November festivities to feature olive mill tours, seasonal meals, tastings, Food & Wine Pavilion, and a Holiday Marketplace
Dayton, Ore. (October 3, 2025) – Durant, home to the Durant Vineyards Winery & Tasting Room and Oregon’s only commercial olive mill, will host the 16th annual Olio Nuovo Festival, a monthlong series of events celebrating the season’s first olive oil pressing. Held throughout November at Durant Olive Mill in Dayton, Ore., the festival features estate-milled extra virgin olive oil, Italian-inspired food and wine pairings, and seasonal culinary experiences that highlight the beauty of the harvest while inviting guests to slow down and savor the season.
“The olive harvest is one of the most special times of the year here at Durant,” said owner Paul Durant. “It’s a chance for us to welcome guests into our world to taste the season’s first oil, enjoy seasonal food and wine, and celebrate the makers, chefs, and small businesses who make this region so vibrant. The Olio Nuovo Festival is as much about community as it is about the olive oil harvest.”
This year’s festivities include:
- Feast Olio: This immersive culinary experience begins with an exclusive tour of the Durant Olive Mill while sipping Durant Vineyards sparkling wine. Following the tour, guests will enjoy an elevated 7-course olive oil-centric Italian supper with wine pairings, prepared by Durant’s resident chefs, Eric Bartle and Sara Kundelius. This event takes place the first four Saturdays in November (November 1, 8, 15, 22) from 12 pm – 2:30 pm, and seating is limited. Reservations are available here. $180 per person.
- Oeno & Olio Tasting: Oeno (Latin for “wine”), is paired with Olio (“oil” in Italian) for special tastings that will be the first four weekends in November from 11 am – 1 pm. Guests will enjoy a fun communal tasting while they partake of fresh bruschetta and explore Durant’s estate grown and crafted wines alongside Durant extra virgin olive oils. Seatings are limited. Reservations are available here. $63 per person.
- Olio Food & Wine Pavilion: Visitors will enjoy live music, Durant Vineyards wine, and Italian offerings from local restaurants in this heated Food & Wine Pavilion at the Durant Tasting Room. The pavilion is open all five weekends (Saturday and Sunday) of November from 10 am – 4 pm. Free admission.
- Holiday Marketplace: The marketplace showcases the area’s top artists, makers and fine food producers. Visitors are invited to shop featured artisans as well as the Durant Farm Shop’s selection of olive oil, wine, culinary and home goods, gift boxes, holiday décor and more. Free admission.
- Olio Nuovo Mill Tours: Guided tours of Oregon’s only olioteca (olive oil mill and tasting room) are offered daily in November, this behind-the-scenes look offers an exploration into growing olives in the Northwest, and a chance to see the mill in action! For visitors’ safety, the mill will be blocked off while the mill and large equipment is running, but guests will be able to see the operation in action and taste the fresh Olio Nuovo (new oil). Note: olive harvest is dictated by nature, so the mill may not be running during all tours. However, there’s still a lot to learn, taste and enjoy! Hours: Mon – Fri at 11 am; Saturday and Sundays at 11 am and 2 pm. Free but reservations are required here.
- Community Mill Day: Inspired by traditional community milling days in the Mediterranean, this event is designed for small-scale growers who don’t meet the 1,000-pound minimum for Custom Milling — all you need is just 2 gallons of olives! Join for this special, hands-on experience celebrating Olio, as we combine everyone’s harvest to create a fresh, seasonally unique Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This event will take place on Sunday, November 16, at 10 am. Reservations are available here.
- Self-Guided Olive Oil Tasting: Visitors to the Durant Farm Shop can enjoy a self-guided exploration of the distinct flavors of freshly milled extra virgin olive oil. Sample each olive variety, side-by-side, exploring the unique flavor characteristics found in the various olive cultivars. Participants can also get cooking and pairing advice from Durant’s educated staff members while shopping the selection of Durant extra virgin olive oil – from small gift bottles to full gallon sizes. Free admission.
- Holiday Decor at the Nursery: Daily 10 am – 4 pm throughout November. Durant’s nursery and greenhouses will be transformed into a whimsical winter plant and flower market filled with fresh greenery, an expanded selection of seasonal plants for the home, gifts for gardeners and so much more. Visitors will find fresh cut olive branches from the Durant orchard, festive olive crowns and Durant-crafted holiday wreaths featuring olive foliage. Complimentary greenery/holiday decor demonstrations are also available. Free admission.
- Olio Grand Finale on Saturday and Sunday, November 29 & 30, 10 am – 4 pm. Join us for a festive weekend at the Farm as we celebrate the grand finale of the Olio Nuovo Festival and kick off the holiday season—Durant-style! Enjoy Oysters & Olio (freshly shucked oysters with a drizzle of olio) alongside the debut of two newly released Durant Vineyards sparkling wines, available by the glass or bottle. The Olio Grand Finale also features a special Pictures with Santa Fundraiser, benefiting the See Ya Later Foundation—a non-profit dedicated to providing sports camps, scholarships, and support for families facing serious medical challenges. Browse local vendors and stock up on unique gifts, artisan culinary goods, holiday décor, and so much more!
For more information and a full lineup of events, visit: https://durantoregon.com/olio-
