Lakeville, CT -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/23/2010 -- The 25th anniversary edition of A Taste of The Litchfield Hills will be held Sept. 4-6, 2010, at its new location, Lime Rock Park, the nationally renowned motorsport road-racing venue.

Since 1985, Connecticut's oldest food and wine festival has annually attracted thousands of guests for a sampling of the region's food and wine, plus upscale shopping and live entertainment.

Foodies will enjoy "grazing-sized" portions of house specialties prepared by chefs from regional restaurants, bistros and other purveyors of fine food with prices ranging from $4.00 to $8.00 per item. Table seating will be available in the festival's Culinary Tent, plus guests are invited to picnic on the grounds with their own lawn chairs and blankets.

This year's menu will feature such dishes as baby back ribs, Caesar chicken breast, freshly prepared sushi, garlic chicken on a stick, gazpacho garlic soup, grilled marinated portabella mushroom, grilled pizza, grilled turkey, roasted peppers and provolone cheese on multi-grain flatbread, hot sausage or steak grinders, pita wraps with chicken, hummus or lamb, pulled chicken or pork sandwiches, sesame chicken and many other items. Side dishes will range from Southern-style baked beans, coleslaw and mac and cheese to Asian pineapple fried rice. Among the sweet offerings will be apple cinnamon crisp, chocolate bark, fruit salad, gelato and more.

Participating culinary vendors will include @ The Corner Restaurant, Indochine Pavilion, LaBonne's Market, Litchfield Catering Co., Noujaim's Specialty Foods, No. 9 Restaurant, When Pigs Fly, plus several other purveyors.

The festival's beverage tent will offer wine served by the glass from area wineries, including Hopkins Vineyard, Miranda Vineyard and White Silo Winery. Ice-cold draught beer, plus a variety of soft drinks from soda and spring water to lemonade and smoothies also will be served.

Live entertainment will include the blues sounds of The Andy James Band on Saturday at 1 & 3 p.m., national recording artists The Erin Hobson Compact on Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m. and folk singer/songwriter Nancy Carey Johnson on Monday at 1 and 3 p.m.

Guests will also enjoy an upscale shopping experience in the festivals outdoor bazaar featuring such unique products as handcrafted chocolates, luxury picnic and tailgate accessories and personalized wine bottle hurricane lanterns.

A Taste of The Litchfield Hills will be included as part of Lime Rock's traditional Labor Day Weekend Historic Festival 28, which will offer vintage racing Saturday and Monday, a prestigious Sunday concours and car show, plus a swap meet and a Midway & Expo designed specifically to appeal to families.

Hours for A Taste of the Litchfield Hills will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, Sept. 4-6, 2010. Admission to the festival is included with paid admission to Lime Rock Park. Advance pricing switches to gate pricing at 5:00 pm one week prior to the event. Admission does not include food and beverage, which are purchased separately.

Lime Rock Park is located in Lakeville, Conn. on White Hollow Road off Route 112 -- an easy day-trip from Albany, The Berkshires, Hartford, The Hudson Valley, Metro New York, New Haven and Springfield.

Directions, tickets and more information on A Taste of The Litchfield Hills are available online at http://www.LitchieldFestivals.com and http://www.LimeRock.com or by phone at 1-800-RACE-LRP (800-722-3577). Tickets are also available at many area AAA offices.

With its antique shops, art galleries, covered bridges and quaint villages, the Litchfield Hills is an ideal vacation destination for the three-day holiday weekend. Popular area attractions include the Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area in Salisbury, the Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and the TriArts Sharon Playhouse. Lodging options include dozens of bed and breakfasts, country inns, resorts, hotels and motels. Tourism information is available from the Western Conn. Convention & Visitors Bureau at 860-567-4506 or http://www.LitchfieldHills.com.