The Original Taste celebrates 50 years this weekend

Since 1973 millions of dollars have been raised for various local children’s charities thanks to the Original Taste Food and Wine Event. This year’s 50th annual event is once again hosted by the Executive Council 70 and its charitable arm and features some of the best food and wine Arizona has to offer. The 2023 milestone event happens this Saturday, April 22nd at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall at 7 p.m.

The 2023 Original Taste brings over 20 restaurants to showcase their culinary talents along with wines from around the world and cocktails. Country music star Jimmie Allen will give an energetic live performance for this special occasion.

The monies raised over the years have helped children’s charities focusing on healthcare, education and supportive services. The collaboration of participating restaurants, wineries, talented artists and generous sponsors has made a positive impact on children in need across Arizona.

Tickets for the 21 and over event are $200 per person and $500 for VIP tickets. VIP tickets include a private viewing area near the stage, a private bar, amenities and access to the Late Night After Party starting at 11 p.m. For more information and tickets follow this link to their website.

Check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

Arizona Craft Brewers Guild hosts the return of the Arizona Strong Beer Festival

On Saturday, February 18th beer enthusiasts kick off the 12th Arizona Beer Week at the Arizona Strong Beer Festival. Arizona Craft Brewers Guild announced a new home for the festival at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick for 2023. The 21+ festival welcomes over 100 breweries from across the country at the popular festival that starts at 1 p.m.

Close to 10,000 people attending will sample beers from their favorite breweries and get introduced to new ones. “The Strong Beer Festival is about bringing people together to make a cultural statement about craft beer and why we love it,” says Rob Fullmer, Executive Director of the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild. “Get your pretzel necklaces ready and join us for a beer-filled afternoon at Salt River Fields.”

General admission tickets start at $70 with entry at 1 p.m. A limited number of VIP and Super VIP tickets are available for $90 and $110 each. VIP gets early entry at 11:30 a.m., extra tasting samples, a VIP lounge and restrooms. VIP ticket holders can pick up their wrist bands on Friday at the Pepsi Party Deck at Salt River Fields while enjoying $4 cans of beer and watch a MLB4 Collegiate Baseball Tournament game. Super VIP tickets have VIP status plus a special edition swag item and admission to Sundays Brewers’ Reception Brunch.

The Strong Beer Festival is the largest event of over 100 events during Arizona Beer Week, February 16th-16th. For more information, to see a list of attending breweries and to purchase tickets for the festival visit their website.

Check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

 

Arizona Tiki Oasis 2022 returning to Scottsdale

The Hotel Valley Ho is set to host the return of the Arizona Tiki Oasis 2022 Thursday, April 28th thru Sunday, May 1st. The four day event will be free to the public and some tickets will need to purchased to attend certain events and seminars. The mid-century modern hotel is perfect for those to gather in festive aloha attire while sipping on tropical cocktails and immersing themselves in the Polynesian culture.

Events and Seminars at Arizona Tiki Oasis

The Arizona Tiki Oasis Marketlace will be Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Over 60 artists, crafters and traders will show off their works in the unique shopping environment. Over 25 international Tiki artists will display works of art at the Arizona Tiki Oasis Pop-Up Art Exhibit on Friday, Saturday and Sunday also from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Both events are free to attend.

Seminars range in price from $0-$50 per seminar. Seminars topics include mid-century modern and Polynesian pop culture that will feature art, mixology, architecture, music and design. All are meant to be fun and educational.

A few of the planned seminars include Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Tiki, Creating a Tiki Garden, Agave Spirits in Tropical Cocktails, Arizona Tiki Oasis 2022 Bartender Battle, Conscious Tropical, Mocktails 101, Raffia Flowers and Pom Poms, Tiki in Pop Surrealist Art.

Evening Resort Pass tickets are $99 each and include Thursday’s Meet & Mingle, access to evening events and poolside tastings all weekend.

Deluxe Evening Resort Pass tickets are $200 and include all of the above and a shopping bag with goodies from sponsors and an invite VIP Kick-Off Cocktail Party.

Both events are for guests 21 and over.

The hotel will host a traditional luau with a pig roast on Friday night serving poke bowls along with Crispy Cold Braised Short Ribs and more. Hawaiian desserts and cocktails will keep you in the aloha spirit.

More information and to purchased tickets can be found at the Arizona Tiki Oasis 2022 website. The Hotel Valley Ho is at 6850 E. Main St. Scottsdale 85251.

