Opportunity Village hosting OVino, Oktoberfest

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If you love Oktoberfest, Opportunity Village will be the place for you Friday. If you’re more of a wine lover, then you’ll want to stop by Saturday. For food lovers and car aficionados, both days will be good.

It’ll all take place at Opportunity Village’s Ralph & Betty Engelstad Campus, 6050 S. Buffalo Drive, as part of OVino and Oktoberfest, among the year’s biggest fundraisers for the nonprofit organization for people with intellectual disabilities.

The Oktoberfest, which runs from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, will include food by Miller’s Ale House, including brats and sauerkraut, sausage with peppers and onions, jambalaya and more, plus tastings of beers by about 25 vendors. Tickets are $40 in advance or $50 at the door.

Ovino runs from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, with a broad menu including fresh-carved pastrami and pork loin, sushi, shrimp cocktail, cheeses and fruit. More than 100 wines from about 45 vendors will be poured. Tickets are $50 in advance or $75 at the door.

Seana Dailey, Opportunity Village’s special-events fundraiser and projects manager, said the event was started about five years ago by board member Bob Fowler, who was with Southern Wine & Spirits, which continues to be a sponsor. Golden Gaming provides the food.

“They do a huge spread,” she said.

Both events include commemorative glasses.

The car show, which will be on display during both events, will encompass souped-up sports cars to classic models, Dailey said.

OVino, she said, also will have a pre-holiday boutique offering purses, jewelry and scarves for sale, and art by Opportunity Village clients will be on display. Performances by clients in the dance and theater program also will be featured, she said.

“It’s one of our signature events,” Dailey said. “It’s been in our top five of the year. We typically get a lot of wine lovers. It’s a great awareness event for us; it brings in a new crowd.” And because the Engelstad campus is the newest, she said, “it also kind of shows off that campus to the public.” Last year’s crowd of 850 is expected to be topped this year, with about 900 people.

Advance tickets are available at www.OpportunityVillage.org or at any Lee’s Discount Liquors outlet.

Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474.