Las Vegas is indeed a beautiful city. With breathtaking nightscapes lit up by vibrant neon signs and billboards, it has earned the nicknames “City of Light” and “Neon Capital of the World” for good reason. Entertainment is the city’s lifeblood, with the infamous Vegas strip playing host to a multitude of hotels, casinos, fine-dining restaurants, and conference centers.
Amazingly, compared to the approximately 2.3 million people that live in Nevada as a whole, Las Vegas alone brings in around 40 million visitors every year. This places it high on the list of the most visited cities in the world.
Nevada, the state in which it is located, is an arid landscape that is characterized by sweltering summer days and cold winter nights. As such, Las Vegas, having risen from flat, barren land, is truly a masterpiece in the art of urban planning and development.
What Happens in Vegas…
To put it succinctly, people visit Las Vegas for a taste of something entirely different – an experience that they’ll never forget. The city is also fondly referred to as “sin city” for obvious reasons
As long as you can afford it, few cities in the world can match the variety of hospitality and entertainment options that are bountiful in Las Vegas. The clubs, lounges, casinos, and movie events alone are unique, and are all so close to one another.
Las Vegas hotels, by themselves, are often 5-star rated establishments that offer world-class hospitality in the form of plush rooms and suites, excellent room service, and bountiful in-house entertainment options. Speaking of entertainment, many Vegas hotels also double as casinos, meaning you can lay back in your expansive suite after a night spent at the poker table, without ever going outside.
The fine-dining experiences of Las Vegas, however, are a part of the scene that sometimes gets less recognition. The city hosts many food and drink events that highlight the talents of chefs and restaurants from all over the world – and one of these is the Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival.
The Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival – What it’s all About
Simply put, the Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival is a celebration of the world’s best food and drinks from the world’s best chefs and sommeliers. It is held annually and usually employs a multi-day format, with different days offering different themes. The festival usually takes place towards the end of the year, in October, and brings together a large crowd of people from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures. This wonderful mix is what helps make the festival popular.
The Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival, for the last few years, has taken place at Tivoli Village. An embodiment of the Las Vegas lifestyle, Tivoli Village is a multi-use development complex consisting of a wide variety of office spaces, retail outlets, service businesses, restaurants, bistros, and other entertainment-oriented spaces. These separate destinations in the village are carefully curated and geared towards creating a bubbly, unique environment for every visitor. Located at 400 South Rampart Boulevard, this venue, because of its unique qualities, has served as the host location for the Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival since 2012.
The Last Two Editions
Looking at past editions of any event is a good way to determine if its a great fit for you. As such, let’s take a look at the two previous editions in 2018 and 2019.
The 10th edition of the annual event, 2018’s Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival brought in chefs from all over the world. Proceeds from the event went to the American Cancer Initiative.
The 2018 edition was headlined by chefs like Francois Payard, Saipin Chutina, Kuan Kang, Michelin Star Chef Luigi Fineo, and Sean Kinoshita. As part of the spectacle, some of the chefs opted to hold live demonstrations of their cooking in front of thousands of cheering attendees and fans. There was a variety of specialty dishes on show in the event: from expertly-cut Tuna made into sashimi served directly to guests – to Chef Luigi’s take on gourmet pizza. Guests could then wash it all down with premium wines from brands like MacRostie Winery and Argyle Winery.
2019 was the festival’s 11th edition and in following with tradition, it was also held at Tivoli Village from October 3rd to 6th. In 2019, the festival was organized in such a way that it gave equal emphasis to gourmet desserts as elaborate as main course meals. This edition mixed it up with things like vegetarian and non-vegetarian sliders, gluten-free meals, and expertly-grilled meats. On the drinks side of things, many attendees say the Don Julio tequila bar was the “bomb”.
In keeping with safety precautions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020’s Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival, which was slated to take place from October 3rd to 6th, has been postponed. A new date has yet to be announced.
How to Get the Most out of 2020’s Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival (whenever it happens)
Here are a few tips to follow if you’re planning to attend:
- Get your tickets early. They can get pretty expensive as the event draws closer. Check online ticket providers and sites like Groupon for frequent promos.
- Order two plates of any meal you enjoyed. Take the other one home and store it. Chances are, you’re probably not going to get that dish for at least another year.
- Endeavor to be polite and considerate to those working in the festival. Also, avoid chatting with the chef if a line has formed behind you.
- Bring your own take-out bags, sunscreen, and water.
- Arrive early if you came with your own car. Parking right near the venue does fill up fast.
- We are in the midst of a pandemic. If the event happens as planned, ensure to wear a mask and gloves for optimum protection.
FAQs
How much do tickets cost?
Single-day admission tickets to the Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival cost between $100-150 depending on when you book them.
How do I find the best spots?
Look around. The best kiosks usually have a crowd before too long. Also make sure to do some research in advance, if there’s anything you really want to try.
Are there any organizer stipulations?
Yes, in fact. Attendees to the event aren’t allowed to wear shorts or flip flops (irrespective of gender). Be sure to adhere to this guideline, as they make sure to keep it classes.