Along the Street: Melt Down program runs through Feb. 28

Grilled cheese sandwich specials will be hot sellers this week as the Melt Down fundraiser continues.

Forty-four businesses, most of them restaurants, are participating in the Feb. 1-28 fundraiser for the Yamhill County food bank.

Each participant offers a special grilled cheese sandwich or other treat, such as fondue, popcorn or an ice cream sandwich. The place donates $2 for each special purchased in February to the YCAP food bank.

Diners who make purchases at multiple locations during February can qualify for prizes, such as a cheese grater, a maize-colored camp mug, a T-shirt or a light gray beanie.

Below is a list of this year’s Melt Down participants.

Amity: Brooks Wine; The Common Cup.

Carlton: Blind Pig; Carlton Corners; The Horse Radish.

Dayton: The By-Pass Bar & Grill; Domaine Willamette; Loam Kitchen; Sokol Blosser Winery.

McMinnville: Alpine Crossing; American Legion Post 21; Bert’s Chuckwagon BBQ; Blue Moon Lounge; Chris James Cellars; Conservatory Bar; The Diner; 1882 Grille; Golden Valley Brewery; Grain Station; Harvest Fresh; Hawaii-Five-O-Three Café; House of Brassi’s food truck; Humble Spirit; Laughing Bean Bistro; Local Flow; Neely’s Food Truck; R. Stuart & Co. Winery, which will pair with the new fromage-forward business Mack & Cheese; Serendipity Ice Cream; Two Dogs Taphouse; and Wildwood Café.

West of McMinnville: Bellevue Country Store on Highway 18 and Youngberg Hill, 10660 S.W. Youngberg Hill Road.

Newberg/Dundee: Barley & Vine Tavern; Chehalem Valley Brewing; Coffee Cat Coffeehouse; Jem 100; J’s Family Restaurant & Lounge; Lyrics Cafe; Miss Hannah’s Gourmet Popcorn; Old Town Bar & Grill; Social Goods; and Trellis.

Willamina: Fort Hill Restaurant on Highway 18.

Yamhill: The Larson House.

For more information, visit the Melt Down webpage, yamhillcap.org/tmd2025.

Tasting rooms band together in ‘Club Share’

Through the month of March, 14 downtown McMinnville wine tasting room are joining together to allow wine club members to receive privileges at one another’s venues, in an effort known as Third Street Club Share.

The wineries and tasting rooms are Acorn to Oak, Björnson Vineyard, Chris James Cellars, Eyrie Vineyards, Garibaldi Cellars, J. Wrigley Vineyards, Jacob Williams Winery, The Grove, Pike Road Wines, R. Stuart & Co Winery, Terra Vina, Troon Vineyard and Willamette Valley Vineyards.

Also participating, with discounts for club members are Cypress Restaurant & Bar, Douglas on Third and The Boutique Retreat.

Vadnays sell McMinnville chocolate business

McMinnville’s Vadnay Chocolates will become Noble Knights Chocolate Co. this spring.

Jason and Carolyn Durham have purchased the four-year-old business from Joseph and Mandy Vadnay, who will be moving to Wheeling, West Virginia.

The Durhams, who live in Dallas, will continue under the founding name for about a month before changing to Noble Knights. “We will keep the same products and expand to other avenues and products,” Jason Durham said.

“I spent most of my life in the food industry, and food and customer service are nothing strange,” Jason Durham said. “This is another avenue of that.”

Mandy Vadnay stated, “There will, of course, naturally be changes, but we believe the future for Yamhill County’s only bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer will be an exciting one now that there is new energy behind it.”

The Durhams have been learning the chocolate recipes, including the popular brownies, and will continue operating the retail store at 619 N.E. Third St., and their manufacturing location on Northeast Alpha Street.

Joseph Vadnay will start a handyman business similar to his McMinnville Handyman, which he has done on the side, and the couple are considering a new chocolate business in Wheeling.

Carlton firefighters to hold spaghetti dinner fundraiser

The Carlton Volunteer Firefighters Association and Carlton Fire District will host their annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser on March 8 in the fire hall.

Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Admission is $15 per plate, with children younger than 7 allowed to eat free.

Caden Livingston will perform music. In addition to serving spaghetti, firefighters will host a wine raffle featuring wines from local makers and a silent auction.

Proceeds go toward purchase of lifesaving equipment, such as automatic defibrillators and battery-operated extrication tools. Funds also will go toward the new CFD Volunteer EMT Scholarship.

Tickets available for Women in Wine event

Reservations are open for the seventh annual Women in Wine Conference, which will take place June 3 at The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg.

The annual event brings together women from across the wine industry for a day of education, empowerment and networking.

Early bird tickets are available for $195 for Women in Wine members and $230 for non-members. After March 15, prices are $265 for general admission and $325 for a week’s access to related activities.

This year’s event will introduce changes to enhance the experience for attendees, accordion to Sara Stockwell, president of Women in Wine Oregon. In addition to the new venue at the Allison, she said the conference will feature expanded scholarship opportunities, a full agenda, more time for networking and the inclusion of local wine nonprofits' booths.

Women in Wine has more than 240 members, who focus on promoting the inclusion and advancement of female leadership in the wine and beverage industry.

Susan Sokol Blosser founded the organization in 2015 after attending a national conference. She said she saw the need for a dedicated space to support and elevate women in Oregon’s wine industry

For conference reservations, visit events.humanitix.com/women-in-wine-2025-seventh-annual-conference

For more information, visit womeninwineoregon.com.

Greeters programs planned

Organizers of the Wine & Food Classic will host the McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce Greeters program from 8 to 9 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 28. The location will be the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, 500 N.E. Captain Michael King Smith Way.

In Newberg, the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce Greeters will be 8 to 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Social Goods, 500 E. First St.