The fourth annual North Country Wine, Beer and Food Festival later this month in Ogdensburg will be more than the continuing summer tradition of sampling the best of New York’s own foods, beverages, arts and crafts.

The Aug. 11 and 12 event at the Richard G. Lockwood Civic Center, which is co-sponsored by the Greater Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce and the city of Ogdensburg, is also a pursuit of magic.

A magic number.

It all has to do with whether there is a fifth festival in 2013. If so, then this event has truly arrived.

Sandra M. Porter, the Chamber’s executive director, said year five is it for validation in the growing world of wine, beer and food festivals.

”They say that number five is the magic number,” she said. “Then you have credibility.”

Few if any doubt that there is strong argument in favor of the Ogdensburg festival having credibility to spare on the eve of its fourth outing. Ms. Porter rattles off the numbers to make that point.

Forty-six booth spaces are taken, up 13 from last year, and there is still plenty of room left, Ms. Porter said. Thirteen new vendors will be there.

Representatives of nine vineyards and wineries will be on hand, along with 14 food vendors and farms, and 11 artists.

There will also be food preparation by John Roe of the Paul Smiths College culinary arts program.

Ms. Porter cited word of mouth among vendors from the beginning years as key to the festival’s continuing growth and success.

“There are a lot of people who won’t take a chance on a first-year event,” she said.

Then there is another growth factor, the public’s embrace of the festival.

“It continues to be a fun event,” Ms. Porter said. “Everybody’s very supportive of it.”

For more information, call the Chamber at 393-3620.

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