For the second straight year, Destination Geauga is incentivizing people to get out and dine at a new restaurant or have a drink at a local bar or winery as part of their activity plans.
For the second straight year, Destination Geauga is incentivizing people to get out and dine at a new restaurant or have a drink at a local bar or winery as part of their activity plans.
The Taste of Geauga Passport contest was highlighted at the Geauga County Commissioners meeting Oct. 17 when Office Manager Kathy Shimer appeared to drop off passports to commissioners Ralph Spidalieri, Jim Dvorak and Tim Lennon.
“It’s a great idea and I’ve already had two people turn in their passport with 10 stamps already. It worked out really well last year,” Shimer said. “Last year, we had 32 stops. My goal next year is 40.”
Residents can pick up a passport at one of the 38 participating locations and will be entered to win gift cards for breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, beer, wine, tea and even desserts.
The passport includes full-service restaurants, diners, cafes, bakeries, baristas, breweries and wineries.
“It’s proven to be a great fall program for our members. The members get so excited about getting the passports to hand out and featuring their specials and promotions around the program,” said Destination Geauga’s President Christine Blythe in an Oct. 18 press release. “The program has been so rewarding when we hear from the participants, and everyone is so eager to get their passports and get started.”
Participating businesses within the county include:
7 Ladies Tea Parlor, 8th Day Brewing Company, Blazin Bills, Brown Barn Tavern, Bummin’ Beaver Brewery, Cinda’s, Coffee Corners Antiques & Coffee House, Cowboy’s Food and Drink, D.S. Cakes & Sweet Café, Debonne’ Vineyard, Element 41, Eleventhree Brewing Company, Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Ferroni’s Allegro Cafe & Bistro, Ferroni’s Cafe & Coffee, Frost Bar & Grill, Grand River Cellars, Grand River Grounds, Helene’s Auburn Beverage, JC’s Restaurant, Johnny’s Pizza, Kitchen on the Corner, Laleure Vineyards, Mangia Mangia, Perky Kettle, Quintealia’s Tea Parlor, Sapphire Creek Winery, Sharon James Cellars, Sirna’s Farm Fresh Kitchen, Sluggworth’s Hot Dogs, Square Bistro, Sweets on the Square, The Cherry Room Punderson Manor, The Cutting Board, The Lodge at Bass Lake, The Pretzel Bar, The World Famous Iron Horse Saloon and Vinny’s Italian Kitchen.
To be entered to win, a person must get at least 10 passport stamps by the end of the year. The more stamps obtained, the more gift cards that person could win, according to DG. When participants have at least 10 location stamps, they can mail their passport to Destination Geauga, 12375 Kinsman Road, Bldg H- 8, Newbury OH 44065. Entries must be received by Dec. 31.
The first qualified passport received at the Destination Geauga office will win three $25 gift certificates, entries two through six will each win one $25 gift certificate and all six will be entered to win in the subsequent drawing for the first-, second- and third-place prizes, according to DG.
After Dec. 31, a random drawing of three passports will take place and the passport with the most stamps will receive 12 $25 gift cards, according to the tourism office website.
The passport with the second most stamps will receive 10 $25 gift cards and the passport with the least stamps of the three will receive eight $25 gift cards.
Complete rules and participation guidelines can be found on Destination Geauga’s website at www.destinationgeauga.com/taste-of-geauga-passport-2023.
