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Dates & Descriptions of the many wine, beer & food festivals and "Tastes Of" in Southern California.

LA's Food, Wine & Beer Festivals
Dates, Places and Reviews of These Events & Tastes

The Los Angeles area has dozens of fun wine, beer & food festivals each year.

Angelenos love their food and wine, and putting them together at an event makes them as happy as being on Rodeo Drive with a limitless credit card or walking down one of the area's big beaches at sunset.

Food & wine festivals are big in L.A., many of them commanding $100 entry fee costs. And those events – which quite often also involves high-end beers and spirits and outstanding food – are more sought after here than an NFL team.

But where to find them all, for they are all over the city at various times. It can be like navigating the downtown transition from the 101 to the 110. This article makes it as easy as stroll down the sand, as it features dates, times, places and information on the major food & wine festivals in the vast Los Angeles area.

• LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY WINE CLASSIC
Jan. 30, 2-5 p.m.
Loyola Marymount University Playa Vista, 1 LMU Drive
Cost: $90

One of the biggest wine events in the area is first on the social calendar. There are about 150 wines featured and the actual winemakers from the all 50 botique California wineries.

Because of it's proximity to the South Bay and Marina del Rey (and, quite, obviously, LMU), this is a very popular event for singles.

LINK: LMU.edu

• BEVERLY HILLS WINE FESTIVAL
Feb. 27, 2-6 p.m.
Hyatt Regency, Century City
Cost: $175

More than 100 wineries, breweries and spirits manufactuers are pouring. Wines are from Napa and Sonoma, with the featured wine being a Pino Noir from Pacific Coast Vineyards that was ranked by at least one publication the #1 wine of 2010.

The event's raises money for Frank Dresher's Cancer Schmancer Movement, and in 2011 it honors the long-time and legendary voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Vin Scully.

LINK: BeveryHIllsWineFestival.com

• WORLD OF WINE, TEMECULA
March 5-6, 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Temecula, along Rancho California and De Portola
Cost: $99 (good for both days)

The wineries of the Temecula Valley open their cellars. People take a self-guided tour of the area along the two main roads and receive a passport, which includes a map and souvenir glass.

Price includes wines tastings plus food pairings. A Sip and Shuttle package includes transpiration for $179 for both days, $109 for Sunday. This is a wise option when going from winery to winery. The event tends to sell out so it's advisable to get tickets in advance.

LINK: TemeculaWines.org

• LA BEERFEST
April 9, 1-4 p.m., and 5-8 p.m.
Sony Studios, 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City
Price: $40. Sells out in advance

Lots of beer brings in a cool LA setting make this a sought-after festival.

Wine lovers, step aside.

This event is for beer drinkers, and there's plenty of them and plenty of beer for them to sample, which is why this event sells out well in advance. And it's only in its third year.

The settiing is LA cool – on the set of a movie studio – and the crowd is mostly young and single. A live band makes this a real party. Food trucks help quench the post-beer nourishment needs.

LINKS: Event Review. EVENT: Tickets.

• HONDA FOUR OUR CHILDREN FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
May 1, 1:30-5 p.m.
American Honda Headquarters, 1919 Torrance Blvd., Torrance
Price: $150 advance, $175 at door

Restaurants in the South Bay are featured at this event, which will be having its 26th festival in 2011.

In addition to the tastings of restaurants from Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes and the area, there are wines and beers plus a silent auction. Proceeds from the event benefit the Sandpipers philanthropic programs at TrinityKidsCare from the Providence TrinityCare Hospice Foundation.

No one under 21 allowed.

LINK: 4rchildren.net

• CALABASIS MALIBU WINE & FOOD FESIVAL
June 18, 2-7 p.m.
Calabasis Inn, 23500 Park Sorrento
Price: $100 advance (sells out; none available at the door)

Friendly servers pour fine selections such as Stella Artois beer.

What, leave LA for the Valley?

Heck yeah, when it's for this event.

Held in a scenic grassy setting with a creek running through it for brief reflections, the Calabasis-Malibu Wine & Food Festival brings the flavor of this type of festival to this often-neglected area.

It's different from many other food, wine & beer events in that in addiion to approximately 65 wineries, there are 14 briewries (including a PubClub favorite, Kona from Hawaii, plus liberally-poured Stella Artois and other Belgium beers that come with take-home glasses) and an astonishing – astonishing to us, anyway – 18 spiits companies ranging from vodka to tequila to sake.

There's a full-on swing band playing all sorts of fun tunes by the clubhouse and an overall fun atmosphere. For example, when a last-minute change re-located al the food inside a building far too small to accommodate the crowds, many people just hit the beers, wines and spirits and let their free spirits roar.

There's no shortage of fun as wine, beer & spirits flow freely.

LINKS: Event Review. EVENT: ValleyWineFestival.com

• WHITE LIGHT WHITE NIGHT PARTY
July (2011 date TBD), 7:30-10 p.m.
BMW in Torrance, 18800 Hawthorne Blvd.
Cost: $100 ($125 at door). This event sells out in advance

The all-white theme party helps a good cause.
Photo: Jonathan Pascual.

