Now in its second year, the Del Mar Wine and Food Festival is officially establishing itself as one of the premier wine and food festivals on the West Coast, and we are all about it!

Founded by influential locals, food and drink experts, and professional athletes, the goal is to create not only one of the most unique culinary experiences in festival form, but also a weeklong platform for cultural diversity rooted in San Diego’s identity and cross-border communities.

“Many of us who grew up in San Diego were told if we ever wanted to make it—in food, media, sports, culture, whatever—we had to leave. But some of us writers and chefs and creatives said, ‘What if instead of doing that we stayed and helped build something?’ This festival is the culmination of everything we’ve built,” said culinary director and co-founder Troy Johnson.

“I spent the last few decades telling the stories of the region’s food and drink culture. Our partners have deep, deep roots in building cultural events for San Diego.”

Showcasing San Diego’s Active Lifestyle

One of our favorite things about the Del Mar Wine and Food Festival is that it has energy!

Let’s face it, there’s no shortage of food and wine events throughout the year, but most of them have a bit of a snobby, “let’s meet at the country club” kind of a vibe to them.

Not Del Mar Wine and Food Festival. Athletes, celebrities, and interesting personalities of all sorts come to this festival ready to bring it!

Check out the line-up of active events happening during the festival!

• Whispering Angel Celebrity Pickleball Tournament hosted by NFL legend Drew Brees with pro athletes and friends including former professional tennis champs CoCo Vandeweghe and James Blake, former NBA player/ recent USA Olympic Volleyball player Chase Budinger, San Diego Padres Alumni Mark Loretta and Tim Stauffer, Kyle Cooke of Loverboy beverages/Bravo TV fame, and Food Network’s Catherine McCord, ‘The Grill Dads’ Mark Anderson and Ryan Fey
• Beach Cleanup and Seafood Brunch with surfing icon and environmental activist Rob Machado alongside celebrity chefs Brian Malarkey, AIdan Owens, and Javier Plascencia at Herb & Sea following a beach cleanup at Encinitas’ Moonlight Beach 
• Grand Tasting VIP experience on Sunday hosted by Soccer superstar Alex Morgan 
• Tacos, Tortas, and Tequila Opening Night Party where San Diego’s new Major League Soccer team (men’s), San Diego FC, kicks things off at Monarch Del Mar 
• Celebrating Hometown Heroes hosted by Major League Soccer team (women’s) San Diego Wave FC, Big Queer Food Fest and celebrity chef Tiffani Faison, where dishes and drinks are inspired by the hometowns of team players as well as National Hall of Famer & two-time World Cup champion Jill Ellis, who has opened doors for gay women in high-profile sports
• Two-day Grand Tasting has several of the city’s professional sports teams joining in on the fun with immersive activations including volleyball by the San Diego Mojo, a soccer tailgating pop-up with San Diego FC, surfboard shaping sponsored by Kove Brewing, mini golf, a golf simulator and foosball sponsored by the Alex Morgan Foundation, and more

The San Diego Padres will join in on the fun at the Happy Fillmore Golf Classic, which closes out the festival on Monday with a non-traditional golf tournament featuring the longest drive and pitch and putt competition (which may or may not incorporate a hockey stick), great food and drink, live music, and more

Del Mar Wine and Food Festival is anything but your typical food and wine event!

Rallying Around San Diego’s Sustainable Food Culture

Food writer, Food Network personality, and DMWFF co-founder Troy Johnson has been telling the stories of the region’s food and drink culture for 17 years.

As festival host, he invites chef friends from across the country to cook alongside some of San Diego and Baja’s top chefs at various events highlighting the region’s farmers, fisheries, and homegrown purveyors.

As festival host, he invites chef friends from across the country to cook alongside San Diego and Baja’s top chefs at various events highlighting the region’s farmers, fisheries, and homegrown purveyors.

This year’s options are enough to satisfy any foodie’s wildest dreams!

