Harvest time is just around the corner. Why not kick off the season with the Loose Goose Wine Festival's inaugural debut? The fest runs through various locations in the Santa Clarita Valley from October 13 to October 16.

Unless you have been organizing your wine cellar for the past few months, there is no way you haven't heard the buzz around town for what is sure to be Santa Clarita's most intoxicating (figuratively, of course) weekend of the year.

The Loose Goose staff have been pining away for the past year advertising and preparing for the event (you may have noticed a promo-painted PT Cruiser roaming the streets of the SCV). Preliminary estimates of attendance and winery participation show that the hard work has paid off.

Inspired by Executive Producer Peter Goossen's deep-rooted connection with wineries and culinary delicacies, the Loose Goose Wine Festival will incorporate the traditions of old-style European festivals and the passion of people intrinsically connected to the flow of finely fermented grape juice.

Peter shares an emotional bond with this event. "So many festivals miss the passion behind the wine - the stories behind the people and the product they're creating," he observes. The fact that Santa Clarita, and on a larger scale, Los Angeles County, represents a significant portion of the United States' wine market makes the SCV an ideal location for the fest.

The grand scale of the festival, boasting 100 vineyards of every size and over 50 luxury-related vendors, will be contained at Bridgeport Park in Valencia. The lakeside landscape will be transformed, incorporating pathways of vineyard streets and vendor villages. The primary portion of the festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 15 and 16, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (one-day tickets are $85, two-day tickets are $99).

Wine pairing dinners hosted by various restaurants in the Santa Clarita Valley help make up a full Loose Goose experience. These fabulous feasts will be held on Thursday, October 13, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. (tickets are $95+).

Also on the social calendar is the Golden Goose Gala, a surprise VIP reserve-tasting treat that will captivate the senses with wine, dinner and entertainment. The location of the Gala will be kept under wraps until the day of the event, so even ticket holders will be in for a favorable shock. This black tie soiree spotlights a collection of vineyards on Friday, October 14, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. (tickets are $250).

It is a great opportunity to learn about the wonders of wine, play host or hostess to out-of-towners or connect with other local viticulturists who also have a committed curiosity for enriching their cellars with only the finest wines the world has to offer.

A portion of the festival's proceeds will directly benefit the Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Health Foundation - $10 for each festival ticket goes straight to the local hospital, as well as 100 percent of silent auction net proceeds. The Brenda Mehling Cancer fund has also been selected as a festival proceed recipient.

For more information on the Loose Goose Wine Festival and to purchase tickets, please visit www.LooseGooseWineFestival.com or call 799-WINE (9463).