Italian heritage that began nearly 50 years ago at Rochester's only estate winery.
Andrew Colaruotolo opened the vineyard in 1974 as a hobby, planting the first two acres of vines in Fairport, New York. He named it Casa Larga, after his grandparent's vineyard in Italy where he grew up, learning the secret to growing the best grapes. The first wine wasn't poured until 1978. since it takes about 4 years for vines to mature enough to produce good wine-quality fruit.
Colaruotolo passed away in 2004 but his three children continue to carry on the legacy at Casa Larga.
The Purple Foot Festival returns in September with grape stomping, wine tastings and tour, live music and more.
Purple Foot Festival Events
Grape Stomping
Tastings
Live Music
Shopping
Kids Activities
Festival Food
Winery Tours
Cash Bar
Sangria Bar
Wine Seminars
Wine Pick Up Station
Vineyard Hayrides
Don't want to wait until September? Experience a Casa Larga tasting from the comfort of your home. The winery has tasting kits available to sample five wines. Each tasting kit includes a Casa Larga wine glass, 5 mini bottles of wine, tasting crackers and a tasting booklet for $25.10 per kit. You do have to pick it up at the vineyard.
Casa Larga is located at 2287 Turk Hill Road in Fairport, New York. Learn more at Casalarga.com where you can even order award winning wines and wine slushis online.