Cheers to any opportunity to sample some of the best wine Arizona has to offer.
If you’re looking to celebrate wine this fall, you’re in luck. Plenty of wine festivals will be taking place all over the Grand Canyon State in the next few months. From local wines to national brands you’ve probably seen at the grocery store, you’ll get to enjoy a variety of sips of white, red, and rosé along with live entertainment and tasty eats. Don’t forget to bring your ID as they’re checked prior to entry.
Sedona Winefest
When: Sept. 24-25
Where: 525 Posse Ground Rd, Sedona, AZ 86336
Try wine from Arizona’s three wine-growing regions at Sedona Winefest. Held in Posse Park in West Sedona with a red rock backdrop, Sedona Winefest will feature at least 18 Arizona wineries, food trucks, live music, and local artisans the last Saturday and Sunday of September from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Specific Arizona wineries that are slated to be pouring include Alcantara Vineyards, Carlson Creek Vineyards, Cove Mesa Vineyards, Javelina Leap, Coronado Vineyards, and Winery 101. Attendees can listen to DJ Pablo on Saturday and The Sugar Thieves on Sunday.
Tickets purchased in advance cost $35 and include six tasting tickets and a commemorative wine glass. Tickets can also be purchased the day of the festival for $45 per person. Tickets for non-drinkers cost $10 per person. Kids 18 and younger receive free admission.
Visit the Sedona Winefest website for more information.
Tombstone Wine Celebration
When: Oct. 1-2
Where: 311 E Allen St, Tombstone, AZ 85638
Head down south to Western-themed town Tombstone for the Tombstone Wine Celebration. Taste wines from multiple Cochise County wineries and Tombstone food stands. Guests also can look forward to food vendors and live entertainment.
The festival is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 1 and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 2. Head to the Tombstone City Parking Lot on Allen Street between 3rd and 4th streets, across from the O.K. Corral. Tickets cost $25 per person and include a commemorative wine glass along with five wine sampling tickets. You must be 21 years old or older to attend and show proof of ID. Visit tombstoneforward.com/event/tombstone-wine-celebration for more information.
Visit the Tombstone Wine Celebration website for more information.
Harvest Moon Feast
When: Oct. 9
Where: 3213 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018
At the Harvest Moon Feast on Oct. 9 from 5:30 (general admission 6:30 p.m.) to 9 p.m., held outside of Chef Mark Tarbell’s iconic Phoenix restaurant Tarbell’s, guests can try wine from local vendors and enjoy culinary creations made by local high school students interested in a career in the culinary arts and their chef mentors as well as premium craft cocktails. There will also be live musical entertainment by Nate Nathan and the MacDaddy-O’s, a band featuring Tarbell. Guests can mix and mingle with top chefs in the culinary community and even nab a signed copy of Chef Brother Luck’s newest memoir, “No Lucks Given.” He will be signing his book in person at the festival.
Proceeds from this fundraising event will benefit the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), an organization dedicated to providing culinary, job, and life skills to more than 9,000 students in Arizona. General admission tickets cost $125 per person.
Tickets can be purchased here.
Willcox Wine Festival
When: Oct. 15-16
Where: 130 N Railroad Ave, Willcox, AZ 85643
Drive down south to Railroad Park in downtown Willcox for the Willcox Wine Festival in mid-October. The festival seeks, in part, to celebrate the area’s contribution to the Arizona wine scene. In case you didn’t know, Willcox Wine Country features ten wineries and produces the majority of Arizona’s wine grapes. The festival, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m each day, will showcase 16 Arizona wineries and 30 other vendors selling fine arts, artisan foods, vintage goods, and two food trucks. Bands performing will be announced at a later date. Wineries tentatively scheduled to be in attendance include Strive Vineyards, Pillsbury Wine Company, Zarpara Vineyard, Aridus Wine Company, and Bodega Pierce.
The event is rain or shine. Leashed, friendly dogs are welcome. As of press time, Saturday tickets cost $30 and include ten tasting tickets plus a wine glass in advance and $40 at the gate. Sunday tickets cost $25 and include ten tasting tickets and a wine glass. Five extra tasting tickets can be purchased for $10. Online ticket sales end on Oct. 14.
Visit the Willcox Wine Festival event page for tickets and more information.
Kierland Fine Art & Wine Festival
When: Oct. 29-30
Where: 15205 N Kierland Blvd Suite 150, Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Head to outdoor shopping center Kierland Commons in Scottsdale for the Kierland Fine Art & Wine Festival. Main Street will be closed off to traffic and will be filled with more than 100 artists from around the world showcasing their creations. Attendees can look forward to art made out of bronze, hand-blown glass, fine photography, and clay, among other materials. Sample wine from various Arizona wineries as you listen to live music.
The event is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days.
More information about the Kierland Fine Art & Wine Festival can be found here.
The Phoenix Wine & Food Experience
When: Nov. 5
Where: 7555 N Pima Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Sample gourmet bites from the area’s top chefs and enjoy wine and beer on Nov. 5 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Salt River Field in Scottsdale as part of the Phoenix Wine & Food Experience. Try food from chefs including Nik Fields with Chic Chef, Omar Bernal with Sushi Roku, and Angelo Sosa with Tia Carmen. Attendees also can watch chef cooking demos and sommelier and mixology seminars. Attendees also can sample a variety of wine and beer from all over the country.
VIP tickets cost $100 per person and give ticket holders early entrance to the event at noon and unlimited wine and beer samplings. VIP tickets also give you access to The Arizona Wine VIP Lounge with samplings of Arizona wine. Grand tasting tickets cost $65 and give ticket holders entrance to the event at 1 p.m.
Visit the Phoenix Wine & Food Experience website for more information.
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