1. (a)

   1. (1) There is a wine festival license.
   2. (2) The Board may issue not more than four wine festival licenses each year.
   3. (3) An applicant for the license shall submit an application on the form that the Board provides.

2. (b) The Board may issue the license to:

   1. (1) a holder of a retail license, Class 3 winery license, or Class 4 limited winery license; or
   2. (2) a person that is eligible to hold a Class C multiple day or multiple event license.

3. (c) The license authorizes the holder to display and sell wine that is:

   1. (1) manufactured and processed in any state; and
   2. (2) distributed in the State when the license application is filed.

4. (d) A license holder shall display and sell wine:

   1. (1) at retail for on- and off-premises consumption; and
   2. (2) during the hours and days designated for the wine festival.

5. (e) The Board shall:

   1. (1) hold a hearing on each license application; and
   2. (2) publish notice of the license application hearing one time at least 7 days before the hearing.

6. (f)

   1. (1) Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, each year the Board shall choose up to 3 consecutive days for the wine festival.
   2. (2) The Board shall choose a location that is not already licensed.

   3. (3) A day chosen for the wine festival may not:

      1. (i) be a Sunday; or
      2. (ii) fall on the same weekend as the Maryland Wine Festival in Carroll County.
7. (g) Notwithstanding subsection (f)(3)(i) of this section, a holder of a wine festival license issued for use in a location where Sunday sales are allowed may make Sunday sales beginning at 10 a.m.

8. (h) Wine displayed and sold shall be:

   1. (1) invoiced to the license holder by a wholesaler, Class 3 winery, or Class 4 limited winery; and
   2. (2) delivered to the wine festival from the licensed premises of the wholesaler, Class 3 winery, or Class 4 limited winery.

9. (i) A holder of a State wholesale, Class 3 winery, or Class 4 limited winery license may enter into an agreement with the license holder to:

   1. (1) deliver wine not earlier than 2 days before the effective date of the license; and
   2. (2) accept returns not later than 5 days after the expiration date of the license.
10. (j) The Board shall establish the license fee.
11. (k) The Board shall adopt regulations to carry out this section.

Added by Acts 2016, c. 41, § 2, eff. July 1, 2016. Amended by Acts 2016, c. 590, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2016; Acts 2016, c. 591, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2016; Acts 2017, c. 144, § 1, eff. July 1, 2017; Acts 2022, c. 766, § 2, eff. July 1, 2022; Acts 2022, c. 767, § 2, eff. July 1, 2022; Acts 2025, c. 790, § 1, eff. July 1, 2025; Acts 2025, c. 791, § 1, eff. July 1, 2025.