South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival, taking place April 23 – April 26, 2026, at Grand Boulevard is proud to unveil this year’s festival lineup, featuring world-class wines, craft spirits, immersive activations, local culinary favorites, and live national entertainment.
Festivities will kick off on Thursday, April 23 with Winemakers and Shakers at Wine World, located at 4424 Commons Dr. E, Suite E3 in Destin. From 5-7 p.m. guests will mix and mingle with renowned winemakers, industry insiders, and master distillers while sampling over 50 world-class wines and craft spirits featured at the festival. Special guests include Jill Russell, winemaker from Cambria Estate Winery in California, who will introduce an exciting new white wine; Max Bruening, winemaker from the renowned Ponzi Vineyards in Oregon; and Bo Walker, owner and craftsman of Crooked Island Rum, offering guests a unique taste of his expertly crafted spirits. Additional featured products include Rombauer, Four Roses, Banfi, and High Pour THC from generous suppliers in the area. Guests will also be treated to expertly curated tastings alongside artisanal cheeses and gourmet bites from The Wine Bar and The Craft Bar.
The VIP Wine Tasting, set for Friday, April 24 from 4–6 p.m. at Grand Boulevard, will showcase an exclusive selection of rare and collectible wines and spirits from Antinori Tignanello, Banfi Poggio all’ Oro Brunello, Bethel Heighs Casteel, Borgogno Barolo, Caymus Special Selection, Domaine Serene, Far Niente, Henri de Villamont Burgundies, and Komos Reposado Rosa Tequila. These prestigious, limited-production wines and spirits will be served in a special-edition Riedel Grand Cru wine glass, gifted to each guest courtesy of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Northwest Florida Chapter and Visit Florida.
Upon entry, VIP guests will receive a commemorative swag bag provided by Silver Sands Premium Outlets and be greeted with champagne and caviar service courtesy of Signature Catering of 30A. Attendees will make their way to the VIP Tent where they’ll indulge in an array of culinary offerings from Grand Boulevard eateries, including Cantina Laredo, Everkrisp, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, Kilwins, Perla Baking Co., The Bistro at Courtyard by Marriott, and Tommy Bahama, along with a caviar station courtesy of GRITS Coastal Southern Catering. Exclusive photo opportunities will be available throughout the event, generously provided by 360 Blue. Special wristband access to the VIP Wine Tasting—courtesy of Hancock Bank—will be reserved for guests who purchase a three-day festival pass.
A can’t-miss highlight of the festival weekend, Bitters, Brews & Bartenders happening Friday from 5:30 – 8 p.m. at Grand Boulevard. This exciting event puts top regional bartenders and mixologists in the spotlight as they compete in a lively, crowd-pleasing cocktail competition—shaking, stirring, and pouring their signature cocktails in front of a live audience and celebrity judges, all using sponsored spirits from Chatham Imports. Confirmed bartenders from the following establishments will be competing: O-Ku Alys Beach, Hurricane Oyster Bar & Grill, The Craft Bar, Distillery 98, Shades Bar & Grill, and The Ruby Slipper
The winning bartender will take home a grand prize package valued at $1,500 cash, a Michter’s VIP Distillery Tour with accommodations, and $150 to the Michter’s Swag Shop.
Throughout the evening, guests can sip and sample a wide variety of premium spirits from renowned brands, including Bushmills Irish Whiskey 12 Year, Casa Azul Tequila, Crop Organic Vodka, Crooked Island Rum, Four Roses Bourbon, Highpour THC, Michter’s Bourbon, Old Elk Whiskey, Paul Sutton Heritage 9-Year, and Willett Pot Still Bourbon. There will also be a special tasting of The Gardener Gin, an organic French Riviera gin co-founded by Brad Pitt. Exclusive activations from Bubba’s Jail, Milagro Machine, and Paul Sutton Bourbon will add extra flair to the evening experience. Guests will receive a complimentary rocks glass, courtesy of Krueger, Fosdyck, Brown, McCall & Associates, to sample each of the various spirits.
Rounding out the evening, enjoy craft brews from Grayton Beer Company, Lawless Coast Brewing, Odd Pelican Brewing, Pirate City Brewing, and more, along with bites from local favorites like Aja 30A, Back Beach Barbecue, The Drifting Oyster, The Perfect Pig, and The Village Door. DJ Brian Buonassissi will be playing throughout the evening to keep the vibes going while guests can customize a hat to commemorate the weekend with Dozer Trucker Hats.
