Published: 12:25 PM, 11/02/2009

Last updated: 12:52 PM, 11/17/2009

The Blue Ridge Wine Festival, which returns for a fifth time to Blowing Rock April 15-19, 2010, has been designated a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event.

The best events across the Southeast compete to receive the  designation, and the Southeast Tourism Society selects the top 20 events in the Southeast for each month.

 "One of our long-term goals for the wine festival was to establish it as a highly anticipated and well-attended annual occurrence, and designation as a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 event shows that we've attained that status. With this recognition will come increased visitation in 2010, and we're looking forward to showcasing downtown Blowing Rock next April," said Charles Hardin, executive director of the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce.

Featured Blue Ridge Wine Festival events include wine tastings, Fire on the Rock Chef's Challenge, seminars, a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway and more. For more information, visit blueridgewinefestival.com.

The top 20 events announcement is release to more than 1,600 newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, AAA publications and others. To be eligible, the event must have at least 1,000 in attendance and be in at least its third year in existence.