The San Diego Food + Wine Festival runs November 1 to 8, 2026, and the 22nd edition is really two festivals in one. The first half of the week is small and seated: a Día de Muertos gala honoring José Andrés, a bus trip into Baja wine country, and chef dinners. The last three days are the big tastings, with the Grand Tasting and Grand Fiesta on the bay at Embarcadero Marina Park North.
We covered the headline news, including the new two-day Grand Weekend and the chef lineup, in San Diego Food + Wine Festival Expands to a Two-Day Grand Weekend on the Bay This November. This guide is the planning side: every event on the calendar, what each ticket costs, and the rules to know, from the festival’s event pages, FAQ, and ticket site as of September 28, 2026.
The quick version
| When | November 1 to 8, 2026. Grand Weekend: Friday, November 6 to Sunday, November 8. |
| Where | Grand Tasting and Grand Fiesta: Embarcadero Marina Park North, 400 Kettner Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101. Other events at venues across the county. |
| Highlights | Grand Tasting (200-plus wineries, breweries, and spirits makers, 80-plus chefs and restaurants), Grand Fiesta, Icons + Legends, Día de Muertos Gala honoring José Andrés |
| Ages | 21 and over for every event. No children, infants, or pets. |
| Tickets | Grand Fiesta GA $155, Grand Tasting GA $210, packages from $331 (listed prices, fees included) |
| Re-entry | No |
| Organizer | Fast Forward Events |
| Official site | sandiegowineclassic.com |
The week at a glance
| Date | Event | Where | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun., Nov. 1 | Día de Muertos Gala (VIP reception 5 p.m., GA 6:30 p.m.) | Fairmont Grand Del Mar | Not listed on the ticket site as of Sept. 28 |
| Wed., Nov. 4 | Passion + Favorites: An Unconventional Dinner by the Chefkateers (reception 6:30 p.m.) | Blank Slate, Encinitas | Not listed as of Sept. 28 |
| Thu., Nov. 5 | Baja Culinary Expedition (7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.) | Departs Moniker General, Point Loma | $660 |
| Thu., Nov. 5 | The Chino Farm Legacy Dinner (reception 6 p.m.) | Grand Social at Fairmont Grand Del Mar | $399 |
| Thu., Nov. 5 | Romesco 20 Year Anniversary Dinner (6 to 11 p.m.) | Romesco Mexiterranean Bistro, Bonita | $265 |
| Fri., Nov. 6 | Bevan Cellars Wine Lunch (noon to 2 p.m.) | Mister A’s, San Diego | $235 |
| Fri., Nov. 6 | Opening Night: Icons + Legends (early 6 p.m., GA 6:30 to 9 p.m.) | JULEP Venue, 1735 Hancock St. | $210 GA |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Grand Tasting (early and VIP 11 a.m., GA noon to 3 p.m.) | Embarcadero Marina Park North | $210 GA |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | Grand Fiesta (early and VIP 11 a.m., GA noon to 3 p.m.) | Embarcadero Marina Park North | $155 GA |
What’s on the menu
Grand Tasting, Saturday
The flagship. The festival promises more than 200 wineries, breweries, and spirits purveyors and more than 80 chefs and restaurants from the West Coast and Baja on the bay. A California wine country section pours from Paso Robles, Temecula, Sonoma, Lake County, and more. Guests vote in the Chef of the Fest competition, where the winning team gets the 2026 People’s Choice title and up to $5,000 in cash and prizes. The VIP Lounge adds an hour of tasting, caviar, live music, and 15 Napa Valley wineries pouring side by side.
Grand Fiesta, Sunday
The finale celebrates Latin American culinary and cultural influence on Southern California, with chefs from San Diego, Southern California, and Baja, wines and spirits of Mexico, a Baja Pavilion, live music, and art installations from Latin American artists. Two contests to watch: Taco TKO, where attendees and judges pick a winning taco worth up to $3,000, and the new Judges’ Choice Best Bite, which crowns a taco and a non-taco winner, then pits them against each other for the overall title.
Icons + Legends, Friday
Opening night, formerly called Grand Decant, is the rare-bottle night: limited-release wines and spirits, and grower Champagnes, while chefs serve bites designed to match what is in your glass.