Don’t forget to check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

 

 

 

 

Tap into Mesa brings blues, brews & food festival to downtown Mesa

Downtown Mesa is home to more breweries than any other downtown neighborhood in the valley and those beers will be poured at the new Tap into Mesa festival. Admission is free on Saturday March 12th from 2-6:30 p.m. for local beers, food trucks, live music for all ages.

“We really want to show people just how many walkable breweries we have in this one square mile,” said Nancy Hormann, President of the Downtown Mesa Association. “All of the breweries you will visit at this event call Downtown Mesa their home.”

The Main Stage Beer Garden is where you’ll find beers from Oro Brewing, Desert Eagle, Cider Corps and other downtown breweries while listening to the blues from “The Sugar Thieves”. Following them on the stage will be the “Bob Corritore Chicago Style Blues Band”.

Tap into Mesa tickets are on sale for “full” pour beers for $5 each and an optional special beer tasting tour for $25 with 10 tastes when you buy online and $30 day of the festival. Add a $5 VIP Fast Pass which avoids lines and has reserved seats in the four beer tasting garden. The VIP Fast Pass is only available in advance online. The festival will be at Main & Macdonald with tickets online available until 6:00 p.m. and all tickets need to be redeemed by 6:30.

Mint Juleps & fancy hats return for the Bulleit Bourbon Derby DayClub

Saturday May 1st brings the return of The Kentucky Derby and in Phoenix that means the Bulleit Bourbon Derby DayClub at Turf Paradise. After 2020 cancelled the Spring event and moved to an audience-less September running of the ponies guests are welcome back to sip on Mint Juleps, dress up and bet on your favorite horses. The 2021 Derby DayClub will have 3 separate viewing areas all with limited capacity and following CDC protocols.

Reserving a seat and tickets

Reserve a table in the Sanderson Lincoln Black Label Lounge air-cooled tent close to the finish line. Betting terminals, a no-host bar serving Mint Juleps, champagne & cocktails and 65″ TVs are all close to food trucks and refreshments. Tables start at $250 for 2 and up to tables of 8 for $1000. Some packages offer complimentary champagne and food.

The Ketel One Botanical Garden offers an open air tent closer to the finish line further back off the track. Tables include a bucket of Ketel One Botanical Vodka Spritz Seltzers and access to betting terminals and more. Tables of 4 start at $275 and up to $400 for front row seating.

The new VIP Winner’s Circle covered tent and offers the best view of the finish line. Guest in the Winner’s Circle have access to the other tents and comes with a complimentary Mint Julep, French Fry Bar, large screen TVs, access to betting terminals & food trucks and a no-host bar. Tables of 4 start at $750 and up to 8 for $1,600. All tables include a complimentary bottle of Veuve Cliquot or Chandon Champagne.

General Admission to the DayClub are $30 until April 15th, $35 after the 15th and $40 at the door. General Admission does not include a reserved seat. All ticket can be purchased and more information found at their website. Gates open at 10:45 a.m., Turf Paradise live racing at 11:30 a.m. and the Derby broadcasted live at 4:05 p.m.

Real, Wild & Woody helps craft beer fans beat the heat

Cold beer makes the summer a lot cooler, how about 350+ craft beers in the air conditioned Phoenix Convention Center. That’s what craft beer fans will enjoy at the 6th annual Real, Wild & Woody festival on Saturday July 27th. The festival is presented by the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild and will feature over 75 breweries from the southwest.

Real, Wild & Woody is Arizona’s largest indoor beer festival featuring rare and unconventional beers from over 40 Arizona breweries. Dragoon Brewing Co., Grand Canyon Brewing Co. and others will be pouring their most unique “real, wild & woody” creations. Enjoy up to 20 cask conditioned ales a.k.a Real, beers fermented with wild yeast strains a.k.a Wild or barrel aged beers a.k.a Woody.

The festival has also helped new breweries introduce themselves to beer fans.

“This year, I am especially thrilled to be introducing the VIP experience,” said Rob Fullmer, Executive Director of the Arizona Craft Brewers Guild. “It’s going to be a tremendous opportunity for our most fervent fans to have first, full access to the entire venue, an hour before we open to the public. Along with the exclusive access, there is a VIP meal option that will provide attendees with a three-taco meal (with vegetarian options) & a dessert. We’ll also be featuring distilled products from some of our breweries exclusively in the VIP area.”

Real, Wild & Woody tickets and info.

