The countdown is on for the Midwest’s premier culinary celebration – the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival – November 21-23 at DeVos Place.

 

This annual kick-off to the holiday season begins on Thursday, November 21 with the inaugural Cheers for Charity VIP night, from 6-9pm in the DeVos Place Grand Gallery, benefitting Hospice of Michigan. This elegant evening will feature an intimate and upscale experience featuring a dozen restaurants and specialty food producers serving mouth-watering small plates, food and beverage tastings on the Meijer Food Stage and a curated list of beverages (wine, beer, cider and spirits) with 18 beverage themed tables like Historical Beers, Best of Bubbles, Go To European Wines, Passionate Pinots and some exciting NA options. Tickets for the “Cheers for Charity” tickets are $150 per person (which includes 150 tasting tickets good for food and/or beverage samples).

 

Beginning on Friday, November 22, General Admission tickets are $25 per person, per day with festival hours running from 4-9pm and Saturday, November 23, 2-9pm. Tasting tickets will be available for purchase online and at the event for 50 cents each and can be used for both food and beverage samples.

 

Six regional restaurants are offering intimate Pairings on Friday and Saturday including Archival Brewing, Grand River Ballroom at San Chez, The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck, MDRD, Noodle Pig Ramen Shop and Trinity Health Grand Rapids—with a Marvelous Michigan themed offering. These limited-seating, four- to six-course dinners are prepared by the featured chefs tableside as they talk you through the meal and the selected beverage pairing. Complete menus, along with seating times, prices and the link for reservations can be found at GRWineFestival.com.

 

Additionally, 24 Small Plates options are offered with a wide array of dining options to satisfy all your cravings. With several of Grand Rapids' beloved restaurants gathered in one place, you are sure to find a new favorite. Explore dining delights throughout the Festival as part of a progressive dining experience that complements the festival's selection of wines, beers, spirits, ciders, and specialty drinks. Look out for the yellow knife and fork signs to locate these fantastic eateries throughout the Festival grounds or reference the program’s floorplan.

 

As always, the Festival offers an unparalleled diversity of beverages available for sampling – from beer and cider to wine and spirits, as well as signature coffees and more non-alcoholic (NA) options – with over 1,200 offerings from around the world, under one roof in featured areas:

 

  • Wines (including The Elite Collection, a best-of-the-best offering of unique and hidden gems) in The Vineyard (Steelcase Ballroom)
  • Beer (local, domestic and international) in Beer City Station (Hall C)
  • Cider (local and national) in Cider Row (Hall C)
  • Michigan Craft spirits in The Barrel Room (Welsh Lobby)
  • Coffees & Decadent Desserts) in Rendezbrew (Grand Gallery)
  • Non-alcoholic options in a new Grand Gallery area, as well as in The Vineyard and Beer City Station

Discover the latest and greatest specialty foods and beverages as you stroll around the Meijer Marketplace. Here, you can sample and purchase mouth-watering offerings from dozens of local and regional producers. At the north end of the Secchia Lobby you’ll find the Meijer Food Stage where you can learn from and sample recipes directly from these innovative food creators using products available in the Marketplace.

 

Elevate your Festival experience by taking part in one of the various wine, beer and spirit Tasting Sessions taking place in The Vineyard and Beer City Station, led by leaders in the beverage industry. During these sessions, you’ll have an exclusive opportunity to gain insights from skilled sommeliers, cicerones, and mixologists on their preferred beverages. This unique opportunity allows you to taste, inquire, and converse with professionals about a variety of drinks, broadening your palate and delving into the nuances of your favorite beverages. Beverage Tasting Sessions are limited to 24 seats per session, last around 20-30 minutes and vary from 10 to 40 tasting tickets, depending on the quantity and type of beverages on offer. Check out the impressive list of headliners who will be leading the cooking demonstrations on the Meijer Food Stage.

 

NEW this year is The World Street Lounge sponsored by Soaring Eagle Casino, an interactive spot on the south end of the Secchia Lobby with a 360 Photo Booth with Ice Guru Events, Small Plate offerings from Adobo Boy, beverage samplings from Reyna’s Michelada Mix featuring Burzurk Brewing and Zini Lychee Flavored Vodka, as well as a Red Envelope Promotion where attendees get a chance to win between $60 and $1,000 in FREE Premium Play from Soaring Eagle.

 

Of course, there will also be live music in the various halls to add to the atmosphere of the event each day, including the Chris Corey Duo, Dutcher Snedeker, Fred Knapp Trio, Jake & Jimmy, Jeremy Verwys, Simply In Time and Steve Hilger and the River City Rollers.

 

Since its inception in 2008, this Festival – named by Forbes.com in 2019 as one of a dozen “Fall Wine Festivals In North America You Don’t Want to Miss” and 8 Best Fall Festivals in Michigan by BestThingsMI.com – has grown into the largest and most popular of its kind in the Midwest. Admission tickets, pairing reservations, tasting sessions and other details are found at GRWineFestival.com.