Best college town hosts international pinot noir festival

March 7, 2011 - PRLog -- Discover McMinnville, a laid-back college town in the birthplace of Oregon’s wine country.

July 29–31 marks the 25th anniversary of the International Pinot Noir Celebration, held on the idyllic Linfield College campus. Drawing Pinot fans and food lovers from around the world, the celebration is the oldest American event of its kind.

McMinnville and Linfield College are situated in the midst of vineyards, orchards, nurseries and coastal mountains, an hour east of one of America’s most beautiful coastlines and an hour west of downtown Portland.

IF YOU VISIT YOU CAN …

•  Visit McMinnville’s charming, tree-lined Third Street. The entire downtown district is on the National Historic Register, with most of the brick buildings built between 1885 and 1910.

•  Browse downtown art galleries, antique shops, an old-fashioned barbershop, a chocolatier, a gourmet grocery and a thriving farmers’ market.

•  Buy a purple and red Linfield College jacket. Thousands of townspeople cheer on the Wildcat football team, which has more consecutive winning seasons — since 1956 — than any college team in the nation.

•  Enjoy the inspired culinary culture of McMinnville, named one of America’s six “Foodiest Towns” in 2010. Many restaurants feature local produce, eggs and meat.  

•  Spread a blanket under the trees for the Oak Grove Concert Series at Linfield College, or settle in for the latest Gallery Theater play.

•  Sip handcrafted beers at McMenamins Hotel Oregon, whose staff hosts the town’s annual UFO Festival.

•  Listen to the bells chime from Linfield’s Pioneer Hall, hang out with fresh-faced students or wander campus — red brick buildings set among 200 park-like acres of shade trees, flower gardens and lush lawns.

•  Sample local wines on an Art & Wine Walk, tour the downtown “Urban Pinot Quarter” or visit any of the 150 nearby wineries. Locals pioneered Pinot noir grape growing and winemaking in Oregon, besting the competition in France and California.

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Linfield College illuminates the power of a small college, and is recognized for arts, sciences and professional programs, international emphasis and commitment to social responsibility.