Wine, food festival celebrating 30^th year

Staff Report

The Santa Barbara Wine and Food Festival’s 30^th anniversary is just around the corner, and several Santa Ynez Valley vintners and restaurants are among the 100 vendors participating this year.

The annual event in the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s backyard has become one of the museum’s largest fundraisers, and this year its name has been modified to recognize the participation of local bakers, chefs and confectionaries. Visitors will sip, snack, and nibble the afternoon away from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 24, next to the Mission Creek.

Some of the local purveyors participating are Alma Rosa Winery, Andrew Murray Vineyards, Bedford Winery, Au Bon Climat, Fess Parker Winery, Grassini Family Vineyards, Rideau, Sunstone Winery, Industrial Eats, Mr. E’s Freeze, PICO, and Bear and Star.

“My hope is that the name change will help to attract even more of Santa Barbara County’s incredible food vendors and highlight the ones that have been participating all these years,” said Meredith Moore, the museum’s event manager.

The fundraiser will host more than 100 different wine and food vendors, including half a dozen sparkling wines that will return to Sparkling Way, a festival feature introduced last year. In what has become a tradition for local wine- and nature-lovers, the festival also doubles as the perfect venue to promote the most popular vintners and culinarians in Santa Barbara County.

To that end, the VIP Redwood Lounge returns, granting guests early admission and a private, secluded tasting area. VIP tickets for the Redwood Lounge are $125 for museum members and $150 for others.

General admission for museum members is $75 and $100 for others. All proceeds benefit the museum’s exhibits and education programs.

The Every Cork Wins raffle guarantees prizes after a $40 donation to pull a cork. Winnings can include a prize from a wine or food vendor, a museum membership, or even a pair of tickets to next year’s Santa Barbara Wine and Food Festival.

Guests 21 and older may purchase tickets at sbnature.org/winefestival, and guests must present valid identification for admittance.

For more information, visit sbnature.org/winefestival. Anyone interested in participating in the festival should contact Moore at 805-682-4711, ext. 112, or mmoore@sbnature2.org.

The museum is at 2559 Puesta del Sol in Santa Barbara.