Aretha Franklin Tops First-Ever ‘City Winery Open’ Lineup

Aretha Franklin, Sheryl Crow, Gillian Welch, The Wallflowers, and The Chris Robinson Brotherhood grace the lineup for the inaugural City Winery Open happening at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, N.Y., in September. 

Photo: AP Photo / Carolyn Kaster
"International Jazz Day," South Lawn of the White House, Washington, D.C.

Great music, culinary fetes of gastronomical pleasures provided by 40 of New York’s top chefs and restaurateurs, and vino from 75 wineries throughout the world are what’s in store for you at the former home of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships during this multi-day escapade scheduled Sept. 17-18.  The lineup also includes Dawes, Josh Ritter, Deer Tick, Houndmouth, and The Wild Feathers.

Food & Wine Magazine is the official sponsor.  NPR affiliate WFUV will broadcast select performances. New York-based City Winery and Madison House Presents are the concert-industry forces behind the fest.

Photo: Charles Sykes / Invision / AP
31st annual "Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony," Barclays Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.

“Over the past eight years at City Winery, we have been blessed to cultivate relationships with stars in the worlds of music, food and wine that converge to create such a unique experience at our five locations around the country,” City Winery founder/CEO Michael Dorf said.  “The Open is our opportunity to express this vision at a much larger scale, with the same commitment to quality, in a two-day experience in our own backyard.”

Tickets are on sale now and come with multiple levels of premium packages that include food and beverage credits called “tastes.”  Break-times between sets will last 45 minutes to an hour to give patrons opportunities to check out the edible delights and potent potables.  Basic reserved seating tickets start at $75 per day or $140 for a two-day pass.  Other choices include Silver Ticket packages for $100 per day and $190 for two days, and gold ticket packages priced at $150 per day or $280 for two days.  The $275 platinum ticket includes premium floor seating bundled with 20 “tastes.”

Photo: Lance Murphy / Memphis In May
Beale Street Music Festival, Tom Lee Park, Memphis, Tenn.

But the perks don’t stop there.  The “connoisseur ticket” ($750 for one day, $1,350 for two days) is limited to 350 people and includes 25 tastes per day and access to a VIP area where wine-tasting events will take place between sets.  Very important wine people will host the sessions, with  Daniel Johnnes leading a Burgundy break, Jean Luc Le Du extolling the virtues of champagne and Philippe Newlin focusing on Bordeaux.  Visit the City Winery Open website for more details.

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