Get Your Tickets Before They Fall Down the Rabbit Hole
Purchase tickets online or in person at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Box Office for the
The Toast of the Coast Wine Festival, San Diego International Beer Festival and
Distilled: Spirit & Cocktail Competition and Festival
Del Mar CA— Tickets for this year’s Fair Wine, Beer and Spirits Festivals are going FAST! Fairgoers interested in attending the Festivals at the 2016 San Diego County Fair, presented by Albertsons|Vons, should not hesitate to purchase their tickets.
The wine event of the season is The Toast of the Coast Wine Festival on Saturday, June 11, in the Paul Ecke Jr. Flower and Garden Show, presented by Think Blue. Visit www.thetoastofthecoast.com to purchase tickets. The San Diego International Beer Festival in the Del Mar Arena from Friday, June 17, through Sunday, June 19, is one of the largest in the country. To purchase tickets, visit www.sandiegobeerfestival.com. Distilled: Spirit and Cocktail Festival the newest Fair festival in the Paddock and surrounding areas on Saturday, June 25, is all the rage. Get your tickets at www.distilledsandiego.com.
The 5th Annual Toast of the Coast Wine Festival will feature and pour award winning wines, which are among the finest in the world. At the Festival, more than 100 of the best-of-the-best wines from The Toast of the Coast Competition will be served in as many 1-oz. pours as you wish to try during each 3-hour session. More than 80 wineries from across the U.S. and Mexico will be represented. You can also discover award-winning wine and food pairings. So Rich Chocolates, Venissimo Cheese and Brandt Beef have paired up with winemakers to create a special wine and food pairing that Festival attendees will be able to enjoy. Every 30 minutes, a new pairing will take place at the winery table where both the food connoisseur and winemaker will guide guests through this feature experience. Pairings will be limited to the first 30 guests who participate. Additionally, Cypress Grove Chevre will be in attendance with samples of their Humboldt Fog, Truffle Tremor, Midnight Moon and Purple Haze artisan cheeses.
For wine connoisseurs looking for an unforgettable experience, upgrade to the VIP Winemakers’ Tasting, which includes a half-hour early admission to the VIP Winemakers’ Tasting lounge with award-winning wine and food pairings presented by winemakers and chefs. This year’s feature courses include a bruschetta station, artisan cheeses, garlic salami, oak roasted salmon, chilled rock shrimp salad, all-natural Brandt Beef chipotle short rib sope and more!
Wine Festival Pricing:
Ticket Type
Cost
Includes
VIP Winemakers’ Tasting
+
Fair Tripper
$100
Festival and Fair admission + early festival entry, food and wine pairings and exclusive lounge
+
Round-trip fare on the COASTER and SPRINTER trains and BREEZE buses and a two-way shuttle from/to the station/Fair
VIP Winemakers’ Tasting
$94
Festival and Fair admission + early festival entry, food and wine pairings and exclusive demonstrations
General Admission
+
Fair Tripper
$68
Festival and Fair admission and
+
Round-trip fare on the COASTER and SPRINTER trains and BREEZE buses and a two-way shuttle from/to the station/Fair
General Admission
$61
Festival and Fair admission
Wine Festival Tickets are available at www.thetoastofthecoast.com and at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Box Office.
The 10th Annual San Diego International Beer Festival has become one of the top beer festivals and competitions in the U.S.! Last year, more than 10,000 beer lovers joined in on one of our five tasting sessions, sipping their way through hundreds of varieties of ale, cider, porter, stout, mead and more! Earlier this spring San Diego’s own, AleSmith Brewing Company was crowned “Champion Brewery,” and Angry Orchard from Walden, NY, was voted “Champion Meadery/Cidery.” On Saturday, June 18 at 12:30 p.m., the “Best of Show Beer” will be announced during the early Saturday session.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS:
The Beer Stage: The Educational Beer Stage will feature three seminars (with samples) per session hosted by breweries, educators and food purveyors. Ride the flavor wave with Rip Current Brewery and Sublime Alehouse. Enjoy a pairing from Oggi’s Pizza & Brewhouse. Take a blind taste test with The Brew Project. Pair beer and desserts with Latitude 33 and Fioriena Desserts. Enjoy pairings with Belching Beaver Brewery and their brand new eatery and more!
Special Release Beers: New this year, rare brews will be tapped at various times throughout the festival and poured until the barrel runs dry.
Expanded VIP Lounge: A larger lounge space will include cornhole, early admission, five feature craft food and beer pairing stations and more.
Beer and Cheese Pavilion: Take a break in this new area, complete with life-size games and a place to sit. Our event partners include King Barrel, suppliers of “wine barrel art and furniture that is aged with character and designed with personality.” Echo Athletics will provide larger-than-life games including Connect 4, Kerplunk and Jenga. Hourly contests will be held to reward the “Best BEERd,” “Best Beer Belly,” “Best Beer Shirt,” “Best Pretzel Necklace” and more. For gourmet cheese and craft beer pairings, Cypress Grove Chevre has teamed up with breweries to provide four amazing cheese and beer pairings offered every festival session. Sample their best sellers including Humboldt Fog, Truffle Tremor, Midnight Moon and Purple Haze.