The events goes from 2-6 p.m. with tickets to the 21 & over tasting online for $60 and $80 for VIP. 1 p.m. entry and an optional(VIP+) multi-course for $20 is available with your VIP ticket. Tickets will be $20 more when purchased at the festival. In addition to beer their will bites to eat from Phoenix restaurants, interactive games, live music and a rock wall.

For more information go to their website and to see the full line-up of brewers use the social beer app Untappd.

The Phoenix Convention Center is at 100 N. 3rd St. Phoenix 85004.

The who, what, where & when for the 2018 Devour Culinary Classic

Details are starting to emerge about one of the highly anticipated food festivals of the southwest as the 2018 Devour Culinary Classic is less than 7 months away.

This 2 day food event takes place on Saturday and Sunday March 3rd & 4th 2018 and moves this year to the Desert Botanical Garden on the Phoenix/Scottsdale border. Skip breakfast as this annual event opens its doors each day at 10:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m.

“Just like all the participants in the Devour Culinary Classic, the Garden is proud to fly the ‘locally grown’ flag,” says Desert Botanical Garden Executive Director Ken Schutz. “We look forward to hosting the event in 2018.”

Local First Arizona started Devour Culinary Classic almost 10 years ago and has become a model food event around the country for supporting locally owned restaurants, wineries, brewers and more.

“Our main objective is to support the development and promotion of the culinary and extended local food community and culture in Arizona, bringing deserved local and national attention to our state’s food scene,” said Kimber Lanning, founder of the event and Executive Director of Local First Arizona. “We believe we’ll be even better suited to showcase Arizona’s one-of-a-kind culinary culture with Desert Botanical Garden as our host.”

Devour Culinary Classic chef talent

As of the end of August, over 30 chefs from around Arizona are confirmed to strut their stuff with the list continuing to grow. A few of the names you can expect to see are…..

Bernie Kantak The Gladly & Citizen Public House, Danielle Leoni The Breadfruit & Rum Bar, Kat and Brad Moore Short Leash Hot Dog, Jeff Smedstad Elote Cafe, Tamara Stanger Helio Basin Brewing Co. (Winner of last year’s Devour Excellence Award)

Ticket packages, Week of Experiences and more.

Before the Classic goes off there are two events leading up to the festive weekend. The Devour Classic Bartending Competition shakes things up on Fri. February 25th from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. and the Seven Chefs Singh Along prepare a meal under the stars on Wed. February 28th from 5:30- 8:30 p.m. More details can be found on event links.

Tickets go on sale for members of Local First Arizona localist program, Desert Botanical Garden and Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance to all events of November 1st, 2017 and to the public on November 13th, 2017. Tickets are limited to all events and non-members should consider membership to above groups for pre-sale tickets.

3 ticket packages are available for those that want to experience much of what the event has to offer. Early entry, Cooking demonstrations, access to wine and spirits tents, meet and greet with chefs and more are available. The single day packages are The Tasting Package $105The Connoisseur Package $165 and The VIP Package $205. See ticket link above for individual package perks.

As details continue to become available be sure to check the website for updates.

 

 

 

Murphy’s Law to host Shamrock Fest on St. Patrick’s Day

If it’s the time of year when everybody claims to be Irish & leprechaun sightings are on the rise then it must mean St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, 13 days & counting down to be exact. To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day downtown Chandler’s favorite Irish pub, Murphy’s Law is hosting an evening full of games, food, crafty beers, Irish dancing and more for Shamrock Fest on Fri. March 17th.

The Paddy gets started at 4 p.m. across from Murphy’s Law in AJ Chandler Park with live music from locals bands August in Stereo, Radiofix, Retro Connection & Volitale Minds. Festival goers can hangout in The Lucky Leprechaun zone with wee man wrestling, The Kiss Me I’m Irish zone with lawn games, eating contest, cabbage bowling and more fun activities.

St. Patrick’s Day traditional corned beef & cabbage

Local and craft beers will be available in the Bagpipes & Brews lounge as you listen to bagpipe players then make your way to the Four Leaf Clover food court for traditional corned beef and cabbage, bangers & mash, Sheperd’s Pie and more.

General admission tickets for this 21 & over event are available on-line for $8 and $10 at the door. VIP tickets are available only on-line for $80 and include 6 drink tickets, a private bathroom, catered food, private seating and front stage access. Tickets can be purchased at http://holyshamrocks.com/

Part of the proceeds from Shamrock Fest will be donated to the non-profit Downtown Chandler Community Foundation (DCCF) which helps to mobilize leadership & resources for the development of downtown Chandler as a regional destination for shopping, culture, living & the arts. http://www.downtownchandler.org/