Lemon Creek Winery marks 42nd annual Father’s Day Festival in Berrien Springs

BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich. -- Families gathered at Lemon Creek Winery on Sunday to celebrate Father’s Day with live music, wine tastings and outdoor activities during the winery’s 42nd annual Father’s Day Festival.

The event has been a tradition since the winery opened in the early 1980s and reflects the family-centered values that continue to shape the business today.

“For a long time, we were growing grapes and supplying them to St. Julian and Tabor Hill,“ said Kait Lemon. “The next generation of Lemon boys decided ‘Hey, we can make wine ourselves’.

The festival began as a way for winemaker Jeff Lemon to celebrate Father’s Day with family and friends. More than four decades later, the gathering evolved into a multigenerational tradition.

“A whole new generation has kind of come. I have kids, my husband’s now a part of the business,“ said Lemon. “Really it’s just this multigenerational family event that we host for ourselves and then invite everyone to come join us.”

Live performances entertained guests throughout the day while children participated in yard games and other family-friendly activities.

Lemon said many attendees have made the festival part of their own family traditions.

“Folks come back and they’re like, ‘I remember coming here every year as a kid,’ and now they’re bringing their kids,” Lemon said. “It’s just a good crowd.”