Guide to the Harvest Food and Wine Festival
Rated as one of the premier wine and food festivals in the Southeast, Harvest Wine & Food Festival invites visitors to sip and savor some of the world’s finest wine and culinary selections. The weekend’s lineup includes celebrity winemakers dinners, a wine seminar and so much more. Learn more below about this annual event that is loved by locals and visitors alike.
Thursday
The event kicks off on the evening of Thursday, October 24 with multi-course celebrity winemakers dinners scattered throughout South Walton. Multiple events are already sold out, so be sure to purchase your tickets today if you plan to attend.
Friday
If you would like to sip exclusive wines that aren’t accessible to the average consumer, you don’t want to miss out on Friday evening’s festivities. The Al Fresco Reserve Tasting will also offer an array of perfectly paired hors d’oeuvres and live music. This event is hosted at Marina Park in Watercolor, which offers a perfect view of a breathtaking Gulf coast sunset that will make for a memorable and elegant evening. Purchase tickets for the tasting here.
Saturday
The final day of the three-day celebration kicks off with a “Mad about Malbec” seminar with sommelier Marika Vida-Arnold. In this seminar, attendees will be treated to six different Malbec from the Bodega Catena Zapata range of wines. They are all 100% Malbec, but from various vineyards, and there is a wide variety in price. Learn more about this event here.
After the hour-long seminar, the grand tasting begins at 1 p.m. As the festival’s main event, the grand tasting features more than 250 wines from around the world. In addition to alcoholic beverages, the festival also has delicious food including seafood and barbeque that can be found at provisional stations manned by celebrity chefs and supplemented by the best restaurants along the Gulf Coast. An exclusive VIP experience for Saturday’s festivities is also available. VIP tickets include a private entrance to the festival and access to the exclusive VIP lounge featuring elevated wines, additional food, and access to Saturday college football.
Additional Information
This festival is put on by the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation. Founded in 2005, DCWAF has donated more than $18 Million to Northwest Florida charities through hosting world-class wine and culinary events like this food & wine festival. All ticket proceeds from this event are donated to local charities. The Harvest Food & Wine Festival will also host a silent auction throughout the weekend to raise additional funds. The auction will feature rare wines, staycations, and much more, so don’t forget to bid throughout the festival.
Where to Stay
In search of accommodations for your stay during the festival? We have a few properties still available! Click here to view our units.
If you want more information about this event, view the festival’s website here. Cheers & enjoy the weekend!
Photo credit: Harvest Food & Wine Festival
Published on Monday, September 30, 2019