Whiskey Festival
6th Annual Wilmington Whiteface Whiskey Run & Festival—Saturday, June 17, 2023
The Annual Wilmington Whiteface Whiskey Run and Festival, to benefit the Wilmington Historical Society’s building fund, takes place each year on the Third Saturday in June at Preston Field in Wilmington. Race options include a 5K race and a 10 K race, as well as a Virtual Option. Run participants receive a t-shirt, a race completion medal, and “swag” from our local businesses. Awards are given in men’s and women’s categories for both the 5K and 10K races for the first, second and third places. Sponsorship opportunities for local businesses are available and encouraged.
The races are followed by the Whiskey Run Festival, FREE and OPEN to the PUBLIC, from 11am- 4pm at Preston Festival Field. The Festival includes whiskey tastings and food, Battle of Plattsburgh re-enactors in period clothing with tents and demos, history display, music and entertainment, Craft Fair, raffles, and more…. The public is encouraged to attend this fun community event.
Activities at the Wilmington Whiteface Whiskey Run Festival include:
Whiskey tastings & Food, 11 am-4pm, Preston Festival Field
1812 Battle of Plattsburgh re-enactors in period clothing with tents & demos, 11 am-4pm, Preston Festival Field
Battle of Plattsburgh Military ceremony in remembrance of local War of 1812 soldiers, 12:30pm, Preston Festival Field
Music and entertainment 11 am – 4pm
Raffles, history display, craft vendors, craft demonstrators, and more… all day at Preston Festival Field, 11am-4pm.
Raffle drawings 3:30 pm
For further information go to https://wilmingtonhistoricalsociety.org/whiskey-run-festival/
Why a Whiskey theme?
The Wilmington area has quite a storied history with liquor, legal and otherwise. During the War of 1812 Wilmington supplied good rye whiskey to the American troops at the Battle of Plattsburgh as part of their daily ration. During Prohibition with its proximity to Canada, Wilmington residents provided temporary haven for bootleggers crossing the border, and until recently was home to US Barrel, a whiskey barrel cooperage. So with our somewhat checkered history and natural beauty we invite you to join us for the our annual Wilmington Whiteface Whiskey Run and Festival. We hope to see you there and bring all your family and friends!
What is the purpose of the fundraiser?
This is our MAJOR fundraiser for our proposed new Ruth & Thomas Keegan Memorial History Center building to house the Wilmington Historical Society. The land, which we own, is located on NYS Route 86 between the A&W Restaurant and the Alpine Country Inn & Suites. We need your support to construct a building with a reference library, an archives room, and a display/lecture/community space to promote Whiteface Region history!
We hope to see you there!
