Drinking wine against the backdrop of Sedona’s stunning red rocks is our idea of a perfect day. And the eleventh annual Sedona Winefest will give attendees the chance to celebrate the Grand Canyon State’s homegrown wine in a gorgeous setting. Sample wine from 25 Arizona wineries (including Northern Arizona’s own Page Springs Cellars, Alcantara Winery and Oak Creek Vineyards & Winery) on Sept. 28 and 29 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Posse Grounds Park in Sedona.
“Arizona wine has taken off in a way that people hadn’t expected,” says Paula Woolsey, event coordinator for Sedona Winefest. “Sedona Winefest is one of the biggest wine festivals in the state. It is a well-known, legacy event. It means a lot to the industry. It’s a place for the wineries to come and showcase their wares.”
In addition to sampling wine and meeting winemakers under the festival’s 12,000 squarefoot tent that keeps the sun or rain off wine drinkers, festival attendees can look forward to a variety of vendors, free chair massages and entertainment. Vendors will be selling a variety of products including jewelry, wine accessories, fudge and barbeque. One to look for: Camp Verde’s Wingfield Bread Company will be serving gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.
On Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m., Winefestgoers can look forward to a plein air (a French term meaning painting outside) paint-out competition organized by the Sedona Arts Center. On Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., attendees can listen to live tunes courtesy of The Naughty Bits, a local band known for playing top rock n’ roll, funk and 80s New Wave favorites. “Sedona Winefest hits on all of the sensual things that people want: beauty and culture and wine and art. We bring it all together,” says Paula.
One-day tickets purchased before the event cost $35 per person and include six one-ounce tasting tickets and a commemorative wine glass. Tickets purchased at the door cost $40 per person. Two-day passes cost $50. Kids and non-drinkers receive free admission. For more information, visit sedonawinefest.com.
