It's wine festival season: It all starts in Elgin this weekend

Arizona winegrowers are prepping for planting season in the weeks ahead, which is perfect timing to show off the fruits of their earlier labors.

Eighteen Arizona wineries will be pouring their most popular and latest vintages for the annual Southeast Arizona Wine Growers Festival in Elgin on Saturday and Sunday, March 7 and 8, at Kief Joshua Vineyards.

Later this spring the Verde Valley will fete the grape and in May, Willcox turns over its historic downtown in honor of wine.

First up, Elgin.

• What: Annual Southeast Arizona Wine Growers Festival
• When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 7-8
• Where: Kief Joshua Vineyards, 370 Elgin Road, Elgin
• Wineries: Kief-Joshua Vineyards, High Lonesome Vineyards, Lightning Ridge, Sonoita Vineyards, Village of Elgin, Page Springs, Caduceus, Laramita Cellars, Chateau Tumbleweed, Arizona Stronghold, Callaghan Vineyards, Su Vino Winery, Cellar 433, Carlson Creek, Deep Sky, Rune and newcomers to the southeast Arizona wine scene: The Meading Room in Sonoita and Birds and Barrels in Willcox
• Cost: $45 for two-day festival pass, $20 to $30 per day at the door
• Live music: Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Rhythm Jax with Angel Diamond; 2 to 5 p.m., Bad News Blues Band. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Cat Daddy and the 12 Barz Blues Band; 2 to 5 p.m., OnesAll Band
• Info:

kj-vineyards.com

coming up:

Spring Heritage Pecan and Wine Festival, March 21-22, at 75 E. Hollamon St. in downtown Camp Verde. The annual event, also called the Camp Verde Pecan and Wine Festival, celebrates Camp Verde’s twin crops: pecans and wine grapes. It features nut and wine tastings and coincides with the Verde River Runoff, a 5-mile fun float and 10-mile kayak, canoe and stand-up boarder race that features novices and seasoned paddlers. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door and include six wine tasting tickets. It’s open to those 21 and older. Receive a commemorative glass and six wine tasting tickets. Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 21; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 22. Tickets and details: visitcampverde.com

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Tombstone Wine Celebration, April 4 and 5, Tombstone City Park on the corner of Third and Allen streets. Tombstone wineries participating include High Lonesome Vineyard, Laramita Cellars and Four Tails Vineyard. The event also features food trucks, local venues and live music. The cost is $15 per person. Details: tombstoneforward.com

• or 520-366-4005.

The Verde Valley Wine Festival, May 9, Clarkdale Town Park, 1001 Main St. This is Northern Arizona’s time to shine and pop the corks on its growing wine industry. It also is fast becoming an Arizona premier wine and food festival with two dozen wineries including nearly a dozen from Southern Arizona participating alongside five distilleries. The cost is $35 in advance at verdevalleywinefestival.com

• , $45 at the gate. The cost includes a wine glass, eight tasting tickets and food samplings.
• Willcox Wine Country Spring Festival 2020, May 15-17, 157 N. Railroad Ave., in historic downtown Willcox. This is the region’s granddaddy of wine festivals, the one that attracts wineries from throughout Willcox, Elgin, Sonoita and Northern Arizona. At least 16 wineries have signed on to participate. It’s $20 to $45 in advance at

tucne.ws/willcoxwine

, and $25 to $55 at the gate. Details:

willcoxwinecountry.org