Vinotok’s Grand Finale!

This weekend marks the grand finale of Vinotok, celebrating the harvest, community, connection, and the Autumn Equinox. For generations, Vinotok has offered a place to come together – to share a meal, tell a tall tale, submit your grumps, and honor the people and traditions that make this community what it is. Join us as we bid farewell to summer and beckon the fall.

Thursday, September 17

It’s All Lies!

The Botsie Spritzer Memorial Liar’s Contest. Doors at 7 p.m. Party begins at 8:30 p.m. Lies begin at 9 p.m. at Kochevar’s Saloon. $10.  21+

Kochevar’s gets a Vinotok makeover for a night of tall tales, outrageous stories, and questionable versions of the truth. Storytellers compete for the title of Best Liar. The new Green Man is announced. It’s naughty, raucous, and wonderfully ridiculous.

Friday, September 18

Gather, Feast & Celebrate

Community Feast & Medieval Fair. 3 – 10:30 p.m. The Crossroads at the 4-Way.

To feast: Adults $40 in advance; $50 at the gate. Age 12 & under $15. General admission $10 (no feast, just fun, gate only). Advance tickets at Rumors Coffee & Tea House

We come together for the Feast & Fair! The gates open at 3 p.m., with face painting, rune making, head-wreath crafting, Vinotok characters, and other wandering wonders throughout the afternoon. A cash bar will offer hard cider, mead, wine, spiced rum, and non-alcoholic beverages. Bring your own mug. Dress warm and prepare for weather.

At 5:30 p.m., the ceremonies begin with a Blessing of the Feast, followed by dinner from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Enjoy an organic meal of locally and regionally sourced food with many gluten-free and vegetarian items from Mercy Ranch, Gunnison Gardens, Mountain Roots Glacier Farm, Iola Farms, Western Organics Guild, Big Bs, The Breadery, Luna Bakery, and Mountain Oven Organic Bakery. Feast on Slow Cooked Salt Baked Goat, Chard Veggie Medley, Mixed Greens Salad, Kale Quinoa Salad with a Roasted Tomatillo Vinaigrette, Summer Squash Salad, Pickles, Sourdough Bread with compound butter, and Slogar Poached Pear with Salted Caramel Sauce (subject to change).

Please bring your own plate, utensils, and drinking vessel, as none will be provided.

At 7 p.m., Marcie Telander, D.Div., leads the ancient, non-denominational Handfasting Ceremony. Couples, families, friends, partners, and the community are invited to participate by sharing vows and promises of recommitment to a healthy, changing future. Our local Squires will also be inducted.

Around 7:30 p.m., the Indictment of the Grump begins, followed by a fire-spinning performance. Close out the evening around the cauldron fires, with live music from local musicians, poetry and short stories from local writers, and plenty of time for conversation, laughter, and camaraderie. Bring your instruments, your words, your stories.

Please leave alcohol and pets at home. Service animals are welcome.

Saturday, September 19

Vinotok!

Street Theatre, 5–8 p.m. (ish), Elk Avenue, Free

The Vinotok cast and crew take to Elk Avenue for an evening of street theatre. Join us in the streets for dancing and revelry!

Trial of the Grump, 8 p.m. (ish), The Crossroads, Free

The community puts the Grump on trial with the dance of the harvest maidens and a play with the Harvest Mother, the Dragon, the Knight, and the Green Man. The performance will be amplified and lit so the community can gather together and experience the story.

A Note on Community Safety

Let it be known that obnoxious, unruly, destructive, disruptive, or unsafe behavior will not be tolerated. There will be no toxic items or hazardous materials in the cauldrons. Keep our community safe and the festival alive!

What Is a Grump?

The Grump has its roots in Slovenian traditions, where an effigy was burned on the boss man’s lawn as a rib. Our written grumps allow us to name what we want to let go and make room to beckon what we desire in the coming year. Submit your grumps to the Grump Boxes where they will be ceremoniously released into the fire after the Trial of the Grump.

Grump Boxes are located throughout Crested Butte at the T-Bar, Crested Butte Town Hall, CB Ace Hardware, Mountain Earth Organic Grocer, CB Mountain Heritage Museum, The Secret Stash, Montanya, Dogwood Cocktail Cabin, Kochevar’s, The Talk of the Town, The Daily Dose, Rumors Coffee & Tea House, Mountain Spirits Liquor, The Eldo, The Majestic Theatre, Crested Butte Community School, and the Crossroads Fire Altar. In Gunnison, find them at The Dilly Deli, Sanctuary Somatics, Gunnison High School, Double Shot Cyclery, and the Gunnison Arts Center. You may also submit your grumps at the Grump Shring at the Crossroads Fire Circle.

Grump Boxes will be collected on Friday, September 18 to be burned after The Trial.

Dress Up. Make a Wreath. Be in the Streets.

Vinotok is an invitation to play. Don your Vinotok best. There are no rules when it comes to your Vinotok attire, although we encourage leaving plastic flora behind. Lean into the Medieval or Renaissance spirit. Forest creatures and Pan descendants are welcome. Come as something entirely your own. Make a head wreath from natural materials gathered on a long walk through the fall woods, or make one at the Community Feast on Friday.

Volunteer: Be Part of What Makes Vinotok Happen

Vinotok is built by the people who show up. In addition to Cast Members, we still need volunteers for the Community Feast & Fair.

Join the tribe of dedicated community members who give their time and energy to make Vinotok happen year after year. We truly cannot create a smooth celebration without your help. To volunteer, contact Tricia Seeberg at (970) 275-2140 or vinotokvolunteer@gmail.com to find your spot.

Help Keep the Tradition Alive

Vinotok is a grassroots community celebration and costs more than $25,000 each year. We intentionally keep suggested event donations low so that as many people as possible can participate. Your support helps us continue the traditions, performances, gatherings, and rituals that bring our community together each fall. If Vinotok means something to you, please consider making a donation. We accept cash or check payable to Vinotok, as well as donations through Zelle at vinotokcouncil@gmail.com.

Tell a story. Share a meal. Release a grump. Dance in the streets.

Vinotok is for everyone!