On May 15th, the hills around Richmond were alive with the Sound of Music as the long-awaited arena The Vine at Chenault Vineyards made its official debut.
Following an afternoon ribbon cutting, Nashville-based Lost Saints and Rebecca Lynn Howard took the stage for a night of country music that would have rocked the rafters had there been any.
The outdoor arena, which was the vision of winery founders Ed and Becky Chenault, has been three years in the building, but now Richmond has a venue capable of hosting events ranging from concerts and theater to weddings and graduation ceremonies.
“This is a beautiful space, and we want our community to make use of it,” says Christina Pennington, Chenault’s general manager and the daughter of the winery’s founders.
Nestled snugly on 500 acres in the rolling hills of Madison County, The Vine will provide a magical setting for music and more from May through October, according to Pennington.
Lori Murphy, Executive Director of Visit Richmond, believes it will do much more than that.
“The Vine at Chenault Vineyards represents the kind of destination experience that modern travelers are looking for as it combines live entertainment, Kentucky Bluegrass scenery, local wine, and hospitality into one unique attraction,” says Murphy.
She adds that venues such as The Vine don’t just bring people in for a concert, but encourage overnight stays, dining, shopping, and return visits.
“This strengthens Richmond’s position as a tourism destination and gives visitors another reason to choose our community for weekend travel and special events,” says Murphy.
Visitors will have plenty of reason to include The Vine at Chenault Vineyards in their travel plans during the upcoming months as already on the schedule to perform are Big Daddy Weave (June 21); The Band Perry (August 28th) and Exile (September 18th).
In addition, Pennington says there are more concerts that will be announced in the next couple of weeks.
“We are just waiting to get all the contracts signed,” she says.
The Vine’s physical layout is designed to give concertgoers and other users any kind of experience they want.
There is chair seating for 1,007 people, with room for another 2,500 on the expansive lawn.
There is also a plan for every pocketbook – standing room in the orchestra pit for 400, or for the big spenders, 20 corporate boxes seating 20 people each.
The one common denominator will be the good time had by all.
Pennington says that for now, the musical agenda for the concerts will focus on country, but eventually they hope to expand it to include rock, soul, bluegrass and other genres.
“Who knows – maybe even classical or opera,” she says.
If music is food for the soul, the food trucks that will be present at every concert will provide nourishment for the body.
And, of course, as befits a vineyard, there will be plenty of wine.
“What goes better with music than wine?” says Pennington.
