Harvest on the Harbor off to a festive start

The first ever Harvest on the Harbor kicked off last night with a jam packed Grand Tasting at the Ocean Gateway. Lots of locals turned out to sample food, wine, beer and spirits from 45 vendors. It was without a doubt a grand success.

The party featured a number of local celebrity chefs, including Sam Hayward from Fore Street, who was serving chilled, raw and marinated Maine seafood. Seafood was definitely the unifying feature for much of the food.

Being more of a veggie person, I bellied right up to the Harraseeket Inn table. They were serving up an extremely tasty herbed cracker with fall ratatouille and pumpkin seed pesto.

These espresso-filled treats from Sweet Marguerites were mighty tasty too.

When it came to drinks, my friend Shannon Bryan and I stuck to wine. Here we are sampling the fruity Covey Run Riesling, which offered a nice balance of sweetness and acidity.

Another favorite was the Barefoot Bubbly Pinot Grigio Champagne. The woman who poured my glass said it makes a great holiday cocktail when mixed with 100% pomegranate juice.

Those who prefer brewskis to wine, flocked to the tables staffed by Peak Organic Brewing Co. (above), Shipyard Brewing and National Distributors.

I capped off my tasting adventure by finally getting a taste of the Blueberry Cold River Vodka. It was delicious and got me thinking about all kinds of fun cocktails I could create. It was a sweet way to close out a wonderful evening.

Harvest on the Harbor events continue today and tomorrow. A couple are sold-out, but most still have tickets available. Check out the full schedule, because you won't want to miss out on this stellar new foodie event.