The dinners and the day trip
The Día de Muertos Gala, in its fourth year and billed as the festival’s official kickoff, honors José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, and benefits Fundación Tijuana Sin Hambre. Michelin-starred chefs Javier Plascencia, Roberto Alcocer, Drew Deckman, and Esteban Luis lead the kitchen. The Chino Farm Legacy Dinner marks the Rancho Santa Fe farm’s 80th anniversary with Napa Valley wines. The Baja Culinary Expedition, hosted by Baja Wine + Food founder Fernando Gaxiola, starts at Bodegas de Santo Tomás, which the festival says is Baja California’s oldest winery, founded in 1888, before heading into Valle de Guadalupe.
Tickets
Tickets are sold on the festival’s ticket site. The prices below are as listed on September 28, 2026, and include a $10 fee per ticket ($40 per four-pack).
| Event | Designated driver | GA | Early entry | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icons + Legends (Fri.) | $185 | $210 | $310 | Not listed |
| Grand Tasting (Sat.) | $185 | $210 | $260 | $360 |
| Grand Fiesta (Sun.) | $130 | $155 | $205 | $255 |
| 2-Day Grand Weekend (Sat. and Sun.) | Not listed | $331 | $396 | $556 |
| Full Weekend (Fri. to Sun.) | Not listed | $405 | $505 | $755 |
- FOMO four-packs: four GA tickets for $780 on Saturday or $582 on Sunday.
- Designated driver tickets exist for all three Grand Weekend days. Good news for whoever is driving.
- All-inclusive: tastings are included. Portions are sample-sized, not full plates. Only VIP ticket holders can enter VIP tents.
- No refunds, but transfers are easy. Hand your ticket to anyone 21 or over with ID; no name change needed.
- Multi-day tickets use one QR code that you scan at each event.
Getting there
The festival strongly suggests rideshare and recommends not driving if you plan to drink. If you do drive to the Grand Tasting or Grand Fiesta:
- Festival parking deal: a special $11 all-day rate at Ace Parking, 501 Broadway, about five blocks away, with pre-booking.
- Street meters: limited, at $2.50 an hour, so check the time limits.
- Coming from the north: take I-5 south, exit at Front Street, turn right on West Broadway, left on Kettner Boulevard. The park is on the right.
- Coming from the south: take I-5 north, exit at Cesar E. Chavez Parkway, then follow Harbor Drive to Kettner Boulevard.
The Baja Culinary Expedition picks up and drops off at Moniker General, 2860 Sims Rd., San Diego.
Tips
- Pace yourself. Two hundred-plus pours in three hours (four with early entry) is a lot. Use the hydration stations the festival lists among its on-site services.
- Early entry is the value upgrade. On Saturday, it is $50 more than GA for an extra hour with lighter crowds.
- Pack small. Only small purses, totes, and drawstring bags are allowed; backpacks are not. Every bag is searched each time you enter.
- No re-entry. Tickets scan once.
- Dress for the bay. Events happen rain or shine, and the festival does not cancel.
Family notes
This one is for grown-ups only. Every festival event is 21 and over, with no children, infants, or pets, and no exceptions. Service animals are welcome.
Accessibility
The festival lists shade, seating, additional bathrooms, first aid, and hydration stations among the services at its Grand Weekend events, and welcomes service animals. It has not posted detailed accessibility information. Contact the festival through its contact page or at (619) 333-6475.
Still to come
Ticket availability for the Día de Muertos Gala and the Chefkateers dinner, the menu for the Bevan Cellars lunch, and the full 2026 talent list by event are still to be posted on the ticket site and lineup pages. The 824 Journal will update this guide when they are.
Sources
- San Diego Food + Wine Festival: Events (dates, event pages, venues, hours, what each event includes)
- San Diego Food + Wine Festival FAQ (age policy, re-entry, transfers, bags, parking, directions, weather)
- San Diego Food + Wine Festival 2026 ticket site (ticket tiers and prices, September 28, 2026)
- Día de Muertos Gala at Fairmont Grand Del Mar
- Baja Culinary Expedition
- The 824 Journal: San Diego Food + Wine Festival Expands to a Two-Day Grand Weekend on the Bay This November
Featured photo: Rhododendrites via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
