How To Attend The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
It's hard to be in two places at once. In fact, it's down right impossible. UNLESS you are the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, taking place both in San Diego, California and Baja California between November 6-12. The international celebration of Wine and Food brilliance takes place over 7 days, with an impressive roster of over 100 regionally and nationally-recognized chefs and over 800 craft wine, beer, cider and spirits selections to taste, imbibe, and fall in love with. Tickets can be purchased at sandiegowineclassic.com
Courtesy of San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival | Photo by James Tran
The SDBWFF places a massive emphasis on the influence of Mexican culture, heritage, and gastronomy on Southern California’s exploding food scene. With participation from top chefs from both sides of the border, along with innovative brands and engaging activations and excursions that celebrate the binational cultural diversity and rich culinary scene of our San Diego + Baja bioregion, this is the premier Wine & Food Festival to showcase the inter-workings of neighboring countries riffing off each other with culinary and vinous delights.
Courtesy of San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
- The Grand Weekend: The annual Grand Weekend is the capstone of the Festival experience and is the culmination of a week of niche specialty dining events around San Diego and Baja. The city’s biggest gastronomic celebration and one of the most anticipated events of the year, the Grand Weekend is the ultimate interactive playground with four events over three flavor-packed, dynamic days.
- The Wine: The nation’s top winemakers and sommeliers will pour some of the best wines produced in the world including from distinguished regions like: Paso Robles, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Lodi, Temecula, San Diego, Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and Portugal. Wine enthusiasts will get to experience an astonishing number of producers using new varietals with a range of stylistic comparisons.
- The Talent: The weeklong event not only celebrates James Beard and Bocuse d’Or award winners, chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants, Food Network celebrities and guest chefs from out of market, but the focus of the Festival is to also give equal voice to the farmers and fisherman — where our food comes from — and shining a spotlight on the individuals who are part of our local food ecosystem.
- The Grand Fiesta: In partnership with the Consulate of Mexico and iHeart Media, the Grand Fiesta is the culmination of the Grand Weekend and takes place on Sunday, November 12th at Liberty Station’s expansive Ingram Plaza. Dedicated to the vibrant culinary culture of Latin America and Southern California, Grand Fiesta features live performances, immersive brand experiences including wine and spirits of Mexico, culinary stations curated by award-winning chefs from San Diego, Baja and beyond. Bocuse d’Or honorees including Chefs David Alacron, Diego Vargas, and Oliver Seki will join other award-winning talent to serve their distinct versions of Latin cuisine. The beloved annual “Taco TKO” competition will return, and the most celebrated taco makers on both sides of the border will battle it out for “Most Awesome Taco” in the city as voted on by attendees and an esteemed panel of judges. Chefs with winning tacos can win up to $3000 in cash and prizes!
- The Cross-Border Connection: Throughout the 7-day Festival schedule, attendees will be invited to discover the most notable Mexican beer, wine, spirits and cuisine, while having the opportunity to engage in person with the people behind the craft. The Baja Culinary Expedition, the Baja Pavilion at the Grand Tasting, and the Grand Fiesta highlight how the multicultural talents of San Diego, Baja, Southern California and beyond are united in their inextricable influence on each other, and the trajectory of the industry.
In partnership with Southern California sustainability champions The Ecology Center, and supporting future industry pioneers and visionaries with its annual Scholarship Program, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival remains committed to staying at the forefront of the culinary conversation, and is continuing to elevate the local voices of the communities it showcases.
Courtesy of San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival | Photo by Bradley Schweit
