California Beer and Wine Festivals 

The California Wine Festival – Carlsbad is a two-day event which includes a Friday Sunset Rare and Reserve Tasting and Saturday Beachside Wine Festival. Photo Park Hyatt Aviara Resort Golf Club & Spa.
The California Wine Festival – Carlsbad is a two-day event which includes a Friday Sunset Rare and Reserve Tasting and Saturday Beachside Wine Festival. Photo Park Hyatt Aviara Resort Golf Club & Spa.
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By Michele E. Buttelman 

May and June abound with California wine and beer festivals. There is a festival for everyone including those looking for high end, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, or those just hoping to relax and find a new favorite brew or bottle of wine.  

May 13 Noon-5 p.m. 

10th Central Valley Brewfest 

Stanislaus County Fair Grounds 

900 N. Broadway Ave.,  

Turlock CA 95380 

cvbrewfest.com 

Art, music and more than 150 brews to sample. Back by popular demand is the VIP wine sampling tent. Premier ticket holders will have the opportunity to sample local wineries, local brews and a freshly-baked baguette for $60. General Admission tickets available for $45. 

May 13 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. 

Sun, Wind & Wine Festival 

Mer Soleil Winery 

1290 River Road,  

Salinas, CA 93908 

santaluciahighlands.com/events/wine-festival 

The 15th Sun, Wind & Wine Festival offers a strolling wine tasting through the barrel cellar of Mer Soleil Winery, which is not normally open to the public. Enjoy limited-release Santa Lucia Highlands wines plus gourmet small bites and artisan goods. Tickets $135-$165.  

May 13 Noon-5 p.m. 

Half Moon Bay Wine & Jazz Festival  

Main Street,  

Half Moon Bay, CA 94019 

hmbwineandjazzfest.com 

Enjoy California wine, local eats and nationally-known jazz artists including Paula West, the Marcus Shelby Quintet and the John Santos Sextet. Tickets: $25-$125.  

Toast the acclaimed wine scene in Paso Robles at this long-weekend May 18-21 event with live music, winemaker’s dinners, seminars, and lots of tastings, all highlighting the region’s 100+ wineries. Photo Paso Wine Fest.
Toast the acclaimed wine scene in Paso Robles at this long-weekend May 18-21 event with live music, winemaker’s dinners, seminars, and lots of tastings, all highlighting the region’s 100+ wineries. Photo Paso Wine Fest.

May 20 Noon-4:30 p.m.  

Paso Wine Fest Grand Tasting 

Paso Robles Event Center 

2198 Riverside Ave,  

Paso Robles, CA 93446 

pasowine.com/winefest 

Toast the acclaimed wine scene in Paso Robles at this long-weekend event with live music, winemaker’s dinners, seminars, and lots of tastings, all highlighting the region’s 100+ wineries. 

The centerpiece of the weekend will be the Grand Tasting held at the Paso Robles Event Center on Saturday, May 20, noon to 4:30 p.m. which offers more space to taste as well as dedicated parking, concessions, restrooms, shade and additional outdoor and indoor venues.  

The Grand Tasting will feature more than 115 wineries, craft distillers, live entertainment, food for purchase from 10+ food vendors, local artisan vendors, commemorative wine glass and tote bag. 

Tickets are $149-$225. General admission tickets are 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. VIP tickets are noon to 4:30 p.m. 

Guests are welcome to bring in their own picnics, blankets and low-back chairs to set up under ample shade and misters. 

Vineyards and wineries can be found in every direction in Sonoma County which offers over 425 wineries and varietals to suit any taste, as well as the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience May 18-21. Photo Visit Sonoma County.
Vineyards and wineries can be found in every direction in Sonoma County which offers over 425 wineries and varietals to suit any taste, as well as the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience May 18-21. Photo Visit Sonoma County.

May 20 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. 

Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience 

West Plaza Lot  

30 North St.,  

Healdsburg, CA 95448 

healdsburgwineandfood.com 

Located in the heart of California wine country, the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience is a weekend-long celebration featuring the best of Sonoma County and world-renowned food and wines. Events feature local growers, winemakers and renowned chefs, which often means Michelin-star experiences. 

