2017 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival starts this Friday

After a couple years on hiatus, the popular annual event born at Epcot returned to Anaheim last year, and beginning this Friday, March 10, the 2017 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival will jump-start spring with with celebrity chefs, winemaker dinners, tasting seminars and hundreds of other culinary experiences from across the Golden State.

Disneyland Resort Guests can experience the 2017 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival every day from March 10 to April 16, 2017. More than a dozen Festival Marketplaces will offer appetizer-sized fare, a complement to the Festival-inspired menus at the theme park’s restaurants and eateries.

“This year’s Food & Wine Festival is going to be better than ever, with experiences for guests of all ages,” said Gary Maggetti, general manager, Disney California Adventure Park West. “We’ll have more than a dozen marketplaces open every day, and you can enjoy an entire menu of daily culinary demonstrations and tastings, plus beer, wine and spirits seminars. There will be music everywhere, delicious food, and fun crafts created especially for our younger guests. We have something for the entire family.”

Dozens of food and beverage professionals will share their expertise during the Festival. Each day, guests will be invited to learn cooking techniques from master chefs, and participate in wine, beer and spirit seminars. Celebrity chefs scheduled to appear during the Festival include Guy Fieri, Robert Irvine, Cat Cora, Duff Goldman, Emily Ellyn and Keegan Gerhard.

In addition to culinary demonstrations and seminars, guests will find a musical program with eclectic bands. Children ages 3 to 11 may join in the fun with the popular complimentary Junior Chef experience (led by Chef Goofy, and available on a first-come, first-seated basis), and the Jammin’ Chefs, who serve up tasty rhythms with pots and pans that really get cooking with the help of sous chefs Chip ‘n Dale.

Many of the Festival events are included with admission to Disney California Adventure. Signature Events, which require a separate ticket, include “In the Kitchen with …” on Saturdays from 6 to 7 p.m., Sweet Sundays on select Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to noon, and Winemaker or Brewmaster Dinners Thursdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Guests who want to add the Signature Events may purchase separate tickets at an additional fee for:

“In the Kitchen with …” ($99 per person, plus tax and gratuities) Each Celebrity Chef will lead a 60-minute culinary demonstration and Q&A followed by an autograph session. The experience includes a tasting of some of the prepared dishes.
Sweet Sundays ($79 per person, plus tax and gratuities) A 90-minute culinary demonstration focuses on the sweet side of the culinary arts. Following a light breakfast and a sparkling toast, the Guest Chef for that day will demonstrate up to three recipes. Guests will enjoy samples from the chefs.
Winemaker Dinners and Brewmaster Dinners ($150-$200 per person, plus tax and gratuities) A four-course dinner features wines and winemakers or beers and brewmasters. Wine or beer selections will be paired with courses created by the Disney Executive Chef Team and each winemaker or brewmaster will speak on the libation and the pairing.

Additional ticketed programs include:

Culinary Demonstrations ($10-$15 per person, plus tax; presented daily throughout the Festival) Guests will enjoy 30-minute culinary demonstrations presented by local, visiting and Disney chefs. Each demo will focus on a single recipe, ingredient or cooking style. Guests will receive a tasting sample of the dish prepared.
Wine, Beer or Spirits Education and Tasting Seminars ($15-$20 per person, plus tax; presented daily throughout the Festival) – Beverage seminars presented by industry experts will enlighten guests who want to learn more about their favorite spirits. Each 30- to 45-minute seminar will focus on a specific beverage type, region or label, and guests will enjoy tasting samples of some of the beverages discussed.

From March 10 to April 1, guests may make reservations for Signature and other ticketed events at Disneyland.com/foodandwine. Reservations for events later in the month of April can be made beginning 60 days prior to the date of the individual event.

Separate admission to Disney California Adventure Park is required and is not included with the cost of signature events. Space is limited for all ticketed events; advance reservations are recommended. Full payment may be due at time of booking, and cancellation fees may apply. No refunds, credit or date or time changes. Guests must be 21 years of age or over to consume alcohol; valid photo ID required. Events and demonstrations are subject to change or cancellation without notice.

For more about the 2017 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, visit Disneyland.com/foodandwine, and watch these videos to learn more about the most recent Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World: