Bring the picnic blankets, check out the great city views from atop a scenic park, walk through history and get ready to tip a glass or two or three back every Friday evening this summer because after a years-long hiatus the Barnsdall Fridays Wine Tasting is back.
“This is a green space in a area that doesn’t have a lot of green space and it’s a great event where people come together to celebrate their community and wine tasting,” said Daniel Gerwin, president of the Barnsdall Art Park Foundation, which puts on the event.
Held at the top of Olive Hill on the west lawn of Frank Lloyd Wright’s historic Hollyhock House, the wine tasting event is a fundraiser for the Barnsdall Art Park Foundation. It supports the park, its arts programing and landscaping as well as the 1921 Hollyhock House, which is Los Angeles’ only UNESCO World Heritage site and Frank Lloyd Wright’s first Los Angeles commission. The wine tasting will take place every Friday starting May 31 to Aug. 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“This is really the biggest community event we do,” Gerwin said. “It’s our first year back and we are really excited,” he added.
The popular summer series, which tends to sell out, last took place in 2019 before the pandemic struck. Now that it’s back wine aficionados will be able to sample wines curated by Silverlake Wine as well as munch on grub from food trucks Triple Beam Pizza and Ardi’s Eats and Sweets.
People will also enjoy quite a view as they sip on vino.
“It’s all up on a hill and so you have this incredible view of the sunset and also the Hollywood sign and the Griffith Observatory,” he said.
While the event lawn is open to people who are 21 years of age or older, kids can still hang out in the park area nearby the wine tasting event, he noted. The tastings also include DJs spinning tunes and people can also get a little culture because for an extra charge they can tour the interior of the Hollyhock House or visit the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery.
“It’s just another wonderful thing you can do while the wine tasting is open, and then you got the entire green space of the garden, too,” Gerwin said.
Barnsdall Fridays Wine Tasting
When: 5:30 p.m.- 9 p.m. Fridays May 31-Aug. 30
Where: Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles
Cost: $45 and $70 with a guided tour of Hollyhock House
Information: barnsdall.org
Leave a Reply