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The Charlene Calhoun group
MIDDLETOWN, OH -- Despite the rainy start Saturday morning, the 2026 Annual Women's Wine and Chocolate Walk held in Downtown Middletown was a big success. Women from all over the tri-state came out wearing cowboy attire (this year's theme) to enjoy a day of strolling along Main Street and Central Ave., with a glass of wine in one hand and a piece of chocolate in the other as they shopped, talked and brought items found in the local shops.
Three Moon Boutique, which recently opened earlier this year, was one of this year's sponsors and stops.Hosted by Downtown Middletown Inc., and the City of Middletown, this year's main sponsor was Moose Lodge 501 chapter 183. And, Bonterra Ranch Wine, produced and sustainably sourced in California, was the wine sponsor.
After trying all the wines, event goers were able to go back to Windamere to purchase bottles of their favorite wine.The walk is not only a fundraiser for DMI, but, it is a way to get people downtown to see the shops and restaurants that are open for business.
The event starts at the Windamere, where "the wine and chocolate walkers" are handed a wine glass; a tote bag to place their goodies, such as crackers; a box with a chocolate with room to hold the other chocloates collected along the way; a bottle of water and a coupon book filled with dicounts from Middletown merchants. A map is also given out showing where all the special stops are: 11 wine stops and 10 chocolate stops!
Before heading out for "the walk" there was a backdrop for photo opportunities. On Central Ave., across from the Pendleton Building, live music was played on what is called the main stage and a few food trucks were in the street. Every once in awhile, happy wine walkers would stop to dance before moving onto their next destination.
Stopping to listen to the music before heading to their next stop.Both the wine and chocolate were being distributed by kind and helpful gentlemen, who more than likey were bamboozeled by their wife, partner, daughter, or grandaughter to volunteer. But, every single volunteer server was kind, helpful and very cheerful... making the activity even more fun.
These servers were very kind as I pulled my wine glass out of my crochetted free hand wine glass holder purchased a few shops back. I was receiving a taste of Ranch Chillable Cherry-Wild Raspberry at Design 2 Wear 2Other sponsors included Frickers, Knights of Columbus, State Farm (Barney Riesback) who sponsored the Party Bus for those who could not walk, Xponex who sponsored the main stage entertainment, Meijer, Irie Smoothie Cafe, Three Moon Boutique
After we finished our Wine and Chocolate Walk, we knew we needed to eat some "real" food, so we stopped in at the Swire in where we all had a nice dinner sitting outised on the back porch talking about what a fun day it had turned out to be ... drinking wine, eating chocolate, helping our local community and running into old friends we had not seen in many years.
Swire Inn across from the Sorge Theatre.If you are looking for something fun to do next year at this time, I strong recommend it. It is extremely well organized and worth the ticket price. For more info visit https://www.downtownmiddletown.org/wwcw
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