Beer, bacon and bad decisions at Sonoita winery campout, 8/8-9
Only a place that pairs wine and Cheetos can be counted upon to celebrate bad decisions.
The Bad Decisions Campout is Aug. 8-9 at Arizona Hops and Vines near Sonoita, and campers are encouraged to make every bad decision under the stars.
What began as a desperate attempt by two sisters to raise quick cash to buy grapes for their vineyard and winery has grown into an annual no-no festival in southern Arizona’s wine country.
“We’ve got everything bad,” said Shannon Zouzoulas, co-owner of Arizona Hops and Vines along with her sister, Megan Haller. “Beer, bacon, wine, cheese, chocolate, belly dancing...”
Stop! You had us at beer and bacon.
“This is our fourth year, and we started it because this time of the year is right before the (grape) crush, and we needed money to buy grapes,” Zouzoulas said. “So we thought, let’s have a campout, just a small thing and raise some quick money. We had maybe 100 people the first year.”
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The second year, Zouzoulas said, she prepared for similar numbers. The event drew 850 people. Then 1,400 last year. This year, as many as 2,500 are expected to descend on the winery.
About half will come for the day and half will camp overnight and take in the Perseid meteor shower, which is at its height this time of year with as many as 60 meteors per hour streaking across the sky.
Speaking of streaking, that’s a bad decision that will not be welcome at the campout, although there is a “Dance Your Pants Off” competition.
There also will be live music from 10 local bands on the main stage. A secondary stage will feature comics, belly dancers, fire dancers, more bands and a “boner jam” featuring competing trombonists.
Four Peaks Brewing Co. will supply the beer, Arizona Hops and Vines the wine, and the bacon tent will be run by Mama’s Hawaiian Bar-B-Cue. Food trucks also will be on hand.
Kids and pets are welcome and admission is free for anyone under 21. A Sober Shack Kids Camp will offer arts and crafts, movies, a bounce house and dinner for $25 per child.
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Some campers show up in RV’s, others bring tents and some simply stretch out on a cot or in the back of a pickup truck to watch the meteor show.
“It’s fun to look out over the vineyard and see it,” Zouzoulas said. “The sky is gorgeous out here.”
Unless it rains, in which case the outdoor campers may regret —or possibly celebrate — yet another bad decision.
Details: Noon-7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8 for those who don’t camp. Arizona Hops and Vines, 3450 State Route 82, Sonoita. $25 for a day ticket, which includes a souvenir glass and 10 tasting tickets. $60 for overnight, which includes glass, tasting tickets and campsite. azhopsandvines.com.