Aspen Food and Wine Classic

Tickets are now on sale for the grande dame of culinary festivals, the Aspen Food and Wine Classic. If you’re lucky enough to attend this year’s event, you will be immersed in an infectious, over-the-top culinary culture the moment you arrive in Aspen.

The festival which began in 1983 was originally named the Aspen/Snowmass International Wine Classic and attracted a little more than 300 people in its inaugural year. Food and Wine magazine became the title sponsor in 1986 and after introducing culinary elements into the lineup, the festival soon became known as the Aspen Food and Wine Classic.

Fast forward 33 years and the annually sold out event attracts culinary purists from all corners of the world to bask in three glorious days of food, wine and a shared comradery.

The weekend consists of tastings, cooking demonstrations, wine seminars, celebrity chef sightings, more tastings, renowned winemakers, panel discussions, incredible dinners, late-night parties and the piéce de résistance; the Grand Tasting Tents.

The Grand Tastings are open to all ticket-holders and are held each day of the festival, two on Friday and Saturday and one on Sunday. The magic experienced inside these massive tents is limited only by ones individual gastronomical inhibitions. From foie gras to tequila popsicles and hundreds of wines from across the globe, each session offers festival attendees an opportunity to nibble, drink and begin again, all in the delicious pursuit of expanding their culinary education.

The Grand Tastings are bookended by cooking demonstrations by world-renowned chefs, wine-tastings led by top winemakers or sommeliers and decadent meals featuring the top new chefs in the culinary world. Host venues are sprinkled throughout downtown Aspen and are easily accessible from the Grand Tasting tents.
Whether you’re a veteran or a first-timer a few insider tips and secrets will expand your experience from the memorable to the incredible.

1. Make reservations in advance – lodging, restaurants, classes, seminars and demonstrations. They all fill early.

2. Begin your research months before you arrive, network, reach out to friends, find the parties and invite yourself.

3. Follow every chef and winemaker in attendance on Twitter, Facebook and any other social network you think they may inhabit. This is the best way to find spontaneous, after hour events.

4. Be open to the experience; talk to people, make friends and most importantly pace yourself. You have 72 hours to enjoy this adventure of a lifetime, don’t burn out early.

For those individuals that passionately follow their taste buds, the weekend can be described as heaven on earth. A chef centric, culinary nirvana for three delicious and decadent days set against the beautiful backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.

The 2015 Aspen Food and Wine Classic is June 19 – 21. As of this writing, tickets were still available and can be purchased at Aspen Food and Wine Classic.