One of the best things about attending a food and wine festival is that you don’t need to know a ton about either one to have a great time. While you can just enjoy the overall experience, these events enable participants to gain a lot of knowledge in the most pleasurable of ways. I mean, beautiful scenery, delicious food, enticing wine, celebrity guests from the food and beverage realm, and general merriment. Leave any concerns about being intimidated back home and make plans to attend the 2024 Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience in May. The Real Food Traveler team will be there and we hope to see you too. Here are the essential things you need to know before you go.

Save this article about the Healdsburg Wine & Food Festival to help you plan to attend. Photos courtesy of the event. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

What to Expect at the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience

What: The third annual Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience is a celebration featuring the best of Sonoma County and world-renowned food and wines. There’s a special focus on the region’s makers, the farmers, growers, winemakers and the chefs who make the most of the best of them all. Organizers want to show off the diversity of the culinary scene, highlight sustainable farming practices and celebrate the impact of Sonoma’s agricultural scene as it is connected to the entire world.

When: May 16-19, 2024

Where: Healdsburg, California in the heart of California wine country, along the Russian River.

Ticket Levels:
Purchase tickets to individual, a la carte events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Or get the Platinum Weekender Package which has events running Thursday-Sunday that include additional, exclusive events not available to the general public, with special perks like early entry.

Get ready to enjoy the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience. Photo courtesy of the event.

A la carte events at the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience:

The festival offers tickets for certain individual events so you can attend those you’re most interested in and create your own experience. Options include:

Friday –
* Horn Barbecue Lunch at Dutton Ranch & Private Vineyard Tours serves up a delicious meal by Food & Wine’s Best New Chef, Matt Horn of Horn Barbecue.
* Garden-to-Table Lunch at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens. We’ve been there and it’s a beautiful, interesting, serene place to be.
* Seminars on the Jewels of Sonoma County and Battle of the Bubbles: “He Said. She Said” debating California Sparkling vs. French Champagne.
* Outdoor concert at Rodney Strong Vineyards featuring Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, GRAMMY-winning blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter.

Saturday –
* Seminar: Taco’ Bout Chardonnay, showing off the wine’s versatility with food.
* Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting where you can sip wines, spirits and beers from more than 150 artisans and makers from the area and around the world. Enjoy a variety of food from chefs from Sonoma County and around the world, all showcasing what’s available through local sourcing.
* NEW! “Maui at The Matheson” Dinner combines Top Chef Lee Ann Wong with Healdsburg Chef Dustin Vallette for a special experience that includes a multi-course dinner transporting guests on a culinary journey to Maui. Ticket prices support the Maui Strong Fund.
*NEW! Guy’s Big Bottle Party + LIVE Auction for Maui Strong Fund is a major event with Guy in attendance, covering multiple floors, tasting an array of large-format wines from Sonoma County and global wine producers, plus food, whiskies, live music, and a live auction. Note: This event can be purchased a la carte or it’s included in the Platinum Weekender pass.

Sunday –
* J Vineyards & Winery: Shifting the Lens Lunch is a unique wine tasting experience through the lenses of chefs with diverse backgrounds and individual perspectives.

There’s plenty of delicious food to be had throughout the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience. Photo courtesy of the event.

The Platinum Weekender Package

This is the ultimate way to make the most of the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience. It’s full of perks and events not available a la carte including:

Thursday –
* Welcome Celebration at Montage Healdsburg

Friday –
* Lunch at Chalk Hill Estate prepared by chefs Crista Luedtke (restauranteur and Food Network judge and contestant) and Kelsey Barnard Clark (Bravo’s “Top Chef” Season 16 winner, restauranteur and author of “Southern Grit” cookbook.).
* Concert at Rodney Strong Vineyards with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.

Saturday –
* Pastry & Coffee at Little Saint
* Pinot Talks at Little Saint including blind tastings
* Reserve Lounge at The Matheson Rooftop with a selection of wines, spirits, snacks and treats crafted by Chef Dustin Vallete.
* Early Entry to the Vintners Plaza Grand Tasting
* Live Cooking Demonstration by Chef Amanda Freitag at Little Saint. Amanda is the author of The Chef Next Door, creator of the digital series “Easy AF” and judge on Food Network’s “Chopped” plus many other television appearances.
* Bollywood Night at La Crema Winery featuring the culinary treats of Maneet Chauhan (Food Network star and judge and author of “Chaat: The Best Recipes from the Kitchens, Markets and Railways of India”), Stephanie Izard (chef/owner of “Girl and the Goat,” Iron Chef contestant and winner and first female Top Chef winner) and Tracey Shepos Cenami (Executive Chef of Jackson Family Wines and a Food Network competitor). Enjoy plenty of food, drinks and dancing.
*NEW! Guy’s Big Bottle Party + LIVE Auction for Maui Strong Fund (see above).

Sunday –
* Brunch at Francis Ford Coppola Winery by Chef Michael Reed.
* Wine-Down Pool Party in the Winery’s spectacular pool.

Bonus: In addition, Platinum Weekender ticket holders get priority booking for local Healdsburg hotels, courtesy shuttle service to events, welcome gifts and more.

There are informal and more formal events throughout the event. Photo courtesy the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience.

Hungry for more? Read our Editor’s Pick article about 4 Perfect Days in Sonoma County.

Other essential information about attending the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience:

*The mission of the event is to highlight Sonoma’s agricultural history, to explore sustainability in the wine, food and travel industries, and to celebrate the culinary diversity of the area.

*Charities supported by the event include: Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation supports vineyard employees and their families. Through it, flagship programs are the Vineyard Employee Leadership Academy, Vineyard Employee Recognition Program, and Resiliency Fund. Other supported charities include the Future Farmers of America (Healdsburg Chapter) to benefit economically-challenged students and Farm to Pantry which helps create a food system of nourishing food while healing the planet.

*The event is for those age 21 and older. No children or pets are allowed. And there is no smoking of any kind allowed.

*Outside of the event, Healdsburg offers plenty to do including a wide variety of restaurants, shopping and tasting rooms. Click the blue bar below for additional ideas from when we visited Sonoma County.

To learn more about the event, including tickets and lodging, click here.

 -Story by Courtney Drake-McDonough, Publisher & Managing Editor of RealFoodTraveler.com

Use our Real Food Travel affiliate links to plan your trip: Hotels.com and Expedia.com. While these links do not, in any way, change your search, reservation or pricing experience, we may receive a small commission on purchases.

There are several opportunities to get to know area wines during wine tastings. Photo courtesy Healdsburg Wine and Food Experience.

Please note: As is common practice in this industry, we are partnering with this event and are being hosted to help facilitate providing accurate information about the experience before, during and after to relay to our readers.