The upscale social calendar of the South Bay marks down this annual event. It's an all-white party of wine, food, beer, entertainment and a silent auction. This is a classy affair atypical of the usual flip flops and shorts events held in LA's South Bay Beach Cities.

It benefits Walk With Sally. a non-profit organization that provides mentoring support programs and services for Los Angeles children who are living with or lost a parent or sibling to cancer.

LINKS: Event Review. EVENT: WalkWithSally.org

TRUMP NATATIONAL WINE, BEER & FOOD FESTIVAL
Aug. 28, 1-5 p.m.
Trump National, One Ocean Trails Drive, Palos Verdes
Cost: $30

Only in its third year, this event is already drawing good crowds.

The best view and perhaps one of the best settings for any kind of event is here, on the grassy plateau high above the Pacific Ocean. The weather's always perfect and for social-seekers, a significant selection of singles from the South Bay roll up by the cabfull and soak in all the event has to offer.

More than 1,000 people move from wine tasting station to wine tasting station, then venture down to the beer section where favorites such as Stella Artois are liberally poured in keep-the-glass goblets.

Wine – and beer – for just $30 makes this the best deal in SoCal.

At a mere $30, it's the best wine & beer festival bargains in Southern California. And that includes a souvenir glass branded with the Trump National logo. A couple of bands play at a stage between the wine and beer areas, where some people plop down as if on a pleasant Sunday picnic.

Food, for those who care to pair it with their beverage(s) is an additional cost and is limited. So eat first (perhaps at the Trump Sunday brunch, in fact).

LINK: Event Review

• TASTE OF BEVERLY HILLS
Labor Day Weekend
9900 Wilshire (behind the Beverly Hilton)
Cost: $150

A total of nearly 100 wines, both domestic and international, plus spirits combine with restaurants from all over L.A. The event also features chefs, wine experts and sommeliers, wine seminars and live music.

It's a four-day event held outdoors at the old Robinson's-May parking lot. The price of admission is high but by following the event on Twitter – @TasteofBeverlyHills – it's possible to obtain 2-for-1 tickets.

LINKS: TasteOfBeverlyHills.com

• TASTE OF NEWPORT
Sept. 16-18, 6-11 pm. (Friday-Saturday), noon-5 (Sunday)
Fashion Island, 600 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach.
Cost: $22 advance, $25 at gate

The Taste of Newport is an annual ritual for Newport Beach residents.

This annual event has become one of the must-do, put-it-in-the-calendar events of the Newport Beach social set, right up there with the Newport Christmas Boat Parade and, for those fortunate enough to be invited, the annual boat tie-up party.

The Taste of Newport, which in 2011 celebrates its 23rd year, is a food, wine, beer, spirits and entertainment festival. Friday is the unofficial "singles night" while Saturday has more families (but still plenty of singles, some of whom are repeats from the previous evening) and Sunday is a mix of everyone in the area who wants to be outside in the sunshine eating, drinking, mingling and listening to live music.

Big-name bands of the past are popular attractions at the Taste.

It features 30 Orange County restaurants, a Bacardi rum station, several beer booths, a stage with formerly big-name bands (Styx, Foreigner, Pat Benatar, Huey Lewis) and plenty of food. Be aware that last call occurs a half-hour before the event actually closes.

The entry fee is just that – an entry fee – but organizers have a very efficient method of payment for food and drink. Customers buy a credit card for whatever dollar amount they desire. This card is then inserted into a machine at the time of purchase; all this goes quickly and cuts down on waits at popular stations. Any leftover money on the card is cheerfully refunded at the end of the day/evening.

Most food items are $5-7, beer is $5-6, wine or champagne is $5-8 and the always-popular mojitos are $8.

LINKS: Event Review. EVENT: TasteOfNewport.com

• CALIFORNIA BEER FEST, CLAREMONT
Oct. 8
502 W. 1st Street, Claremont
Cost: $40

Don't knock this event just because it's a bit inland. Claremont has a cool stretch of restaurants and bars and the people are fun.

This beer festival, located in downtown Claremont (which is between the 10 and 210 freeways), features craft brews, food from local restaurants and three live bands throghout the day.

Must be 21. Designated driver tickets are $25.

LINK: Beer Festival Official Site.

• LA MAGAZINE'S FROM THE VINE
October (2011 date TBD)
Saddleback Ranch, 31727 Mullholland Highway, Malibu Canyons
Cost: $95

Ths is one event where pairing food with beverage is a part of the experience.

If there's one event that competes with the Trump National location on the Best Scenery – if not actually surpasses it – then it's LA Magaine's "From the Vine" event, held each October at Saddlerock Ranch.

Driving through the Malibu Canyons is exhilirating enough – is this really still LA, one is tempted to remark – and once arriving the first greeters are likely to be llama or zebras.

That sets the appropriate tone for this excellent, high end-but-casual gathering. It's hardly a huge event – there's only a couple of dozen wineries and the most featured ones are from the surrundoing Malibu area – but there's free-flowing beer (when beer is served at these events, it always has the longest lines) and sensational food from some 35 high-end LA restaurants.

It's a fairly select crowd, meaning that only a couple of hundred people are at the event. And they are very appreciate to be among the privileged few.

Good food, drinks and a spectacular setting make this event a winner.

LINK: Event Review. EVENT: LAMag.com

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