The Alzheimer's Alliance Tri-State Area is gearing up for the second annual Twice as Fine Texarkana Wine Festival. Organizers are hoping for 7,000 attendees.
The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 7, at Spring Lake Park and will feature 23 wineries from across Texas. Artisan merchants will also be there to sell a variety of unique items including specialty olive oils and cheeses and accessories for the wine connoisseur.
Local bands and musicians will play throughout the day.
Six new artists have created art out of wine barrels, and the pieces will be auctioned.
"Those are all different, new and really wonderful," said Terri Arnold, Alzheimer's Alliance executive director.
Attending the event is free, but wine garden entry is $10, which will include a complimentary glass and a wine bag. Inside the wine garden, wine is $1 for a tasting or $5 per glass. Each winery will have individual wine bottles available for purchase.
The goal for this year's event is $200,000. Last year, the festival brought in $175,000.
Arnold attributes the event's popularity to its uniqueness.
"Our whole intent was to come up with something new and different for Texarkana. We have so many wonderful nonprofits that have great fundraising events, so we just wanted to do something unique and different that would be family-friendly," she said. "There is something at the festival everyone could enjoy, because so much is offered. If you're not into the wine, there will be so much more we'll offer for their enjoyment for the day. Not to mention, it's for a wonderful cause."
All proceeds from the wine festival stay in Texarkana to provide services and resources for families dealing with Alzheimer's or other related dementias.
The alliance also offers the Our Place Respite Center to support caregivers of those with Alzheimer's.
"It allows us to help families two days a week by bringing their loved ones here for a fun-filled social day while the caregiver can take care of their personal needs," Arnold said.
Caring for someone with dementia is an exhausting job that doesn't leave enough hours in the day.
"The caregiver so desperately needs hours in a day to take care of their personal needs, grocery shopping, paying bills, taking a bath, taking a nap or just doing something they're not able to do while caring for their loved ones," Arnold said. "We refer to caregivers as having 36-hour days, because their day just seems to never end. They are providing care nonstop and therefore do not have the time needed to take care of their own health and well-being."
"Caregiving is just one of the most difficult jobs I've personally ever seen. It's just a very demanding job caring for someone you love that cannot care for themselves," Arnold said.
The respite center is open two days per week, but Alzheimer's Alliance officials would like to see it open three days a week. All that's needed to make that happen are more volunteers.
For more information about the wine festival or becoming a sponsor, call the Alzheimer's Alliance at 903-223-8021.