The unofficial kickoff to summer on the shoreline, the Thursday, May 31 Connecticut River Museum (CRM) annual fundraiser RiverFare is a gourmet food and drink tasting event on the museum’s riverfront lawn. Numerous local caterers and restaurants vendors provide samples of their culinary talents for patrons, as well as tastings from breweries and wineries of the River Valley. The evening features a full cash bar, music, and silent auction.

RiverFare 2018 food vendors include Atria Crossroads Place, The Blue Hound Cookery & Taproom, Cloud Nine Café & Catering, Cheese Shop of Centerbrook, Essex Clipper Dinner Train (Essex Steam Train & Riverboat), Gourmet Galley Catering, The Griswold Inn, Red House, Fromage Fine Foods & Coffees, Essex Coffee and Tea Co., Catering by Selene, The Essex, Grano Arso Restaurant, and Little Pub.

Drink vendors include Winebow, Hartley & Parker Limited Inc., Highland Imports, Gathering Harvest Wines-Abby Van Slyck, Sunset Hills Vineyard, Wash Ashore Beer Company, Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island, Thimble Island Brewing Company, Revival Brewing Company, and Fishers Island Lemonade.

The Courier/Shore Publishing is the media sponsor; in-kind sponsors are SeaSide Wine & Spirits; Connecticut Rental Center-Special Event, Wedding, & Party Rentals; and Rhode VanGessel Design.

RiverFare is at the Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main Street, Essex on Thursday, May 31 from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information or to buy tickets ($60 in advance, $65 at the door), visit ctrivermuseum.org. All proceeds benefit CRM.