TEMECULA, Calif., Nov. 20, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Keyways Vineyard & Winery is making it easy for everyone to experience a Green Christmas.
In December, the winery will host the Temeculights Holiday Festival, a spectacular month-long celebration of the holidays that includes more than 100,000 lights powered by solar power.
The winery's vineyards will be decked out in green lights, the wedding pavilion, garden gazebo and all of the trees will sport white lights and the tasting room and rest of the buildings at Keyways will be covered in amber lights.
The nightly show begins at dusk and lasts until 9 p.m. and includes horse-drawn wagon and carriage rides through the vineyards, mulled wine and cider, Christmas carolers, award winning wines, Christmas cookies and snacks, a gift shop that carries unique holiday gifts, surprise visits from Santa and fun for the entire family.
Horse-drawn wagon rides $10 adults; kids $5 (5-13); under 4 years free.
"In the wine business we are always talking about sustainable agriculture and land-friendly growing methods," said Terri Pebley, Keyways owner. "So it's not surprising that a winery would serve as a model for the possibilities of environmentally friendly solar power."
Keyways' Wine Country neighbor, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, will also use the green electricity from 40 photovoltaic solar panels to power 12 miles of LED (light emitting diode) lights strung throughout the 35-acre property beginning Dec. 6.
Pebley hopes all of Wine Country will embrace Temeculights in the years to come as an eco-friendly holiday event that promotes awareness about alternative energy sources.
To make Temeculights possible, Keyways has partnered with The Green Lights Project, an Arizona-based firm that put on Red Rock Fantasy, a two-month-long, nationally recognized holiday festival of lights that attracted more than 250,000 people each year to Sedona.
LED lighting at Keyways will be powered by a mobile solar power station provided by Akeena Solar, a Los Gatos, Ca. designer and installer of solar power systems.
Keyways Vineyard & Winery sits on about 13 acres at the confluence of the 2,000-acre Valle de los Caballos -- Valley of the Horses - and the southern tier of Temecula's Wine Country at 37338 DePortola Road. From the 15 freeway, head out Highway 79 South/Temecula Parkway toward Indio, turn left on Anza Road and right on DePortola Road for about 2 miles.
The tasting room is open daily 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. during December. For more information call (951) 302-7888 or go to www.KeywaysWine.com