January kicks off a new year of wine and food festivals. Rounding out the first month of events is Mohegan Sun’s Annual Sun Wine & Food Fest. This four-day celebration takes place January 23-26 and features a variety of events that will appeal to foodies, cocktail enthusiasts, wine connoisseurs and craft beer lovers. There is literally something for everyone!
This is the festival’s 21st year and it just keeps getting bigger and better. Last year’s Sun Wine & Food Fest saw almost 10,000 attendees over the course of its four days. This year’s festival has over 15 events taking place.
Returning attendees should note that there are several new events. Making a first-time appearance at the festival this year are the CT Spotlight Series featuring Two Roads (Thursday, January 23), Suntory Global Spirits Presents: Asian Market (Friday, January 24), Shuffle to Showdown (Friday, January 24) and the CT Spotlight Series Featuring Preston Ridge Vineyard (Friday, January 24). All festival events are only open to guests 21+ as all events feature cocktails, wine and or beer.
There is a large roster of personalities and chefs including Rocco DiSpirito, Todd English, Amanda Freitag, and Geoffrey Zakarian. Many of the 30+ chefs participating in the festival have appeared on television food shows and/ or competitions. There are cookbook authors, restaurant owners and even a podcaster. These chefs have vast experience and diverse backgrounds.
Save the date for Mohegan Sun's 21st Annual Sun Wine & Food Fest!
As Mohegan is Sun located in Connecticut, there are many New England restaurants and food vendors participating in the festival. Matunuck Oyster Bar, Archie Moore’s and NoRA Cupcake Company are just a few of the eateries that you will find at the festival.
The Grand Tasting, the food festival’s signature and largest event is held on Saturday. Aside from the opportunity to sample over 1,000 different wines, beers and spirits, there are food samples from local restaurants and live culinary demonstrations.
The Sun Patio Ice Bar experience debuted last year and was very well received. This ticketed event looks to be popular again this year, where guests literally chill out with frosty cocktails. Although the Sun Wine & Food Fest is still a month away, there are several other events that are already seeing strong ticket sales and you may want to purchase your tickets sooner rather than later. This is especially true if you are considering attending Spirits & Cigars, the CT Spotlight Series Featuring Preston Ridge Vineyard, the Celebrity Chef Dine Around and/or Vintage Cru.
The Sun Wine & Food Fest ends on Sunday with three different brunch options. The Shed Restaurant, Michael Jordan’s Steak House and Todd English's Tuscany are all offering special curated menus for Food Fest attendees.
One of the benefits of attending the Sun Wine & Food Fest is that you can stay at Mohegan Sun. The destination has over 1,500 rooms, making it convenient to attend multiple events for the duration of the festival. Plus, there are two casinos, a spa, over 35 shops and a variety of entertainment options to make it a full weekend getaway experience.
If you are still in need of a last-minute gift for a friend or loved one, tickets to this Food Fest also make a wonderful experience gift for the holidays!