The festival will showcase the region’s makers, farmers, growers, winemakers and chefs, alongside globally recognized wines from the greatest wine regions of the world. 

On Saturday, May 20, the Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting is the highlight of the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience. Experience wines from over 100 of the finest producers from Sonoma, Napa and internationally renowned regions. Local and international chefs will prepare extraordinary bites with Sonoma’s seasonal agricultural bounty, including Matt Horn, Casey Thompson, Ari Weisswasser, Leah Scurto, Kent Rathbun, Crista Luedtke, Jeffrey Lunak and more! Enjoy live music as you mix and mingle with some of your favorite makers throughout the day. Tickets are $250 for general admission entry.  

To enjoy the entire four-day event with special dinners from celebrity chefs including Joe Sasto and Maneet Chauhan, you can purchase a special VIP package for $2,700 that offers one-of-a-kind experiences and tastings.  

The Ultra VIP ticket package includes a dinner with celebrity chef Stephanie Izard and other exclusive parties, pairings and dinners. The package cost is $3,900.  

Celebrity chef demos from Stephanie Izard, Maneet Chauhan, Joe Sasto and Viet Pham will be held throughout the day Saturday, May 20 at The Matheson, 106 Matheson St., Healdsburg, CA 95448. Tickets are $200 for each chef demo.  

Viva La Cerveza is a Memorial Day Weekend beer and taco festival in San Luis Obispo. Photo Viva La Cerveza.
Viva La Cerveza is a Memorial Day Weekend beer and taco festival in San Luis Obispo. Photo Viva La Cerveza.

May 27 1-5 p.m. 

Viva La Cerveza 

Madonna Inn Meadows 

100 Madonna Road, 

San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 

vivalacerveza.com 

If eating tacos and drinking beer is wrong, I don’t want to be right. This is a Memorial Day Weekend beer festival with unlimited beverage samples, a selection of tasty tacos to sample and vote for the best as well as cornhole boards, bouncy games giant pong, other games and music. Tickets $55.  

June 10 Noon-4 p.m. 

San Diego Brew Festival 

NTC Park 

2455 Cushing Road, 

San Diego, CA 92106 

sandiegobeerfest.com 

The 12th annual San Diego Brew Festival finally returns! The event will feature over 70 breweries, 200 beers, 10 of San Diego’s best food trucks as well as cover bands and lawn games.  

General Admission $50 – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

General Admission includes unlimited samples from over 70 breweries, plus live music and access to food trucks.  

Early Admission $65 – Noon to 4 p.m. 

Early Admission includes all the benefits of General Admission, plus an added hour and specialty beers for the first hour. 

June 23-24 

California Wine Festival 

Park Hyatt Aviara Resort Golf Club & Spa   

7100 Aviara Resort Drive,  

Carlsbad, CA 92011 

Californiawinefestival.com/carlsbad 

This two-day festival includes a Friday evening 6:30-9:30 p.m. sunset Rare and Reserve Tasting, tickets $105 and the Saturday Beachside Wine Festival 1-4 p.m. $75 general admission tickets. Early entrance tickets at noon are $95.  

This is the quintessential California wine tasting experience with sun, sea, food, wine and music. It all comes together at this sun-splashed wine fest overlooking lush rolling hills and the shimmering Pacific Ocean. 

A two-day VIP pass includes the Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting ticket at The Gardens and the Beachside Wine Festival ticket on the Heron Lawn with early entry at noon and exclusive admission to the VIP Pavilion, appetizers, reserve level wines, cheeses, tables, chairs and shade. Price $200.  

The Paso Wine Fest Grand Tasting on Saturday, May 20 will include more than 115 wineries, craft distillers, live entertainment, food for purchase from 10+ food vendors, local artisan vendors, commemorative wine glass and tote bag. Photo Paso Wine Fest.
The Paso Wine Fest Grand Tasting on Saturday, May 20 will include more than 115 wineries, craft distillers, live entertainment, food for purchase from 10+ food vendors, local artisan vendors, commemorative wine glass and tote bag. Photo Paso Wine Fest.

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