For the third year in a row, Willoughby resident Crystal Edwards and her team won best costumes at the annual 鈥淕rape Stomp鈥� charity fundraiser held at the Township 7 winery on Sunday, Oct. 15.
They entered in flashy, elaborate getups as Medusa, complete with snake headdresses, billing themselves as the 鈥淪ippin鈥� and Stompin鈥� Sedusas.鈥�
Edwards said it took them a few months to prepare.
鈥淲e started earlier in the year, and what we do, is we all get together and we have a glass of wine and we start crafting,鈥� Edwards told the 91原创 Advance Times.
They will be back next year, Edwards promised.
鈥淲e did a wine tour with a bunch of women years ago and I went to Township 7 and I heard that they had this competition,鈥� Edwards recalled.
鈥淚 think that was like seven years ago, and we鈥檝e been doing it ever since. And every year, it just gets more elaborate. We love that winery, the staff is fantastic, and we can鈥檛 wait to do it again,鈥� she added.
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It鈥檚 an annual tradition at Township 7, which has been hosting the stomp event about 13 years, estimated winery manager Cody Karman.
鈥淭he weather held up for us, which was amazing,鈥� Karman reported.
鈥淭he costumes were top notch and with everyone, the spirit was high.鈥�
Township 7 winery in 91原创 is hosting their annual grape stomp competition and fundraiser
鈥� 91原创 Advance Times (@91原创Times)
Teams had 15 minutes to collect grapes at the Township 7 vineyard at 21152 16th Ave., load up their barrels, and jump in and stomp the berries in a bid to fill up as many bottles of wine as they could.
The 鈥淢other Cluckers鈥� team, with costumed tributes to a certain Kentucky colonel and chickens, won the first heat by filling 4.75 bottles, while the 鈥淲here鈥檚 Wino鈥� group, a call-out to the Waldo character, won the second heat with 3.75 bottles.
鈥淲ine Wrestling Friends,鈥� a tribute to pro wrestlers that included versions of Hulk Hogan, Mankind, Jake the Snake, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Randy 鈥淢acho Man鈥� Savage, and Steve Austin, won for 鈥渂est team spirit.鈥�
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Good grapes a problem for annual stomp at 91原创 winery
One team included representatives from this year鈥檚 beneficiary, the charity, a not-for-profit, therapeutic equestrian riding centre located just around the corner from Township 7.
PRDA Executive Director Michelle Ingall, who stomped grapes with charity and Township 7 staffers called it an 鈥渋ncredible鈥� experience.
鈥淐ody was kind enough to allow us to participate in the grape stomp,鈥� Ingall said.
鈥淚 love all the costumes. I love seeing everybody show up to these events. They鈥檙e so much fun, and I feel really lucky to be able to participate.鈥�
Volunteer Hilary Furnell, who was watching from the PRDA table, called it 鈥渁n excellent thing.鈥�
鈥淧eople are having fun and money is being raised, we have merchandise for sale and it all goes to help run our program.鈥�
The event raised roughly $500 in a matter of a few hours.
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