Home News Southold Town Government Popular hard cider festival gets resounding ‘no’ from Southold Town board

Popular hard cider festival gets resounding ‘no’ from Southold Town board

Organizers of a popular hard cider festival previously held in Cutchogue will have to find another place to “Pour the Core.”

The board voted unanimously Tuesday to deny a request for a special event permit for the fourth annual “Pour the Core Cider Festival,” slated to be held at the Peconic Bay Winery on October 3.

The event, organized by Starfish Junction Productions, sparked concerns last year, but although Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell voted “no” in that go-round, the festival went off in planned in October despite soggy skies.

This week, Russell said his objection centers on the fact that such permits are designed to promote the sale of agricultural products grown on-site, but there is no longer a functioning operation at Peconic Winery, where the “vines are leased out and the tasting room is closed. This is just becoming a venue, and I don’t think that was the intent of the special events legislation.”

Councilman Jim Dinizio agreed. “This goes beyond pouring and tasting wines.”

He added that there are “plenty of events” already taking place around town.

Russell said Starfish Junction Productions, the Bay Shore company organizing the festival, marketed and hosted such events at many locations; last year, he pointed out that the company is for-profit.

Councilwomn Jill Doherty said the plans didn’t seem to fit into the town’s special events legislation.

“No thank you,” said Councilman Bill Ruland.

 

Past events featured over 30 types of local and national hard cider brands, as well as seminars on Cooking with Cider, Cider Cocktails, and more. Proceeds from the event benefitted the Beer for Brains Foundations, craft beer lovers against brain cancer.

 

Starfish Junction Productions also hosted two other events at the site last year, including a craft beer and a potato festival. Those events were planned for elsewhere this year.

 

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