Prosser Wine and Food Fair homeless

The Prosser Wine and Food Fair is looking for a new home. The Prosser School Board has failed to approve a waiver to the school district’s no-alcohol policy.

For the past 27 years, the Art Fiker Stadium has been home to what has been billed as the largest outdoor wine and food fair in Washington State. In February, the school board decided not to pass the motion for the waiver. The motion failed when no one would second the motion. Therefore, for now, the Wine and Food Fair is homeless.

Many who have attended the event in the past agree, the football field is not the ideal location. The main complaint is the lack of shade. The stadium meets the potable water requirements by the Benton County Health Department. It also has a cyclone fence, something that some committee members find more attractive than the commercial orange crowd fencing.

During the school board meeting several committee members voiced frustration. One member was so frustrated that she claimed that the event would not be held this year. Other members are looking at this as an opportunity to make changes to the event which has not changed its format in years. Others have suggested that the event take a hiatus and return when the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center opens. The opening of the facility is projected to be in 2010.

In the meantime, local communities such as Grandview have facilities with parking, fencing, and other amenities that remain under utilized. The City of Grandview went through a survey process last year to prioritize improvements at Country Park, also known as the Lower Valley Fairgrounds. The city hopes to increase rentals of the facility and a wine and food fair would be ideal. The park has a covered area with access to water, restrooms, and electricity. The facility also has something missing from the stadium, an amphitheater with lights, electric, stage, and dance floor. Trees were planted several years ago around the amphitheater and would provide the luxury of shade.

Maybe the two communities could work together this year. Prosser has the experience and history to promote a successful wine and food fair while Grandview has an ideal location. Maybe it is time that Grandview decides to focus on working with one of the growing industries in the valley, the wine industry. After a little mentoring, maybe Grandview could attract some of the 3,000 people that travel from around the state to attend the wine and food fair. These tourists spend thousands of dollars in the local stores, restaurants, bars, and motels.