Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival returns Sept. 9-11

Celebrate Lake Tahoe’s most prestigious food, wine, spirit and brew festival this fall at the 31st Annual Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival September 9-11.

Presented by the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association and held at Northstar California Resort, the three-day festival features hands-on mixology and cooking classes, food, wine and craft beer pairings, a Farm-to-Tahoe dinner, tastings held at mid-mountain, and family-friendly events — all culminating in Sunday’s Culinary Competition and Grand Tasting.

New this year, the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival has added several signature events, including a new yoga and wine tasting event, high-energy barbecue demonstration and luncheon, and guided stargazing tour with accompanying wine flights. New for families, this year’s festival also features the Mountain Kids Cook-Off final stage of competition and complimentary movie night with wine for adults age 21 and over and showing kid-approved “Ratatouille.”

Featured wineries of the 31st Annual Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival include Gekkeikan Sake, Pride Mountain Vineyards, MacLeod Family Vineyard, Sierra Vintners, Skinner Vineyards & Winery, Tin Barn Vineyards, VGS Chateau Potelle, Charbay Artisan Distillery, among many others. A wide selection of craft beers will also be offered.

A sampling of Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival events is listed below. For the complete calendar of events and to purchase tickets, visit www.TahoeFoodandWine.com.

Sept. 9: Art of Mixology
Limited to 50 attendees, this intimate group heads to The Backyard Bar & BBQ at the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe for an inspired lesson in using freshly cut herbs and infused liquor to create refreshing cocktails for the late summer season. 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets $50 in advance, $55 day of. Advance ticket purchase recommended as seating is limited.

Sept. 9: Farm-to-Tahoe Dinner
Ride the gondola to the beautiful Zephyr Lodge for a multi-course dinner featuring fresh, sustainable and locally sourced ingredients. Northstar California’s culinary team prepares a delicious dining experience complete with beer, wine, live music and floor-to-ceiling views of the Pacific Crest. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets $100 in advance. Advance purchase recommended.

Sept. 10: Sips & Salutations (New!)
Start the day with a flow-based yoga class followed by a guided wine tasting. This event is sure to help you find your Zen both inside and outside the studio. 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Tickets $25 in advance, $30 day of.

Sept. 10: BBQ & Brews Luncheon (New!)
With his high-energy barbeque demonstration, celebrity grill master Chef Jason will have spectators on the edges of their seats from the first spark of his grill. Participants learn pro grilling techniques and how to incorporate beer into mouthwatering recipes - culminating with the ultimate taste test as guests savor a delicious barbeque luncheon paired with a craft beer flight. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets $55 in advance, $65 day of.

Sept. 10: Mountain Kid’s Cook-Off Finals (New!)
New this year, the final two teams from the Mountain Kid’s Cook-Off compete head-to-head for the championship Golden Whisk trophy. The region’s best eight to 12 year-old culinary artists perfect their culinary techniques as they raise funds for Tahoe-based non-profit, Project MANA. 12 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Sept. 10: Petra Winemaker Luncheon
Wine Connoisseur and Petra Wine Bar owner Kali Kopley hosts a multi-course luncheon expertly paired with award-winning wines. Diners sit back as experts guide the culinary experience, highlighting the complexities and tastes of each pairing. 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets $60 in advance, $70 day of. Advance purchase recommended as limited seating is available.

Sept. 10: Vertical Mountainside Tasting
Wine lovers elevate their taste buds with this alpine wine tasting experience. The tasting starts in The Village at Northstar, before riding the gondola to mid-mountain for a second tasting with light snacks. The mountainside tasting culminates with a glass of wine on The Zephyr Lodge deck overlooking Sawtooth Ridge. 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets $45 in advance, $50 day of.

Sept. 10: Wine’d Down Movie Night (New!)
New this year, families and friends are invited to sit back and relax as guests age 21 and over sip wine during a complementary, al fresco screening of the culinary classic and kid-approved film “Ratatouille.” A limited number of chairs will be available for guests to use. Guests can also bring their own low-back chairs and blankets for a cozy evening under the stars. 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Sept. 10: Tahoe Star Tour & Wine Tasting (New!)
New this year, experience the wonder of the North Lake Tahoe skies during the final Tahoe Star Tour of the season. Guests will enjoy a wine flight tasting as the star guide educates the group with an informative astronomy presentation including a laser tour of the sky and telescopic viewing of the cosmos through state-of-the-art computerized Celestron telescopes. Kids and kids-at-heart can enjoy s’mores treats and hot chocolate while adults 21 and older are welcome to enjoy wine. 8:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets $40 for adults, $20 for children.

Sept. 10: Charbay Artisan Distillery Annual Release Party
Join 13th generation distiller Marko Karakasevic and Jenni Karakasevic in their annual release party where custom mixed Charbay cocktails are paired with fantastic culinary offerings by renowned Chef Jason Gronlund, three time Gilroy Garlic Festival cook-off winner. The event, led by Marko is always a runaway sell-out, so get your tickets early. 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. $95 Advance, $105 day of.

Sept. 11: Culinary Competition and Grand Tasting
During the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival’s grand finale, more than 25 top chefs go head-to-head in a formally-judged food and wine or beverage pairing competition. In this al fresco cannot-miss culinary challenge, chefs pair their dishes with their choice winery’s varietal and vintage, distillery’s spirit or brewery’s craft beer. After judging is completed by the panel of industry experts, pairings are available for ticketholders to enjoy and cast their votes for People’s Choice, dish and beverage awards. Ticketholders can also sample from additional wineries at the festival – more than 70 wines total in 2015. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets $75 in advance, $95 day of.

For a full calendar of Lake Tahoe Autumn Wine and Food Festival events, visit www.TahoeFoodandWine.com. Additional culinary experiences include cooking classes, the Blazing Pans Mountain Chef Cook-Off©, The Village Wine and Brew Walk, and many more. The 31st Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival is sponsored by North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, Northstar California Resort, and Charbay Artisan Distillery.

This fall also brings several other culinary festivities to Lake Tahoe, including the Alpen Wine Festival at Squaw Valley, Farm to Peak Dinner at Homewood, and the Winemakers’ Dinner at Thunderbird Lodge. For great deals on lodging steps away from the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival or reservations near Lake Tahoe’s vibrant fall food and wine events, visit www.GoTahoeNorth.com/Deals.

For more information on Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival or to purchase event tickets visit www.TahoeFoodandWine.com.