• Mad Hatters Tea Party hosted by world-renowned chef Tiffani Faison with Big Queer Food Fest and chefs Adrian Mendoza and Johnny Duran immerses guests in a whimsical world of color, magic, and fantasy at Hillcrest’s insideOUT 
• Trattoria di Prato sees celebrity chefs Rocco DiSpirito, Jackson Kalb, and Jason McLeod for an alfresco Italian multi-course dinner at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe
• Spice Girls Dinner with culinary stars Aarti Sequeira and Claudia Sandoval is a memorable event spotlighting unique dishes and spices from India, Mexico, and beyond paired with LXV Wines by winemaker Neeta Mittal
• A Night of Divine Art + Cuisine hosted by celebrity chef & James Beard Award winner Maneet Chauhan with chefs Kelli Crosson and Aly Lyng incudes an exclusive museum tour of MCASD La Jolla followed by a globally inspired menu paired by Innumero Wines/Setting Wines and breathtaking ocean views at The Kitchen @ MCASD
• Coastal Cowboys Dinner presented by Experience Scottsdale welcomes acclaimed Chefs Beau MacMillan, Matt Carter, and Rene Andrade, 2024 James Beard Award winner Best Chef-Southwest, for an evening of indulgent cuisine, paired wines by Los Milics Vineyards, a winery owned by Tool’s frontman Maynard James Keenan, and a tequila experience by Tequila Corrido at a lavish La Jolla Estate
• Napa Luxe Event at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe with Chefs Jason McLeod and Karen Krasne paired to Napa Valley’s top producers featuring Benchmark’s Napa Portfolio, Fortunate Son by Hundred Acre, Gagnon-Kennedy Vineyards, HALL, La Jota, Macauley Vineyards, Staglin, The Mascot, and more
• Mer de Baja by Drew Deckman, Benito Molina, and Sergio Jimenez sees a French-Baja fusion menu expertly paired by Austin Hope and DAOU Wines at the Rancho Bernardo Inn.
• Marisi’s Fall Harvest with Iconic Italian Wine Pio Cesare hosted by Chef Cameron Ingle with a five-course family-style dinner paired with iconic Italian wine producer Pio Cesare to showcase their most notable wines from Northern Italy’s Piedmont region
• Bluefin Tuna, the Whole Fish – A Night with Ambrogio by Acquerello with recognized chef Enea Sintoni as he showcases a full tuna in different preparations from belly to cheeks
• Agave After Party at Fox Point Farms featuring live performances by Fleetwood Max and The PettyBreakers tribute bands with hosted mezcal/tequila tastings and food by Chefs Alex Carballo and Kelston Moore of Haven Farm + Table and Karen Krasne of Extraordinary Desserts

The World-class Culinary Talent Includes:

• Javier Placencia
• Drew Deckman
• Michael Voltaggio
• Aarti Sequeira
• Rocco DiSpirito
• Claudia Sandoval

• Maneet Chauhan
• Aaron May
• Claudette Zepeda

• Tiffani Faison
• Beau MacMillan
• Catherine McCord
• Brian Malarkey

• Eric Greenspan
• Jackson Kalb
• ‘The Grill Dads’ Mark Anderson and Ryan Fey

Four Walls, the Irish American Whiskey from Glenn Howerton, Rob McElhenney, and Charlie Day will also be hosting an exclusive pop-up. 

And Kyle Cooke of Bravo’s “Summer House” fame will pop up at Grand Tasting with his RTD beverage brand Loverboy.

Del Mar Wine & Food Festival Agenda

This event is not small. You have a lot of options to choose from, so no two festival-goer’s experience is going to be exactly the same — which is cool.

The party starts on Wednesday, October 2 and continues through Monday, October 7, with no less than a dozen different events to attend.

We suggest that you plan your approach in advance — kind of like you’re planning a vacation — so you don’t miss out on anything! We’ve covered some highlights below, but you should bookmark the festival’s website for the regularly updated full agenda.

The Grand Tasting

This is the main dish. The week culminates in a two-day, all-inclusive Grand Tasting where eight acres of grassy field at Surf Sports Park will be transformed into a coastal gastronomic wonderland with over 100 restaurants and over 150 wineries and drink-makers!

The Grand Tasting will pay special tribute to the city’s female leaders across various industries with an experience curated by San Diego Magazine. 

The Bad Boyz of Culinary, whose mission supports African American chefs through scholarships and mentorship, will host a beef experience in collaboration with Brandt Beef. Baja Tourism and Big Queer Food Fest will host additional marquee activations.

A lavish VIP lounge will feature powerhouse talent, including: 

• Javier Placencia (Animalón: World’s 50 Best Latin America)
• Travis Swikard (Callie: Esquire’s Best Restaurants)
• Drew Deckman (Deckman’s en el Mogor: World’s 50 Best Latin America)
• Benito Molina (Manzanilla: World’s 50 Best Latin America)
• Roberto Alcocer (Valle: MICHELIN Star)

Beyond food and drink, the Grand Tasting will feature interactive experiences such as croquet and golf with regional sports teams, plus live music and entertainment.

