The Santa Barbara Vintners Festival is set to return for a 38th year featuring 70 wineries and over 30 regional chefs, restaurants and food producers ready to dole out gourmet samplings.
This year's celebration will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Old Mission Santa Inés in Solvang.
According to vintners association CEO Alison Laslett, the event is a nod to Santa Barbara County as an internationally recognized wine growing region that produces globally competitive wines.
She noted that "education, experience, passion and wisdom the winemakers pour into every bottle is what really sets us apart."
"Our wine country offers more varietals than any other wine region, so everyone from wine novices to experienced collectors and connoisseurs will find cases to buy and enjoy at home,” Laslett said.
During the daytime event, attendees will have the chance to meet the featured winemakers and winery owners and enjoy samples of the regional sparkling wines in the Bank of Marin Bubble Lounge.
Live music and culinary and viticulture demonstrations also will be on-site.
The annual festival, which each year is organized by the vintners association, is sponsored by long-standing partners Bank of Marin, the Chumash Casino Resort and Visit the Santa Ynez Valley.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.sbvintnersweekend.com.
The festival will take place rain or shine, and all tickets are nonrefundable.
Festival tickets
Early access tickets are $125 per person, giving guests early entry into the festival at noon, an hour ahead of general public ticket holders.
General admission tickets are $95 and grant access to a full day of tastings.
Locals discount tickets are also available for $75 to the first 250 people. Locals are considered those whose primary residence is in Santa Barbara County and who live and work in the wine region.
Nondrinking tickets are $25 per person and are intended for those considered designated drivers and/or children between the ages of 6 to 20. Children under 6 are free.
In addition, a Vintners Visa is available to visitors staying in Santa Barbara. The visa is $50 per person and offers complimentary wine tastings at more than a dozen Santa Barbara wine country tasting rooms from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, to Monday, Oct. 10.
The Vintners Visa can be purchased separately or as part of a bundle with Vintners Festival tickets, but it does not include entry into the festival.