Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival
One of the premiere food and wine events on the West Coast, the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival isn’t as extensive as some others, but it packs a lot of quality into three days each September when the best regionally- and nationally-known chefs and top-notch vintners gather in this pretty mountain destination to offer classes, workshops, tastings, and more. Add to that a variety of other food- and culture-related activities and you get an event that is sure to please even the most avid foodie.
Usually held at the Village of Northstar Resort (though the location has varied in the past), this annual event has a long history – it started in 1985 - and tickets sell out quickly. Most cooking demonstrations are free though other events do require tickets.
Wine lovers, of course, have the opportunity to taste some of the best new offerings in the wine world as well as plenty of old favorites produced by well-known and not-so-well-known wineries that participate in the event. Aside from tasting, however, festival attendees can kick off the event with the opportunity to participate in another interesting wine event – the grape stomp! A fun competition that involves teams of four, participants climb into barrels filled knee-deep with grapes and stomping commences. The team that produces the most juice wins a prize. Other family-friendly competitions happen as well, including events like a pizza-spinning contest even the kids can enjoy.
The event also starts with an abundance of winemaker dinners and tasting events held on Friday, the first evening of the festival, hosted by a variety of some of the best restaurants on Tahoe’s North Shore. There are cooking classes for both adults and kids and many other family-oriented activities. And don’t miss the Blazing Pans Mountain Chefs Cook-Off!
Guests at the Lake Tahoe Food and Wine Festival will also be treated to a number of additional activities including interesting and educational wine walks, live music events, and more. The weekend culminates with a gala Grand Tasting, for which tickets sell out far in advance.
The Tahoe Plein Air Art Show also happens during the festival. This is a public exhibition and sale of the works of a variety of regional artists. This adjudicated event is generally held on the Saturday and Sunday of the festival in the Village at Northstar.
As an extra added bonus, the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine is a fundraiser, so any profits the event sees go to local and regional charities that will greatly benefit from the contributions.
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