An annual festival that takes place throughout St. Andrews by the Sea, Indulge is scheduled to run from Wednesday, October 16th to Sunday, October 20th this year. There is something for everyone at this celebration of food, wine, beer, and spirits, so bring along the family or spend a weekend with friends. Each day of the festival offers new and exciting events.

The first event on the schedule is Indulge in Paint at 7 pm in Kingsbrae Garden. This is a ticketed event where participants follow an artist’s instructions to create their own masterpiece, all with a complimentary glass of wine in-hand, of course. The following night at 7 pm, Kingsbrae Garden will also be hosting a Great Canadian Dueling Pianos event, where your favourite songs will be brought to life.

Friday at Indulge is all about the Taste of St. Andrews, a featured festival event that will be taking place along Water Street from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Over 20 locations along the street will be offering samples of food, wine, cocktails, and beer in exchange for one or more festival tickets, which cost $2 each. When you’ve had your fill of samples, head to the Indulge After Party at the W C O’Neill Arena Complex for a Tragically Hip tribute concert.

If there is one day to be at the Indulge festival, it’s the Saturday. The day begins at 10 am with the St. Andrews Farmers’ Market in downtown Market Square, where you’ll find all sorts of specialty food and goods. Starting at 10 am, you can also visit The Crocker Hill Store for samples of mulled cider, the St. Croix Olive Company for an olive oil and balsamic tasting, and Garden by the Sea for free tea samples.

At noon, make sure you stop by the Kingsbrae Garden Cafe for Brats & Brews, an Oktoberfest-style event. Then, at 1 pm, you can take part in the featured Wine and Beer Trail along Water Street to sample the best wine and beer in St. Andrews. This is followed by the Kingsbrae Garden Harvest Feast, a five-course meal that serves as the highlight of the festival, and a small plates tasting event at Windsor House.

From 9 am to 6 pm on both Friday and Saturday, you can stop by Kingsbrae Garden to see the beautiful fall theming and check out the second-biggest pumpkin patch in the province. Both days will also feature night entertainment on Water Street beginning at 9 pm. Come warm up inside one of the selected venues and sit back for some live entertainment.

The festival will draw to a close on Sunday with the Rossmount Inn Hike for Hunger, a fundraising event that donates all proceeds to the Food Bank. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children, and participants can also bring donations of canned food. The hike begins at noon at Rossmount Inn, which is located at the base of Chamcook Mountain.

An invigorating fall hike is the perfect way to end a weekend spent indulging in delicious food and drink. Whether you only take part in the festival’s ample free activities or treat yourself to a ticketed event, there is no shortage of opportunities to delight your senses at Indulge.