SDIBF Pricing and Schedule:
Ticket Type
Cost
Includes
VIP Lounge
+
Fair Tripper
$117
Festival and Fair admission + early VIP lounge entry, VIP lounge access, gourmet food and beer pairings, unlimited grazing for the first two hours of the session and
6-oz. souvenir glass
+
Round-trip fare on the COASTER and SPRINTER trains and BREEZE buses and a
Two-way shuttle from/to the station/Fair
VIP Lounge
$110
Festival and Fair admission + early VIP lounge entry, VIP lounge access, gourmet food and beer pairings, unlimited grazing for the first two hours of the session and
6-oz. souvenir glass
VIP Lounge Menu:
Kegs & Eggs Station
· Make-Your-Own Deviled Egg Bar, Roast Turkey Chilaquiles, Corned Beef Hash & Fried Eggs
Poke Bowl Station
· Choose Your Base, Choose Your Poke and Top It Off
Hot Dog Station
· The White Rabbit, The Wrong Alice, The Queen of Hearts
Crispy “Crowns” Tater Tot Station
· Toppings: Cheese Sauce, Sweet Pickled Jalapeños, Sour Cream, Scallions, Ranch Dressing, Chipotle Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, Curried Garlic Mayonnaise
Sweet Station
· Italian Ices, Bread & Cie Cookies
General Admission
+
Fair Tripper
$68
Festival and Fair admission and 1-oz. souvenir glass
+
Round-trip fare on the COASTER and SPRINTER trains and BREEZE buses and a two way shuttle from/to the station/Fair
General Admission
$61
Festival and Fair admission and 1-oz. souvenir glass
Beer Festival Tickets are available at http://sandiegobeerfestival.com
and at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Box Office.
SESSION 1: Friday, June 17 (noon – 4 p.m.)
CONTESTS:
1:10 p.m. – Best Pretzel Necklace
2:10 p.m. – Best BEERd
3:10 p.m. – Best Costume
BEER AND CHEESE PAIRINGS:
Pairings at: 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.
SESSION 2: Friday, June 17 (5 – 9 p.m.)
CONTESTS:
6:10 p.m. – Best Beer Shirt
7:10 p.m. – Best Costume
8:10 p.m. – Best Beer Belly
BEER AND CHEESE PAIRINGS:
Pairings at: 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m.
SESSION 3: Saturday, June 18 (11 a.m. – 3 p.m.)
CONTESTS:
12:10 p.m. – Best Beer Shirt
1:10 p.m. – Best Pretzel Necklace
2:10 p.m. – Best BEERd
BEER AND CHEESE PAIRINGS:
Pairings at: 11:30 a.m., 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.
SESSION 4: Saturday, June 18 (4 – 8 p.m.)
CONTESTS:
5:10 p.m. – Best Pretzel Necklace
6:10 p.m. – Best Costume
7:10 p.m. – Best Beer Belly
BEER AND CHEESE PAIRINGS:
Pairings at: 4:30, 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.
SESSION 5: Sunday, June 19 (1 – 5 p.m.)
CONTESTS:
1:10 p.m. – Best Pretzel Necklace
2:10 p.m. – Best BEERd
3:10 p.m. – Best Costume
BEER AND CHEESE PAIRINGS:
Pairings at: 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.
The 2nd Annual Distilled: Spirit and Cocktail Festival is the newest Fairtime festival. With San Diego quickly becoming an epicenter of personally-crafted distilled spirits, we raise our glass at the Distilled Festival to honor the best distillers and mixologists throughout San Diego and beyond! Learn who is serving it up neat, and who is shaking it up in our cocktail competition.
For an exclusive opportunity, the VIP Lounge includes a souvenir glass with unlimited samplings of spirits and signature cocktails, access to two VIP patios on the festival floor featuring dueling food stations with unlimited grazing. General Admission prices include Fair and Festival admission, a 10-tab wristband (each tab is for 1/4-oz. pours on distilled spirits and 1-oz. pours on mixed cocktails).
Distilled Festival Pricing and Schedule
Saturday, June 25: (1 – 5 p.m.)
Ticket Type
Cost
Includes
VIP Lounge
$125
Festival and Fair admission + early festival entry, access to VIP patios, dueling food stations with unlimited grazing, unlimited samplings of spirits and signature cocktails
VIP Lounge Menu
First Course
1 p.m.: Paddock East Patio
Seared Rare Ahi Tuna | Sake Lemongrass Gremolata | Sweet Corn Salad
Second Course
2 p.m.: Paddock West Patio
All Natural Brandt Beef Filet Mignon Carpaccio | Hard Boiled Egg | Fried Capers | Bermuda Onions | Apple Whiskey Mostarda
Third Course
3 p.m.: Paddock East Patio
Grilled Marinated Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast | Sweet Potato Hash | Bourbon Cherry Glaze
Fourth Course
4 p.m.: Paddock West Patio
Hokto Kinoko Farms Wild Mushroom Risotto | Brandied Truffle Oil | Chervil Pesto | Grilled Asparagus | Shaved Manchego
General Admission
$38
Festival and Fair admission
Spirit Festival Tickets are available at http://distilledsandiego.com/ and at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Box Office.
