Welcome in the summer with the Midland Street Wine Walk

Greg Kimbrue knows a thing or two about throwing a party.

The owner of VNO Wine Warehouse and co-owner of RiverRock helped establish the Midland Street Wine Walk in 2014, the year after he purchased RiverRock.

Kimbrue is a former co-owner of the King Fish Restaurant & Tiki Lounge.

The Midland Street Wine Walk has consistently grown, he says, with each event selling 100 more tickets with each passing year. He’s anticipating 700 tickets sold for this year’s event, the biggest Wine Walk yet.

Organizers see the Wine Walk as a sort of gateway to summer events in the Midland Street district.

"This is the kick-off to a big summer on Midland Street, a place for the rekindling of friendships," says Kimbrue.

Here’s how it works.

For a $30 ticket, participants walk from establishment to establishment –12 in total, spread across a four-block area – enjoying two wine samples and a small plate dish at each. Each bar and restaurant will have their own spin on the offerings, and some will have live music.

The first 700 tickets sold come with a limited-edition glass.

Bars and restaurants participating in this year’s Midland Street Wine Walk include Bay City Burgers & Beer, Brooklyn Boyz, Duso’s, JT’s Pub & Grill, Lucky’s, Lumber Barons, Rathskeller, RiverRock, The Crowne Pub, The Stables, VNO Wine Warehouse, and Westown.

"It’s a popular event for a variety of demographics, for 21-year-olds, millennials, older and more mature adults," Kimbrue says.

"Wine is as big as it ever has been in the United States."

The Midland Street Wine Walk is scheduled for Thursday, June 20, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are available at all participating restaurants.

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