The Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce is considering taking the annual Daylily & Wine Festival on the road after a 15-year run at the Andre Viette Farm and Nursery.
The Chamber has sent out requests for proposal to six Chamber members, including the Viette Farm and Nursery, as part of its exploration.
“In this challenging economy, all businesses, especially non-profits, need to look at ways to operate more efficiently and find additional ways to save money. The chamber’s request for proposals to host our Daylily & Wine Festival is no exception,” Chamber President and CEO Linda Hershey said in a statement to AugustaFreePress.com.
Andre Viette, in a statement to WSVA-550AM, which first reported on this story, said he is “very disappointed to learn that the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce is looking to move the Daylily and Wine Festival from the Andre Viette Farm and Nursery.”
“We have enjoyed a successful association with the Chamber in putting on this event and had record attendance during the most recent festival. Those facts leave us struggling to understand why we were notified this week by Chamber president Linda Hershey that they have requested bids from different venues to host next year’s Daylily and Wine Festival,” Viette said.
“Over the past 15 years we have invested our heart and soul into an event that attracts thousands of people from all over the local community and has been recognized as a ‘Top 20 Event for July’ in the Southeast. We are confused by the recent developments and are concerned that a move could hurt and diminish the festival which has become a summer highlight for many in Augusta County and the Shenandoah Valley,” Viette said.
“After the great success of the 15th annual Daylily and Wine Festival My family and I cannot understand why the Chamber feels this drastic action is needed,” Viette said.
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