Although this year will mark the 25th annual Santa Barbara County Vintners/ Festival, it will be the first time it/s been held in Lompoc 7 and the economic prospects are predicted to be a boon to the city.

Lompoc City Councilman Dwayne Holmdahl, who hosts a local radio program for wine enthusiasts, said the festival could have a huge impact for Lompoc.

&#8220About 3,000 is the normal attendance at the festival,C Holmdahl said of the predicted turnout, adding that the average visitors could be expected to tour the city and its wine industry from one to four hours at a time.

&#8220There are also about 500 needed for labor, like pouring wine,C he continued. &#8220These are mostly people from Lompoc donating their time for it.C

&#8220The restaurants and retail (sales) could really bring in new dollars,C he said. &#8220There will be people from all over California and the United States. For a lot of people, it will be their first time in Lompoc.C

Chamber of Commerce Director Denny Anderson agreed with some similar points.

&#8220The benefit is going to come for our hotels and restaurants and gas stations,C Anderson said. &#8220It will have a major impact, since this is our first one.C

He said exact numbers in tourism cannot be estimated that well yet, but after this first one, projections can be made for future festivals in Lompoc.

Chamber officials have said the annual dog shows in Lompoc generate more than ,1 million for the community, a figure they consider conservative.

Economic Development Director Kate Griffith said she agrees it is hard to predict the revenue from this new local event, but she said the annual sales locally for the wine industry could be anywhere from ,50 million to ,150 million.

Holmdahl also said one main boost will come from people staying one or more nights at local hotels. He said he expects many hotels in Lompoc to be full of tourists for the weekend.

Rooms at the local Embassy Suites hotel and the Best Western are already sold out.

&#8220If you look at the multiplier effect, it/s going to be pretty dramatic,C Anderson said about business increases to gas stations, hotels and places to eat.

Holmdahl agreed that restaurants also will benefit from the attention Lompoc will receive, noting restaurants like Jalama Beach Cafe, Sissy/s Uptown Cafe and Saletti/s Italian Restaurant can probably expect some of the most business.

Certain restaurants will have wine tastings of their own, like Sissy/s Uptown Cafe on Friday and Saturday nights. In addition, more than 30 restaurants will receive exposure by serving food at the event itself.

Griffith said businesses like Sweet Creations Chocolate Shoppe and La Nogalera Walnut Oil have already participated in the festival for years.

One new business this year will be Blacksmith Steak House. She said there will also be winemaker dinners at La Purisima Mission and the Village Country Club.

Other sources of revenue will come from visitors paying to learn more about the history of the Lompoc Valley.

&#8220There will be a new group of people going to the mission and going on the mission tours,C Holmdahl said.

Another draw for people while in town could be the murals throughout Lompoc, which have won prizes in the past. Mural tours will be open to festival participants.

Holmdahl said he has heard about visitors from Los An-geles and Orange counties who are especially interested in the Bodger Greenhouse Tour.

He said he expects many visitors from within Santa Barbara County, especially from the Santa Ynez Valley, as well as representatives from more than 90 wineries.

Some first-time visitors may even be convinced to return to Lompoc for more permanent reasons in the future, Holmdahl added.

&#8220As a result of this event, I honestly believe people could eventually move to Lompoc or set up business in Lompoc,C he said of economic possibilities.

Holmdahl said that people have also spent lots of money for personal items at past festivals, like those held in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Holmdahl said the other usual events in Lompoc that boost the economy annually, like the dog show and the Lompoc Flower Festival, bring much business as well, but the Santa Barbara County Vintners/ Festival will have a special edge.

&#8220This will bring in a different clientele than usual in Lompoc,C he said.

Attend the festival

Then 2007 Santa Barbara County Vintners/ Festival will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at River Park on Highway 246 in Lompoc.

More than 90 wineries will pour their wines, dozens of restaurants, chefs and caterers will provide food, a silent auction will benefit local charities and live music will be continuous.

In addition to the festival itself, individual wineries offer winemaker dinners, winery tours, library wine tastings and sales, barrel tastings, special appetizers and live music in the tasting rooms April 20 through 23.

Tickets to the festival at River Park are ,75 per person when purchased online, ,80 at the event, and include a commemorative Reidel crystal glass.

A Vintners/ Visa weekend pass to 12 participating wineries is ,35 per person. A Combo Ticket for the Saturday festival plus the Vintners/ Visa is ,100 per person.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 688-0881 or online at www.sbcountywines.com.

Ryan McMaster can be reached at 737-1057 or rmcmaster@ lompocrecord.com.