The 4th Annual Orange County Food, Wine & Music Festival

by Mac McDonald

The 4th annual Orange County Food, Wine & Music Festival brings much more to the table than you might expect. On June 25th at Dana Point’s Sea Terrace Park, a mouthful of eats and treats awaits from noon to 7 p.m.

Event Director Rich Goodwin says, “We’re similar to a lot of food festivals out there, but what we tend to do is bring in more. We have a little bit of everything!” The festival features 50 wine varietals from all over the world, food from dozens of Orange County restaurants, caterers and bakeries and 80 different craft beers. Continuous live music and circus-like strolling entertainers, from jugglers and stilt walkers to magicians and contortionists will keep the party going all day.

“We have everything, from high-end chocolates and bakers to local restaurants,” says Goodwin, “That’s why this event is so popular, because we address all types of people and we have a bead on what people want.”

In addition to this festival, EventWerks partners with the City of Dana Point to bring Dana Point Summer Concerts, Dana Point State BBQ Championships (October 8), Dana Point Oktoberfest (October 15), as well as concerts, food festivals, craft brew festivals and Oktoberfet celebrations in Santa Barbara, San Diego, Lake Arrowhead and beyond.

The festival began rather modestly in 2013 as a free, family-oriented event and it’s now blossomed into a community-wide experience serving up higher-end offerings for foodies and wine and beer aficionados.

The VIP Grand Tasting Package is your ticket to the festival’s most exclusive amenities. VIP ticket-holders will have access to the Grand Tasting Pavilion, a private tented area featuring unlimited sampling from over 20 food purveyors, 50 craft breweries and tastes of more than 50 wine varietals. VIP participants will also enjoy shaded seating areas, private restrooms, and choice entertainment. VIP tickets are $100 in advance and are limited to the first 500 sold at FoodWineandMusicFestival.com.

The Unlimited Drink Sampling Package allows ticket holders unlimited samplings from 40 craft breweries (80 varieties of beer), 50 varietals of wine, live entertainment, and a commemorative glass. Tickets run $40 in advance online and $50 at the gate on the day of the event.

If you’d prefer to just stroll the grounds and nosh and sip a la carte, the General Admission option is the right one for you. A mere $10 at the event’s main box office provides entry, $8 per drink for beer, wine and cocktails, and food for purchase from an array of restaurants. Once you’re inside the event and you like what you taste, you’ll have the opportunity to upgrade to the Unlimited Drink Sampling Package for just $40.

Live entertainment at the Orange County Food, Wine & Music Festival will be provided by L.A.-based band Nutty, which takes classic rock and mixes it with jazz, a mashup where “Hendrix, Ozzie, Neil Young and The Who are sittin’ in with jazz cats like Miles, Dizzie, Mancini and the Duke.” DJ Peter G will be on hand to add to the mix, playing everything from classic rock to contemporary hits. Last but not least, everyone’s favorite 80’s Nerd Band, the Spazmatics, will also keep guests pumped.

Parking is available at the Salt Creek Beach parking lot and on nearby streets. For your convenience, a round-trip shuttle service will run from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., to and from Dana Hills High School. You can also take the Laguna Beach and Dana Point free trolley to Salt Creek Beach where you may enter the event through the tunnel under PCH.

For more information about the event, go to FoodWineandMusicFestival.com.

Sea Terrace Park at 33401 Pacific Coast Hwy., Dana Point, CA 92629