Baja Excursion

When it comes to food and drink culture, San Diego and Baja are one mega-region. Head south of the border with DMWFF for an all-inclusive tour into Baja California’s thriving wine region, Valle de Guadalupe, and enjoy tastings with legendary winemakers and the finest restaurants. 

Baja Tourism Board and Provino Baja California Vintners Association will also curate an enriching activation at the two-day Grand Tasting in Del Mar.

Celebrate San Diego’s Queer Culinary Excellence!

When you think of the word queer, you might think of Hillcrest, the center hub of San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community. But when you think queer food and queer chefs, you may think there is no such thing. In fact, San Diego is home to some of the most talented and recognized queer chefs in the nation!

This year, DMWFF is collaborating with an emerging innovator within the food space with the Big Queer Food Fest (BQFF). Founders David Lewis and Chad Hahne are no strangers to the culinary world producing television shows with world-renowned chefs.

They’ve been traveling the nation working to highlight the emerging queer food movement through food-focused events that celebrate diversity and community with celebrated queer chefs set to culminate at their inaugural event in Los Angeles in 2025.

BQFF’s kickoff event with DMWFF isn’t just any party. It’s a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at San Diego’s premier LGBTQ-owned restaurant, insideOUT. The event will feature queer culinary excellence with celebrity Chef Tiffiani Faison, Chef Jose Barajas of Mmm…Cakes, Executive Pastry Chef Adrian Mendoza of the University Club and Knead and Executive Chef Johnny Duran of insideOUT.

And…it happens to take place during their acclaimed Enchanted Oasis Experience. IYKYK.

insideOUT owner Matt Ramon is thrilled to host this first-of-a-kind queer culinary event. “I can’t wait to celebrate queer culture through food and have a party to go along with it!” 

There will also be a BQFF activation at the two-day Grand Tasting.

Fine Wine and Spirits Programming

The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe sets the stage for two days of incredible fine wine programming with 10 exclusive tastings, moderated discussions, and seminars led by the most respected names in winemaking.

Joining DMWFF is pioneering American vintner David Ramey, Ian Cauble MS, one of America’s most awarded and highest recognized Sommeliers, Mark Bright co-founder/wine director for two MICHELIN Starred Saison, June Rodil MS, CEO of Goodnight Hospitality (Food & Wine and Wine Enthusiast “Sommelier of the Year”), Femi Oyediran co-owner of Graft Wine Shop & Wine Bar (Food & Wine “Sommelier of the Year”), acclaimed wine writer and critic Jonathan Cristaldi, President of Benchmark Wines Jay James MS, DMWFF Beverage Director Ted Glennon, a renowned winemaker (Food & Wine’s “Top Sommeliers in America”), and more.

Highlights include:

• My Life in 8 Glasses tasting with David Ramey with eight selections that tell the story of his life in wine
• In the Boardroom with Ian Cauble (Friday) and Mark Bright (Thursday) tasting rare & cult wines from around the world that hold personal connections to their journeys in wine
• The Pyramid Valley Story offering the first public tasting in North America of New Zealand’s Pyramid Valley Winery’s new 2022 Botanicals Collection and library selections with winemaker Steve Smith MW
• Blind Tasting With The Masters invites attendees to blind taste live with five Master Sommeliers–class is in session! 
• Apertivo Italiano book signing, tasting, meet and greet with James Beard Award recipients Shelley Lindgren and David Lynch, two prominent figures in the world of wine and food
• A Perfect Wine is a lively tasting with three distinct opinions offering differing criteria on what makes a perfect wine.
• Great Cabernet Terroirs tasting with David Ramey and Jonathan Cristaldi celebrating and exploring the core of the world’s favorite wine: Cabernet
• A Few of My Favorite Things an insider seminar about the secret sauce, including insight on what the best and brightest wine minds are enjoying
• Trip the Fizz Fantastic  Ted Glennon takes us on a journey through the solar system of great bubbles available today from Champagne to California to Germany and more destinations – open your mind and your palate to more great sparkling wines

See you there!

We understand that you have a huge list of events to consider throughout the year…but this is NOT the one to miss!

The festival will take place from October 2 to 7, 2024.

Tickets and exclusive hotel packages are available now on the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival website.

For more information and to stay updated on newly added events, special hotel discounts, and ticket releases, follow their Instagram.

See you there, San Diego!