Sip Through 100 Sakes at the 10th Annual San Diego Sake Festival
The San Diego Sake Club is hitting double digits, and they’re marking it with more than 100 pours under one roof. The 10th Annual San Diego Sake Festival takes over JULEP Venue, presented in collaboration with JETRO LA.
Over 100 Pours and a Cup That Goes Home With You
Unlimited tasting is the whole premise here: over 100 premium craft sake and shochu varieties from Japan and the U.S., poured across one afternoon. Every ticket comes with a Sake Festival original tasting cup.
The people behind the bottles are in the room too. Brewers, brewery owners, and sake specialists are on hand to walk you through what you’re drinking, which is the fastest way to figure out what you actually like.
Food booths are set up on site, available for purchase, so you can pace yourself properly.
The Kagami Biraki Barrel Opening
Midway through, everyone gathers for the Kagami Biraki – the traditional barrel opening ceremony – followed by a pour of the featured sake of the year. It’s the moment worth putting your phone away for.
Live performances run throughout the afternoon, so there’s a rhythm to the day beyond the tasting tables.
Nonbei Gets You in an Hour Early
General admission runs $85 with entry at 3:30 PM. Nonbei admission is $110 and opens the doors at 2:30 PM, adding a full hour of tasting plus a $10 food voucher for the booths.
That extra hour matters at a festival this size. Earlier entry means shorter lines at the tables you most want to hit.
Michelin Nigiri and Only 30 VIP Tickets
Exclusive VIP admission is $350 and capped at 30 tickets. It includes everything in Nonbei plus access to the VIP lounge, premium sake poured by sake professionals, and a Sake Festival original T-shirt.
The centerpiece: premium nigiri from Soichi Sushi, San Diego’s Michelin one-star restaurant, served alongside pairings meant to show you what sake can do next to good fish.
See you there!
Ten years of pouring, one Sunday to taste your way through it. Bring the friend who’s been meaning to learn sake and let the brewers handle the rest.
📆 Sunday, September 27 | 2:30 PM – 6:30 PM
📍 1735 Hancock Street, San Diego
🎟️ Grab your tickets here
ℹ️ Find more details here
See you there, San Diego!
