Save your seat for the 11th Annual Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival, November 15 through 17, at DeVos Place downtown.
This year, expect a deeper focus on food as dozens of premier restaurants serve up everything from nibbles and small plates to pairing dinners, providing an unmatched dining opportunity.
Five restaurants are offering intimate pairing menus throughout the festival and a chance to sit down with chefs and watch as they prepare an elegant multicourse meal tableside, paired with the finest wine or champagne. An additional 15 restaurants will serve small plate offerings such as Charcuterie, Bacon Wrapped Beef Medallions with Bourbon Glaze, Wagyu Sirloin Satay, Pork Belly Pastor Tacos, and Barbecued Vegetable Bowl served over Crispy Wheat, among many other options.
Some of the state's leading culinary experts return to the Meijer Food Stage, to share their tricks of the trade when it comes to preparing mouth-watering menus at home. This year's topics include Maple, Bourbon and Bacon: A Great Seasonal Twist; Food and Flames; Cooking with Michigan Wine, Beer & Spirits; New Southern Cuisine and Wine; and Acorns and Other Wild Edibles: Fall Foraging Across the Great Lakes.
Additionally—as the perfect pairing to these delectable dishes—the festival will feature over 1,500 global, regional and local beverages.
The Vineyard offers more than 1,200 other fabulous wines, including hand-selected vinos in The Elite Collection (such as Dom Perignon and Opus 1) set up inside the Steelcase Ballroom. The Traverse Wine Coast returns this year with an impressive presence of nearly 20 wineries and eight unique "tasting sessions" taking place in the Welsh Lobby.
Visitors will also find countless offerings in the Beer City Station, Cider Row and Hemingway Hall, showcasing spirits and handcrafted cocktails that are sure to please any palate. RendezBREW is where you'll find cordials, coffees and desserts to end (or start) the evening.
Regarded as the largest celebration of its kind in the Midwest, the award-winning festival is the place to be for family, friends and colleagues looking for an unparalleled night on the town or a Saturday afternoon of sampling—all under one roof.
To make reservations for one of the pairings or to purchase tickets or a 3-Day Pass, visit Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer, and Food Festival.
Courtesy of the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer & Food Festival.
Photo courtesy of Showspan.
