San Diego has a hidden gem of a wine festival and it’s returning this June, 2025, to the Carlsbad Aviara Park Hyatt Resort. It’s big enough to be fun, the crowds are smart and sophisticated, the wine as plentiful as the San Diego sunshine. I go every year because it’s just so easy to have a good time and unlike the other larger wine and food festivals it’s priced so you don’t have to think twice. Before I forget, here’s the basic info you need:

CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL

DATE: JUNE 2025, FINAL DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED

LOCATION: CARLSBAD PARK HYATT AVIARA RESORT

TICKET INFO CLICK HERE

Cal Wine Fest — Poggio Leano Winery from Temecula

what to expect at the california wine festival in carlsbad

The California Wine Festival is broken into two parts - the first is a fancy sunset reserve wine event, very nice and a great event for wine lovers. The second is the “beachside” event, though the beach is a few miles away for those of you not familiar with the Park Hyatt Resort. Still, you won’t care as you walk from booth to booth sampling wine after wine. All the wine regions in California are here, from local favorites from Temecula to Paso Robles and Napa and Sonoma. You can go basic and sample it all at the various booths, perhaps stopping for a bit to listen to the live band, or go VIP and relax at a table and enjoy some of the reserve wines.

Interspaced with the wine booths are food samples, from insane fried chicken to decadent ice crea,. Want to see what I ate?

SHOUT OUT TO GUS’S FRIED CHICKEN AND JENI’S ICE CREAM!

The California Wine Festival isn’t like some of the giant wine AND food festivals where the food and wine share the billing. Wine is definitely the star here but there’s plenty of food to keep you from going hungry and I have to give a huge shout out to Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, possibly the greatest fried chicken you will ever have and I love fried chicken. It’s hot out of the oil, crispy, juicy, insane. And they give you full size pieces. Next year I’m heading straight to their booth and getting in line again and again.

Jeni’s Ice Cream has to be some of the best ice cream I’ve ever had, certainly as good if not better than Salt & Straw with a location near the La Costa Resort and another in North Park. The Birthday Cake was a funfetti delight and so good I went back twice. I know, this is a wine fest and I should be drinking wine but Jeni’s ice cream was so good I totally forgot about the wine for a while and just indulged.

The VIP tent has a few more options for food and reserve wines and is worth the extra cost if you want a shady table to kick back and relax with. Though there is something to be said about going from booth to booth and trying them all.

Inside the VIP tent at the California Wine Festival

Is the California wine festival worth it?

Are you going to make me talk about the fried chicken and ice cream again??? Of course it’s worth it. Tickets were just $65 in 2024 and for that you got to sample dozens and dozens of wines, bask in the sunshine, dance a bit to the band, it’s the perfect San Diego Saturday. Add to that free parking and unlimited fried chicken and ice cream… OK, I really liked Gus’s friend chicken and Jeni’s ice cream! But yes yes yes, the pricing for the event is cheaper than a couple of tasting flights at a winery and can you put a price on how much fun you’ll have? Love it!

Were you there?

A few highlights of all of the wines I tried. Yes, I tried them all! (lie)

California Wine Festival 2024 - San Diego, Carlsbad - BEST Wine + Food Fest - Ticket and Event info

July 6, 2023Local WallyComment

The Park Hyatt Aviara hosts the CA Wine Festival every year in Carlsbad, CA (North San Diego)

I’m all happy as I just returned from the California Wine Festival in Carlsbad, CA, held at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort. This annual event happens every June and while tickets are not yet available for 2024 you need to make room in your busy schedule now to make sure you go. I’m serious, this is really a great event.

CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL 2024, SAN DIEGO EVENT, TICKET INFO AND UPDATES

Hall Wines from Napa giving out pours of their premier wines

Event and Ticket Info

VIPs get a table but most people walk from booth to booth to get wine and food samples at the CA Wine Festival in Carlsbad, CA

Gus’s Fried Chicken, rated BEST in America, makes it’s appearance at the CA Wine Festival in Carlsbad

CA WINE FESTIVAL AT A GLANCE

What is it?: It’s a wine and food festival where you get unlimited glasses of wine and food snacks held at the Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, CA. There are two events, the “rare wines” sunset event held the evening before, and the main event where you walk from booth to booth to get the samples.

When is it?: Held annually in June, tickets for 2024 will be announced soon. Go to their official site to get more info.

How much does it cost?: The Beachside Wine Fest (aka the walk from booth to booth to sip and snack event) is $105 pp, but currently has a $75 early bird deal good until June 13th. Get that ticket!! The Sunset Tasting Event (the classy one) is $140 pp, discounted to $105 for early birds.

Where can I get tickets: Go to their Official Site to get tickets to either of their two events.

With so many Wine and Food Fests in San Diego (along with countless “taste of San Diego” local events, why does the CA Wine Festival in Carlsbad rank as one of my top picks? Because unlike some of the other mega events, the CA Wine Festival is, well, relaxed might be a good way to describe it. With the other events my watch is lighting up saying “CALM DOWN - YOU’RE STRESSED OUT” the moment I try to figure out where to park, but with the CA Wine Fest parking is easy - and free. Nothing makes me more happy than free parking right next to the event.

And while the event isn’t as huge as some of the other wine and food fests in San Diego, it’s big enough. I mean, how much wine can you seriously sample in an afternoon? With ridiculously short lines you can try them all if you are up for that (spit buckets available, and the grass didn’t seem to mind a splash here and there).

If all of this wine was making you hungry you only had to step aside to pick up any number of delectable eats - not “bites”, not “samples”, but full sized tacos, hot out of the oil fried chicken, all you can eat wood fired pizza. This is real food portions, not Costco size samples. And. No. Lines. I like that. Really like that.

I didn’t forget the wine. Obviously there were plenty to keep you busy for the afternoon as you sauntered around the event, took in some live music, and enjoyed the sunshine that was cooled with a coastal breeze. Napa was there, Paso was there, San Diego was there, hey, France was there too and everyone serving was clearly having fun.

And in case you were wondering if this event is WORTH IT, if you’ve been to a Napa winery lately the tastings are running on average $40 per person and even Temecula is charging $20+ per person. So yes, walk to a couple of booths, grab some lunch, how can it NOT be worth it? And that’s not even factoring in how much fun the event is.

Adobe Road Winery at the Carlsbad San Diego CA Wine Fest

So yes, I LOVE the CA Wine Festival in Carlsbad and think you will too. Look, I’m not saying I won’t be at all of the other wine and food festivals in San Diego because each one is fun and unique but I am saying that the CA Wine Fest in Carlsbad definitely has a spot on my calendar next June 2024.

Come back soon for more info on 2024 tickets!