Taste Of The Santa Ynez Valley Returns OCT. 2–5 To Immerse All In The Region’s Many Distinct Flavors

Tickets on sale now for more than a dozen events, including a special Chumash Museum and Cultural Center Dinner, a first-ever communal dinner in Solvang, and up-close experiences with Santa Ynez Valley chefs and winemakers

Tickets are on sale now for Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley, which returns to the wine country gem of California’s Central Coast Oct. 2–5. Each year, the four-day, six-town celebration offers an experiential culinary exploration of the region’s food, wine, and more — and the people behind it all — in what has become a favorite tradition in the area.

Organized by Visit the Santa Ynez Valley and Sunset Magazine, the festival highlights each of the region’s six communities—Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, and Solvang—with curated experiences that bring out the unique character of each. From communal dinners under the stars to outdoor adventures and one-of-a-kind wine tastings, more than a dozen main and ancillary events showcase what makes Santa Ynez Valley such a treasured culinary and wine destination.

Each year of Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley is unique, too. On Saturday, Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley will host a dinner and grand tasting event in Solvang for the first time in the event’s history. Served on a grand, long communal table on Copenhagen Drive, each course of the exclusive, family-style dinner will be prepared by chefs from Peasants FEAST, Coast Range, First & Oak, and The Gathering Table.

Taste the Santa Ynez Valley will also take a deep dive into the region’s history and cultural heritage with the Chumash Museum and Cultural Center Dinner on Sunday. Set against the backdrop of the stunning, recently opened 14,000-square-foot museum, the Sunday evening dinner will feature cuisine from top Santa Ynez restaurants—including S.Y. Kitchen, Willows at Chumash Casino Resort, and Ellie’s Tap & Vine—and will be preceded by a welcome wine tasting and reception.

The event promises an unforgettable way to connect with the food and wine of the region and the heritage of the Santa Ynez Chumash tribe.

“Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley brings people closer to the essence of what makes our region special,” says Shelby Sim, President/CEO of Visit the Santa Ynez Valley, which organizes the event. “It’s not just about world-class food and wine—though there’s plenty of that—it’s about the character of our towns, the warmth of our people, and the deep cultural history that runs through everything we do. With events like the Chumash Museum and Cultural Center Dinner, we’re able to share stories and flavors that reflect the heritage and culture that is at the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley experience.”

Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley begins with a day in Los Alamos, the region’s haven for foodies, on Thursday, Oct. 2. The festivities will culminate with the dinner at the Chumash Museum and Cultural Center on Sunday, Oct. 5. Along the way, attendees are invited to enjoy special communal and chef-driven dinners, wine tastings, vineyard experiences, zipline adventures, horseback riding, a ceramics class, and much more.

All official Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley events are ticketed and must be purchased in advance, ranging in price from $35 for a walk and wine-tasting experience through the rolling Zaca Mesa Vineyard to $180 for the communal dinners in Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Solvang, and the Chumash Museum. Tickets can be purchased from the Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley website.

As with every year, 5% of all ticket sales for every Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley event will benefit local charities.

For more information on tickets and a full list of Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley events, dates, and times, visit TasteSYV.com. To download images from Taste of the Santa Valley, click here.

About the Santa Ynez Valley:

Barely two hours from Los Angeles and a scenic four-hour drive from San Francisco, the Santa Ynez Valley is home to six distinct towns, each with its own culture, vibe, and menu of experiences. Blanketed with fruitful farms and vineyards, the California Central Coast wine region’s temperate weather allows for year-round activities of all sorts, spread throughout the historical communities of Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, and Solvang. Destination dining and world-class wines await, accompanied by lodging at every level, all painted into atmospheric backdrops that colorfully mesh Old World and Old West. Visit more than 100 wineries, feast on chef-driven cuisine, and enjoy festive events and design details from Victorian-era to mid-century to modern Danish. For more information, including a listing of wedding venues, restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, and events, go to VisitSYV.com.

TASTE OF THE SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

Thursday, Oct. 2

• Los Alamos Wine Tasting Reception at The Maker’s Son, featuring wines from Los Alamos and the Santa Maria Valley: 4-5:30 p.m.
• Los Alamos Dinner and Tasting served on a communal table in the 1880 Union Hotel Courtyard, showcasing Full of Life Flatbread, Bell’s, PICO, Plenty on Bell, and Bob’s Well Bread Bakery and paired with Los Alamos and Santa Maria Valley wines: 6-8 p.m.
• 1880 Speakeasy After Party at the 1880 Union Speakeasy Saloon: 8-10 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 3

• Vino Vaqueros Horseback Riding: 9-11 a.m.
• Los Olivos Wine Tasting Reception at the Coquelicot Tasting Room Courtyard, featuring wines from Los Olivos, Ballard Canyon, Santa Ynez, and Happy Canyon, and served with local bites: 4-5:30 p.m.
• Los Olivos Dinner and Tasting is served on a communal table on Alamo Pintado Avenue. Featuring cuisine served family style from the kitchens of Mattei’s Tavern, Bar Le Cote, Los Olivos Wine Merchant Café, and Enjoy Cupcakes, and paired with wines from Los Olivos and Ballard Canyon: 6-8 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 4

• Horseback Ride and Classic Cowboy Breakfast at Alisal Ranch: 7:15-11:15 a.m.
• Haywagon Ride and Classic Cowboy Breakfast at Alisal Ranch: 8:30-10:45 a.m.
• Zipline Tour with Highline Adventures: 9-11 a.m.
• Charcuterie Dishes Ceramics Class with Community Clayworks: 10 a.m.-noon.
• Franc & Blac Tasting at Gainey Estate Vineyards, featuring a special tasting focusing on Cabernet Franc and other Blanc-based wines like Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc from wineries across the Santa Ynez Valley. The event includes highly curated food matched to these wines and live music: 1-4 p.m.
• Solvang Grand Tasting in Solvang Park. The event will feature wines from the Santa Ynez Valley and paired with the best of Solvang’s local bites (participants TBD): 3:30-5:30 p.m.
• Solvang Dinner and Grand Tasting served on a grand, long communal table on Copenhagen Drive. Each course of this exclusive, family-style dinner will be prepared by Solvang chefs from Peasants FEAST, Coast Range, First & Oak, and The Gathering Table, and perfectly paired with Santa Ynez Valley wines: 6-8 p.m.

Sunday, Oct 5

• Zaca Mesa Vineyard Walk with Wine Tasting: 9-11 a.m.
• Sta. Rita Hills Brunch and Tasting at the Brick Barn Wine Estate in Buellton. Enjoy a walk-around brunch and tasting featuring wines from Sta. Rita Hills and Buellton area wineries (participants TBD): 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
• Chumash Museum and Cultural Center Dinner, offering an unforgettable experience that celebrates the culture and history of the Santa Ynez Chumash tribe. Participating restaurants include S.Y. Kitchen, Willows at Chumash Casino Resort, and Ellie’s Tap & Vine. A welcome reception and wine tasting will precede the dinner (participants TBD): 5:30-8 p.m.