The Del Mar Wine + Food Festival is back, and it’s coming in hot after being named one of America’s best food festivals by Thrillist. Get ready for five days near the sea packed with culinary stars, pro athletes, and the best of San Diego and Baja culture.

Now in its fourth year, DMWFF has grown into something way bigger than a typical food and wine festival, pulling in more than 10,000 attendees in a single year by blurring the lines between food festival, sporting event, and beachside block party.

Sports Icons and Food Network Stars Collide

DMWFF was co-founded by sports icons Alex Morgan, Drew Brees, and Rob Machado alongside Food Network host Troy Johnson, and that food-meets-active-culture DNA runs through everything the festival does.

San Diego FC and San Diego Wave FC are joining the celebration too, bringing that stadium-day energy straight to the festival’s biggest weekend.

And the chef lineup? It reads like a Food Network and Top Chef roster. Headlining this year:

• Aarti Sequeira
• Maneet Chauhan
• Buddha Lo
• Beau MacMillan
• Jackson Kalb
• Kelsey Murphy
• Mawa McQueen
• Claudia Sandoval

Cali-Baja’s Best Local Talent

Beyond the big names, the festival is loaded with Michelin Stars, James Beard Award recognition, and plenty of favorite mom-and-pops from the Cali-Baja culinary scene. With more than 100 chefs and restaurants taking part, there’s no shortage of talent to discover between bites.

Featured talent includes:

• Eric Bost (MICHELIN-starred Jeune et Jolie and Lilo)
• James Beard semifinalist Tara Monsod (Animae, Le Coq)
• Jason Knibb (NINE-TEN)
• Karen Krasne (Extraordinary Desserts)
• Brad Wise (A’L’ouest)
• Victor Jimenez (Cowboy Star)
• Phillip Esteban (White Rice)
• Tim Kolanko (CUCINA urbana, The Kitchen @ MCASD)
• Jon Sloan (Juniper & Ivy)

Plenty more local names round out the lineup, each bringing their own serious credibility to the table. Whether you’re chasing a MICHELIN star or a favorite neighborhood spot, this lineup covers both ends of the spectrum.

A Week of Dinners and Celebrations

Things kick off with Signature San Diego: The Opening Party at Monarch Ocean Pub, complete with ocean views and a walk-around tasting of hometown favorites.

From there, Rioja Uncorked takes over Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa with Spain’s famed wine region and chef-driven pairings, while a private Rancho Santa Fe estate hosts an intimate Baja dinner paired with Tequila Ocho.

Then there’s the Drew Brees Celebrity Pickleball Tournament at Barnes Tennis Center, joined by former tennis star James Blake and former MLB players Brett Tomko and Eric Byrnes, all benefiting Feeding San Diego.

Add in a milestone Château Montelena dinner marking 50 years since the Judgment of Paris, plus a JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery dinner with Buddha Lo and Jackson Kalb, and you’ve got a serious lineup before the main event even starts.

Once the Grand Tasting wraps, the celebration doesn’t stop. Nightcap, DMWFF’s official after-party at Guesthouse La Valle, shifts the focus to spirits and cocktails, with Kelsey Murphy and Beau MacMillan leading a culinary lineup of bites inspired by classic cocktail flavors, paired with premium spirits and craft pours.

The Grand Tasting Weekend

The Grand Tasting at Surf Sports Park is the big one: more than 100 top chefs and restaurants from San Diego and Baja, plus 150+ international wine, spirits, and beverage producers, spread across the professional soccer fields for two full days.

Highlights include:

• VIP Experience – elevated bites and premium pours
• Pride Experience – celebrating LGBTQ+ chefs and queer-owned brands
• The Beach – games and coastal lifestyle brands
• Plant Paradise – curated by Top Chef Amateurs champion Zuliya Khawaja
• Taco Alley – some of San Diego and Baja’s best taco makers
• Matchday Experience – new this year, bringing San Diego FC and San Diego Wave FC energy to the fields
• Teebox Experience – featuring a Tiger Woods League golf simulator

With this many zones packed into one weekend, it’s easy to spend two full days at Surf Sports Park and still not see it all.

Giving Back, One Bite at a Time

Beyond the celebration, the festival has raised more than $100,000 for Feeding San Diego and other local nonprofits since launching in 2023.

A portion of this year’s proceeds once again benefits Feeding San Diego, the region’s only Feeding America partner food bank, which provides more than 31 million meals a year through a network of over 350 local charities, schools, and food pantries.

See you there!

Five days of culinary stars, cross-border culture, and San Diego’s biggest names in sports and food await.

📆 Wednesday, September 30 – Sunday, October 4, 2026
🎟️ Grab your tickets here
ℹ️ Get all the details here

See you there, San Diego!