Grant County Chamber of Commerce and Grant County Tourism are preparing for an event they hope will become an annual affair - the first ever Ulysses Wine Walk.
One of the organizers of the event Debbie Long, has been on the tourism board for the past 15 years.
"The wine walk will be a fundraiswer for the Chamber," explained Long. "Our goal is to bring business to town, to help the Chamber, to help our tourism, and to let people know we are here.We try to plan a lot of different events to do just that."
Long said she got the idea when she and her husband, Marty, attended a wine walk in nearby Elkhart, Kan.
"It was their second annual walk," Long said. "It was so well attended. Everybody wanted to be involved."
Long said they didn't know very many people in Elkhart, but they soon met some.
"We don't know a lot of people there at all, but we went and we met people," she said. "So many were going up and down the street. It was getting dark and dusk. The weather was perfect. You run in to people and talk to them about whatever. It was a lot of fun."
There were 16 businesses involved in Elkhart.
When it was over, Long said it caused her to pause.
"I thought, 'why can't Ulysses do that?' So, we have been planning it since last year," she said. "We picked Fall, because it is a better weather night for drinking wine in particular."
Long has been working on the Ulysses event with Grant County Chamber Director Marieta Hauser, Assistant Chamber Director Robin Leonard and Marcia Flummerfelt.
"We have been talking to businesses about being involved," Long said. "Right now, we have 18 local businesses on board with it. I'm excited about that. I want this to be a success. If it's not, we will head in a different direction. If it's not, we will try something different. But, it's one more fun thing to do here, and it is targeted to wine drinkers."
So how does a wine walk work? According to Long, businesses who participate will purchase a couple bottles of wine to serve those who take part in the walk. And, it doesn't necessarily have to be wine.
"Wine or whatever they choose to serve," Long said. "You don't have to serve wine if you are totally against it, but it is a wine walk."
Other items that could be substituted for the wine are sparkling grape juice, ciders, teas and hot chocolate.
"We also encourage the businesses to serve appetizers, but they don't have to," Long added.
The one serving the wine in the business must be 21 or over.
"We will furnish the businesses with shot glasses to serve the wine in, so it will be just a little taste of wine," Long said. "Participants will have the opportunity to try different wines - maybe even something they haven't ever tried before."
Participants in the walk will need to purchase a "passport".
"Robin is creating a passport that will have the wine trail on it," Long said. "It will show them who is participating and where to stop. The passport will have the businesses logo and name. The business owners will then be presented the passports and they will know who has paid to be on the walk. They will check off their passports and then the participants have the opportunity to stand and talk, see what the business has to offer and learn more about them."
Those who go to every stop on the walk will turn their passports in and they will be put in to a drawing for a grand prize.
Furever Friends will be set up in Unity Park and will have puppies there during the event.
As an added plus, the Adam Mathis band will play at the Gazebo downtown beginning at 8 p.m.
The walk will take place from 5-7:30 p.m.
Businesses not located downtown can set up a booth downtown if they so choose.
All proceeds from the event go to the Grant County Chamber of Commerce.
Long is hopeful the event will become an annual affair.
"I would love to grow it, make it a big deal and maybe add more to it," she said.
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