When you break down the top vacation destinations in the entire United States, few locations compare to the weather, scenic backdrops, and things to do in San Diego, California. If you're a fan of sunshine and warm weather, this is the spot for you with year round temperatures ranging in the 70’s and over 260 days of sunshine annually. You’ll find over 70 miles of beautiful beaches that are great for sunbathing, fishing, sailing, snorkeling, surfing and so much more. The park system here is well maintained and you’ll find great spaces all over the city. Take an afternoon at one of the parks and enjoy activities like cooking out, yard games, hiking, biking, and exploring. The nightlife in San Diego is fun and vibrant. You’ll find many different bars, clubs and live entertainment venues where you can meet new people, enjoy a performance, have a drink, and take in San Diego’s unique culture. One of the best ways to get to know the city and its people is during one of the local festivals, like the Brew & Food Festival located right in downtown.
Entering its second year, Brew & Food Festival is well on its way to becoming one of the top spring events in the San Diego area. Held right on San Diego Bay at Waterfront Park, this event treats you to spectacular views while allowing you to enjoy some of the best food and drink from the region. Due to the impressive selection available, the first year brought a couple thousand people to the event and they are expecting more this year. Aside from having some of the best food and drink in the city, you’ll also be treated to live music and ample opportunities to mingle with guests. Celebrity chefs will be on hand conducting demos, showing tips and tricks of the trade while providing delicious samples. Adding to the fun and festive environment, there will be a silent disco dome, where two different DJ’s will be playing at the same time on different audio channels. With so much to offer, this ultimate event allows you to take your next San Diego getaway to a new level of fun and enjoyment. We got the chance to sit down with Brian Chapin, Mastermind behind the Brew & Food Festival, to talk about this great event.
RAL: Tell me a little bit about the event.
BC: Brew & Food Festival is a collision of San Diego’s amazing craft beer and culinary scenes, bringing together more than 70 different craft breweries and 20 chefs for beer sampling, chef demonstrations, beer-inspired foods for purchase, and a full music lineup covering two live stages and a silent disco.
RAL: What makes this event unique?
BC: Most beer festivals have plenty of great beer, but this one also features gourmet food, celebrity chefs, and a silent disco dome. The exclusive menus crafted by the chefs at Brew & Food Festival, along with the pop-up samplings and reserve beers truly make this a remarkable event with unique offerings.
RAL: What can attendees expect during a typical day at the event?
BC: We will have more beers than you can possibly sample in one day, live music on two stages, and a silent disco dome with two different DJs playing simultaneously on two different channels. In addition, there will be live cooking demos by celebrity chefs, surprise pop-up food stations, and VIP experience which include special-reserve pours, limited release beers and complimentary tastings from elite chefs.
RAL: What will attendees find for food at the festival?
BC: Fresh off a stellar Top Chef Season 13 performance, Chef Chad White will return to his roots in San Diego, bringing his unique Baja flavor to BFF ‘16. He will join Tijuana native and celebrity Chef Javier Plascencia of Bracero Cocina in creating beer-inspired dishes for the Mad Craft VIP area, cooking side-by-side and serving complimentary small plates fresh from the Mad Craft kitchen for all VIP ticketholders. Underground tastemaker Chef Justin Kingsley Hall, owner of the cult-sensation SLO-Boy in Las Vegas, will make several appearances at pop-up tastings throughout the festival.
All three celebrity chefs will make appearances on the festival’s Culinary Stage for cooking demos of original, beer-inspired dishes, where they will share samples and discuss flavors and techniques with the General Admission audience. The menus for all chef demonstrations will be announced in the coming weeks. Visit our website for more information.
RAL: What is the overall environment like?
BC: The festival is held at the beautiful Waterfront Park in downtown San Diego. It is the perfect backdrop for an event such as ours. People can come out and join us for some sunshine, tasty brews and delicious food, all right in one place.
RAL: What can an attendee expect to find for local lodging?
BC: We have partnered up with the Wyndham San Diego Bayside for the event. They are offering a special Motley Brews rate for attendees of the Brew & Food Festival. They are located in close proximity to the festival and the overall resort experience there is second to none. If you're looking for more information, please visit our travel and lodging page.
RAL: Does the event support a special cause in the community?
BC: Yes - Festival proceeds will benefit San Diego Coastkeeper in their mission to protect and restore fishable, swimmable, and drinkable waters in San Diego County as well as IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) in their mission to connect, unite, and empower post-9/11 veterans.
RAL: Why should people come to your event?
BC: This is a great date, and a casual way to sample some of the best food and beer that San Diego has to offer, all in one place.
For more information about the Brew & Food Festival, please visit their website.