Bigger isn't always better
QUICK TRIPS | One of the Midwest's best fests is found in a small Missouri town
AUGUSTA, Mo. -- You can tell a lot about a town by its festivals. Augusta's annual Swingin' in the Vines festival tells me this little village about 35 miles west of St. Louis just may be the best small town in Middle America.
The autumn event, like the town itself, is quaint, laid back and friendly, and sometimes that's just what a big-city dweller is looking for.
(Lori Rackl/Sun-Times)
GETTING THERE: Augusta is about 35 miles west of St. Louis, less than a six-hour drive from Chicago. For detailed directions, go to www.augusta-missouri.com.
WHERE TO STAY: The town has several B&Bs, but my favorite is the Red Brick Inn, owned by Gary Post and his wife, Corinne, who grew up in Chicago. The rooms are adorable, the breakfasts are delicious and there's a hot tub in the backyard; (636) 228-1111; www.redbrick-bb.com. For other lodging options, go to www.augusta-chamber.org.
WINE: For a list of wineries and events, go to www.missouri winecountry.com.
You won't find endless rows of porta potties or bright, loud carnival rides. Don't worry about parking. Or gunshots. The only things that got trampled at last year's Swingin' in the Vines were buckets of grapes.
The town's Web site describes Augusta as "an unpretentious community where folks still work and live, where people still hang clothes on lines to dry, gather at churches for socials, where children still play at the town square, where fathers meet across the street at the tavern to play horseshoes and families come together at the ball diamond to cheer their team on to glory."
Sure, it's hard to find a place to eat after 8:30 p.m., and I'd probably go stir crazy if I lived here. But I can easily slip into Mayberry mode for a long weekend. And the weekend to visit is Sept. 19-20 for Swingin' in the Vines. (Only 200 tickets are sold, so make your reservations now.)
This town of about 300 people is in the heart of Missouri wine country. That's not an oxymoron -- Missouri churns out some good vino. You can try it during the Sept. 19 concert and picnic in a vineyard on the bluffs of the Missouri River Valley.
The evening concert is like an intimate Ravinia. A tractor-drawn hay wagon took us to Hoeft Vineyard, where we picked up a basket loaded with cheese, sausage, bread, fruit, homemade dessert, wine, wine glasses and a blanket. The setting sun gave the grapevines a warm glow while a three-piece band played and people danced on the thick, green grass. The vineyard's owners let concertgoers use their home's bathroom, and they opened their candle-lit, cave-like wine cellar for port tastings. Now there's some Show Me State hospitality.
On Sept. 20, the American Legion Hall serves up some more G-rated, corn-fed fun with a pig roast, square dancing and pie auction. Some of these fruit-filled treats fetch $200.
Don't hurry home when the festival ends. Spend Sunday bike riding along the nearby Katy Trail, a fantastic -- and flat -- 225-mile path largely following the Missouri River.
Drop by Montelle Winery, buy a bottle and find a seat on the massive deck, where you get spectacular views of the rolling countryside and free live music on weekends.
Had enough wine? Head to the sprawling beer garden at Augusta Brewing Co. for a hefeweizen. It's a great place to spend a weekend night -- at least until 9 p.m., when it closes. This is a small town, after all.