Highlights Remy Wines’ Queer Wine Fest and Wine Country Pride Programing
McMinnville, Ore. (May 31, 2023) – McMinnville, Oregon, has been hailed as one of the top LGBTQ-friendly small towns in the United States. The well-deserved recognition comes from a recent article in Time Out, a leading global media and entertainment platform.
Photo credit: Timothy D. Sofranko
Taking the #2 spot on Time Out’s list of “Best LGBTQ-Friendly Small Towns in the USA,” the publication commends McMinnville for its exceptional work increasing LGBTQ+ representation and for establishing itself as a top U.S. destination for LGBTQ+ travelers. Other U.S. destinations mentioned include Lexington, Kentucky (#1), Saratoga Springs, New York (#3), Bisby, Arizona (#4), Galena, Illinois (#5), and Provincetown, Massachusetts (#6).
Highlighted in the piece is the world’s first Queer Wine Fest, established in 2022 by McMinnville’s first-ever queer, female mayor and local winery owner and winemaker, Remy Drabkin. The festival-style event was founded to connect wine drinkers and travelers with an ever-growing network of LGBTQ+ winery owners, winemakers, and winegrowers across the U.S.
Queer Wine Fest returns on June 25, 2023 at Remy Wines and will feature 19 U.S. wineries and their LGBTQ+ leaders alongside a live performance from New Wave Pop sensation Camp Crush and seasonal, northwest cuisine. The event has put McMinnville and the surrounding Willamette Valley on the map as a vibrant LGBTQ+ lifestyle destination.
“I am immensely proud to see McMinnville at the top of Time Out’s list of best LGBTQ-friendly small towns in the U.S.,” says Drabkin. “I’ve lived here all my life and have seen this community take truly meaningful strides to support and include LGBTQ+ people–my own election as the first queer-identified mayor of the town being a prime example.”
Specific to her work establishing Queer Wine Fest, Drabkin says the event not only acts as a welcome wagon for LGBTQ+ travelers in the region, but also as a way to further support LGBTQ+ wine professionals. “Queer Wine Fest brings crucial representation and connection to the queer community in rural Oregon while educating all about the contributions of LGBTQ+ people in wine,” says Drabkin. “Queer Wine Fest offers a straightforward and fun way to support LGBTQ+ folks working in a predominately heteronormative industry and at a time when we need allyship more than ever.”
Drabkin also co-founded Wine Country Pride in 2020, a nonprofit organization whose work additionally caught the eye of Time Out’s editors. Wine Country Pride works to increase visible representation of the LGBTQ+ community in rural Oregon through annual Pride celebrations. The weekend-long, annual event includes a variety of LGBTQ+-focused activities including an expansive street fair, drag performances, pride-themed pet parades, and citywide collaborations with local businesses.
Thanks to the efforts of the Wine Country Pride team since 2020, businesses flanking McMinnville’s walkable downtown display progress pride flags every June, creating a visually striking display of support and unity across the area. Regardless of trip timing, visitors can experience the town’s unique charm and immerse themselves in its vibrant LGBTQ+ culture.
Time Out’s recognition of McMinnville as one of the best LGBTQ+ friendly small towns in the USA validates the town’s ongoing efforts to foster inclusivity and celebrate diversity. McMinnville stands as a shining example of a community that embraces and supports LGBTQ+ individuals, making it a must-visit destination for both residents and travelers.
For more information about Remy Wines and Queer Wine Fest, please visit remywines.com.
About Remy Wines
Founded in 2006 by native Oregonian and queer winemaker, Remy Drabkin, Remy Wines is a Willamette Valley winery rooted in service to the community. Much like its visionary founder, Remy Wines honors Old World winemaking traditions with a fresh, progressive voice and undeniable flair. Remy Wines boasts an impressive portfolio of Italian-style wines made primarily with Oregon fruit and a welcoming, unpretentious Farmhouse Tasting Room in Dayton, Oregon. Remy Wines hosted the world’s first Queer Wine Fest in June 2022 and will produce the second annual event on June 25, 2023.
Please visit remywines.com for more information.