The festival’s Grand Tasting takes place Saturday, April 25 at Grand Boulevard from 3-6 p.m. and on Sunday, April 26 from 1-4 p.m. Guests will receive their tasting glass upon entry, sponsored by Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa, to sample a plethora of wines from leading vineyards around the world including Cakebread Two Creels Pinot Noir, Caymus Walking Fool Red, Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon, Gaja idda Etna Rosso from Sicily, Louis Jadot Chablis, Post & Beam Cabernet Sauvignon, Rombauer Chardonnay, Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc, and Vincent Girardin Chablis.
The prestigious Willamette Valley Vintners Association will return to this year’s festival with Oregon’s top wineries and winemakers each serving their signature blends in the Willamette Valley tent, located on the Grand Park lawn. Louis Louis will also be inside, serving delectable cuisine that perfectly complements the Northwestern wines. GRITS Coastal Southern Catering will also be popping up during Sunday’s grand tasting with a special caviar station for attendees to indulge in.
Additional food vendors will line the boulevard including Aja 30A, Back Beach Barbecue, Grimaldi’s, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa, Signature Catering of 30A, The Drifting Oyster, and The Village Door, each serving their signature fare ranging from barbecue and sushi, to Italian and oysters.
Guests are invited to make their way into Culinary Village, located on Grand Boulevard’s North Lawn, for additional sips of world-class wines in addition to Wine World serving gourmet bites created by Cordon Bleu Chef Max Morrison. Selections include sausage arancini with roasted garlic aioli, margarita pizza slice with fresh basil and balsamic drizzle, blueberry goat cheese tart with honey, olive tapenade with herb Boursin crostini, lamb bolognaise and truffle pasta with parmesan, plantain chip with poached shrimp slaw and mango curry, and pimento bacon croquet with green tomato chutney. There will also be a spread of international and American artisan cheeses and accompaniments curated by Nathan Aldridge, an American Cheese Society Certified Monger.
In addition to the vast variety of wines, ticket holders will have the exclusive opportunity to sample a wide range of spirits throughout the Grand Tasting.
Guests are invited to enjoy live performances, presented by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, throughout the afternoon by acclaimed Nashville singer-songwriters Aaron Barker, Bridgette Tatum, Clint Daniels and Dylan Altman. Each of these talented musicians will also join for a special tribute performance to Ronnie Bowman, an award-winning bluegrass singer songwriter who was set to perform at this year’s festival but tragically passed away in March 2026.
Take a break from the Florida sunshine in the Silver Sands Premium Outlets’ Cool Down Lounge featuring infused waters, lemonade, and shaded seating. There will be many photo opportunities throughout the Grand Tasting including a photo booth sponsored by Corcoran Reverie and THOR Construction along with a roaming photographer, courtesy of Rombauer Vineyards and Good Grit Magazine. There will be various activations and pop-up vendors to shop from such as 30A Hat Bar, BonHom Vacation Rentals, Dozer Trucker Hats, Hamptons of the South, Myst 30A, Stallworth, and The Crane Center.
Throughout the weekend, attendees will have the opportunity to purchase the world-class wines on site at the Wine World Retail Shop offering all event products at exclusive prices. One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation and children in need in Northwest Florida.
Pre-sale tickets are now available for purchase online at https://www.sowalwine.com. Guests are encouraged to take advantage of ridesharing services throughout the weekend. There will be a designated area for arrivals and departures for Uber and Lyft, courtesy of Good Grit Magazine.
South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival is made possible by the generous support of the founding partners, including the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, Grand Boulevard, Hilton Sandestin Golf Beach Resort and Spa, McKibbon Hospitality, Visit South Walton, and Wine World. South Walton Beaches Wine and Food Festival would also like to thank the following community partners and sponsors: 30A.com, 360 Blue, Beach TV, BonHom Vacation Rentals, Balmain, Beach TV, Buffalo Rock, Coastal Accounting, Coastal Moke, Corcoran Reverie & THOR Construction, Culligan, Cumulus Radio, Destin Life, E3 Destin, Emerald Coast Florals & Event Designs, Emerald Coast Magazine, Get the Coast, Justin Gaffrey Gallery, Klean Wash, Lamar, Marsh McLennan Agency, Rose & Co., RCI Landscaping, Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, Shine Print Design, SoWal.com, SoWal Life, The Howard Group, UPS, VIP 30A, VIP Destin, Waste Management, WEAR, WJHG, and WMBB.