BELLEFONTE — There are plenty of ways to experience Bellefonte.
You can admire the Victorian architecture, wander through its downtown shops or learn a little about the history tucked behind some of its most recognizable buildings.
On Oct. 3, visitors can do all of that with a glass of Pennsylvania wine, beer, cider or spirits waiting for them along the way.
The Bellefonte Intervalley Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its second annual Wine and Spirits Walk from 1 to 5 p.m. in downtown Bellefonte, building on an inaugural event that organizers say quickly sold out last year.
This time, however, there may be a few ghosts joining the party.
“We wanted to do it in October, in the fall and have a kind of a spooky theme along with the wine and spooky spirits,” said Janie Provan, president of the chamber board.
The idea for the event began with a former chamber board member who suggested bringing a wine walk to Bellefonte. Chamber representatives also spoke with the Clearfield Chamber of Commerce, which holds similar events.
Then Bellefonte provided the rest.
With its historic buildings, walkable downtown and local businesses, organizers saw an opportunity to create something that was about more than simply sampling drinks.
Last year’s event was capped at about 150 participants and sold out. This year, organizers increased availability to 200 tickets.
Andrea Skirpan, owner of Belle Mercantile, chamber board member and Wine Walk Committee member, said organizers deliberately want to keep the event different from wine festivals where vendors are gathered together in one location.
Instead, participants receive a map and travel among participating downtown businesses.
“We want everybody that’s participating to explore the town,” Skirpan said. “There’s more aspects to it than just a wine walk. It’s meeting the business owners, learning about the town, walking around, that kind of thing.”
Participants sample their drinks inside the businesses rather than carrying open containers through the streets. That gives them an opportunity to browse the stores, meet owners and potentially discover businesses they have never visited.
For Skirpan, getting someone through the door for the first time can make a difference.
The event is marketed beyond the immediate Bellefonte area in hopes of attracting visitors who may have never explored the community before. Even local residents, Skirpan said, may discover a newer business or one they simply haven’t visited.
“You’re driving customers to other places that they might not have found,” she said. “Just getting people in a door for the first time makes a big difference.”
Participating businesses also contribute items, discounts or gifts for bags provided to attendees, giving visitors another reason to return after the event.
And then there are those ghosts.
This year’s walk will include guided ghost tours from Local Historia’s Matt Maris and Dustin Elder. Two roughly half-hour tours will be offered at different locations, one near the Bellefonte Train Station and another near the courthouse.
Tours will take place throughout the afternoon, allowing participants to fit some Bellefonte history between stops for wine and spirits.
Among the stories will be tales connected to Jail Hill near the courthouse.
Skirpan said the tours provide another way of looking at buildings visitors may otherwise simply walk past.
“To hear about things that happened in a building, it just adds a little more information and some context,” she said. “It kind of brings the history to life.”
The ghost tours are optional. Those who prefer their spirits exclusively in a glass are welcome to simply enjoy the businesses and tastings.
Provan said the chamber’s larger goal is to encourage people to “discover Bellefonte,” whether they are visiting for the afternoon or spending an entire weekend in town.
Last year’s response suggested they may be onto something.
Provan was working at the registration table when one participant approached her with a simple request: “This is great. You should do this every year.”
It was a beautiful fall day, Provan recalled, and people weren’t rushing through downtown. They were walking, eating, shopping, sampling drinks and taking time to see the businesses around them.
“It was a good event, and it was good for Bellefonte and the businesses,” she said.
Skirpan believes events like the walk serve another purpose for small towns.
“People come to the towns looking for fun things to do,” she said. “It’s drawing some new people in, and it’s providing an experience for the local people as well.”
The Wine and Spirits Walk is also a fundraiser for the Bellefonte Intervalley Area Chamber of Commerce. Provan said the chamber hopes to use funds for improvements to the Bellefonte Train Station, including a fire suppression system.
Tickets are $27, and participants must be 21 or older and bring identification. Registration for the event will be at the Bellefonte Train Station or for more information, visit bellefonte.com/events/bellefonte-wine-and-spirits-walk.