Paddock Tavern Educational Presentation Series
1:15 p.m.: “Get the Dirt on Whiskey” with Ed “Dirt” Adams. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty and let Master, Ed “Dirt” Adams, teach you all you need to know about Whiskey. Learn the difference in flavors between the types of whiskey, what foods pair best with each and how the type of grain or distillation process can impact the flavor.
2 p.m.: “Beefy Spirits” with Kill Devil Spirit Co. and Sausage & Meat. “Sausage+Meat”+Spirits = Ugly California Baconshine. Awaken your spirit with the “rebellious geeks” from Kill Devil Spirit Co. as they team up with San Diego’s Sausage & Meat to create delicious, mini Bloody Mary’s paired with mouth-watering bacon and meats.
2:45 p.m. “RUMmy in Your Tummy” with Malahat Spirits. Distilling 101: Have you ever wondered what it takes
to create the spirits you love? Malahat Spirits is named after the notorious Malahat Ship, also known as the “Queen of Rum Row”, which provided the finest spirits to Southern California during prohibition. Be ready to take notes and bring your appetite in this daring pairing that is sure to leave you wanting more.
3:30 p.m.: “Liberty Never Tasted Sweeter” with Liberty Call Distilling/Brandy’s Sweet Temptations. This sweet pairing is one you won’t want to miss! Liberty Call Distilling Founder, Bill Rogers has paired up with Brandy Wong from Brandy’s Sweet Temptations to create the most brilliant spirit-infused desserts. Based on spirits hand-made by Liberty Call Distilling, Brandy has crafted unique, must-try desserts for this decadent demo.
4:15 p.m.: “Farm to Bottle” with Sweet Potato Spirits. Learn current cultural practices on the farm, how to recycle, save energy and water, and preserve resources during the distilling process. Sweet Potato Spirits has cultivated 5 Generations of Sweet Potato, Rye and Almond farmers. Their Mission is to be a diversified and fully sustainable farm-to-bottle operation. Most importantly, using their spirits, they will create a special pairing treat to touch on all your senses.
Live Music
1 – 2 p.m.: ZB Savoy – ZB Savoy’s songs and crooning voice will take a listener from western swing to soul music by way of Americana folk.
2 – 3 p.m.: Leftover Cuties – This eclectic ensemble of live instrumentation marry perfectly with their smoky sultry vocals fused with their inventive blend of catchy and accessible original tunes.
4 – 5 p.m.: Kenny Eng – This California native independent artist is a rising star who offers a unique mix of vocals and instrumentals.
About the San Diego County Fair
Start your summer with Adventure and Imagination!
“Mad About the Fair” is the theme for the 2016 San Diego County Fair, presented by Albertsons|Vons which will open at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 3 and run through Monday, July 4th. The Fair will be closed Mondays (except July 4th) and the first two Tuesdays.
Slithy Toves may gyre and gimble and Borogoves may be mimsy.
Whiffling through the tulgey wood makes one beamish and full of WHIMSY!
Get ready for one “wild tea party” when the Fair fuses the magic of Lewis Carroll’s, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” with the artistic movement known as Steampunk.
Outlandish landscapes, crazy rides, unique foods, festivals, entertainment and magical manifestations by your favorite Wonderland characters will highlight every day of the Fair. The Jabberwock, Jubjub Bird and Frumious Bandersnatch may drive you, mad as a Hatter and “completely bonkers!” Then again, “All the Best People Are!” – Lewis Carroll
Make every day of the Fair a “Frabjous Day” with the Best Pass Ever! ONLY $26 gets you into the Fair for $1 a day! Valid every day the 2016 Fair is open, June 3 – July 4. Come to the Fair whenever you want and stay for as long as you like every day, “Callooh! Callay!” (Tickets for general admission are $16 per day). The Best Pass Ever is non-transferable and valid only for admission; not valid for rides, food, games, parking, or any concerts that require a separate ticket. More info at sdfair.com/bestpassever.
Let the COASTER be your designated driver to the Fair! The $17 Fair Tripper ticket includes Fair admission and round-trip transportation using the North County Transit District’s COASTER, SPRINTER, and BREEZE. A valid NCTD, Amtrak or Compass Pass is required to ride the free shuttle to the Fairgrounds from the Solana Beach Train Station.
The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in San Diego County and one of the 10 largest Fairs in North America, drawing more than 1.5 million visitors annually. Visit sdfair.com