FREDONIA – The Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association will unveil its recently completed Concord Grape Belt Promotional DVD entitled: “Savor the Flavor: Romancing America’s Grape” on Thursday, March 30th at State University of New York at Fredonia (SUNY Fredonia). The DVD will be showcased as part of the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association’s (CGBHA) presentation during the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program’s Annual Growers Conference being held at SUNY Fredonia.
The DVD, which was developed and produced by the CGBHA’s Promotion and Tourism sub-committee, was created as a marketing tool for the Concord Grape Belt region. It will be shown at tourist rest stops, information centers, local festivals, wineries, and other tourist destinations.
“The DVD is a celebration of the Concord Grape Belt region and is a way to showcase the history and significance the grape belt has had on our area,” said Rick Dunst, Promotion and Tourism sub-committee co-chair. “It will be used as a tool to promote locally grown products and agritourism throughout the grape belt region.”
Funding for the DVD was secured from the Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency, the New York State Wine and Grape Foundation, and the Cornell Food and Agriculture Program. It was produced by Main Street Media in North East, PA.
“This is one more step in the organization’s efforts to draw regional, national, and even international attention to this unique area, and in turn increase tourism and economic development in the region to strengthen the grape industry as a whole,” stated Dave Momberger, Promotion and Tourism sub-committee co-chair. “We are very proud of this product and thank all of the volunteers involved in making this a success.”
The overall concept of the Concord Grape Belt Heritage Project began with a grant secured by the Chadwick Bay Regional Development Corporation from Cornell University to assist with agritourism and promotional efforts of the Concord Grape Belt region. Since its inception in 2004, the efforts have grown significantly, with over 30 volunteers from various sectors of both the New York and Pennsylvania grape industries.
The Heritage project is an agritourism initiative aimed at increasing the marketing of the Lake Erie Concord Grape Belt region and promoting the wide variety of Concord grape products being grown and produced throughout the belt. The mission of the organization is to encourage and support the dynamic economic development of the grape and wine industries, tourism, and associated industries throughout the Lake Erie region that are built upon the Concord grape heritage and result in an enhanced quality of life for the citizens of the region.
The “Concord Grape Belt” runs 50 miles along the southern shore of Lake Erie from Cattaraugus County and through Northern Chautauqua County down into Erie County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Great Lakes Basin which is responsible for the majority of commercial grape production in eastern North America. There are approximately 30,000 acres of vineyard grown on 840 farms in the Lake Erie region of New York and Pennsylvania, making this the largest grape-growing region outside of California. Due to the temperature moderation of Lake Erie, the unique air movement, and the acidic soils, the Concord Grape Belt is in a unique position to produce a consistent quantity of high quality Concord grapes.
The Concord Grape Belt Heritage Association will showcase the DVD on Thursday, March 30th at 3:45 p.m. in the SUNY Fredonia Williams Center in Room G-138-139. If you are interested in participating and/or would like more information about the event, please call 716-326-3161 ext. 10 or e-mail inforequest@concordgrapebelt.org
