Westchester Magazine’s 5th Annual Wine + Food Festival Brings Exciting New Experiences to Culinary Celebration this June
More Open-Air Elements, Farm-to-Table Theme with Farmers’ Market, Brand New Events, An Evening With Westchester’s Tastemakers, and Kathie Lee Gifford
All Wines Selected by Zachys of Scarsdale
Westchester Magazine has announced the dates and that tickets are now on sale for its 5th Annual Wine + Food Festival. This year’s event will take place Wednesday, June 3 through Saturday, June 6 in White Plains and Valhalla in the heart of Westchester County. The Festival will feature new venues as well as new and expanded events, programs and activities, and Kathie Lee Gifford will be back hosting a special evening of Fashion, Food and Wine at Bloomingdale’s.
The festival, which draws more than 5,000 people from across the New York Metro area, will feature 100 top restaurants and 150 world-class wines selected by the experts at Zachys of Scarsdale.
Two major events will make their debut:
An Evening with Westchester’s Tastemakers will be held Friday evening and showcase 10 of Westchester’s top chefs at a dinner by the bite reception at the stunning 42 Restaurant and Events atop The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester in downtown White Plains. The guests will enjoy a VIP culinary experience and sip on the finest wines from around the world, all while surrounded by unmatched views of Westchester, the Long Island Sound and the Manhattan skyline.
The Grand Tasting Village will be held Saturday and spotlight 44 of Westchester’s most popular restaurants, more than 100 fine wines and feature live chef demonstrations all under a tent and set against the dramatic backdrop of the Kensico Dam Plaza park in Valhalla. The chefs will celebrate farm-to-table cuisine and spotlight local and seasonal ingredients. A select group of leading Hudson Valley farms and specialty food producers will be on hand offering samples and selling their products.
“Westchester Magazine is extremely pleased to present what is recognized as one of the premier wine and food events in the Northeast,” said Publisher Ralph Martinelli. “This year we’ve raised the bar with a fantastic lineup of new events in terrific settings. Whether people have been before or are attending for the first time, they won’t want to miss this year’s events. Tickets will go quickly, so we urge people to order early.”
Westchester Magazine’s 5th Annual Wine + Food Festival Schedule:
Wednesday, June 3
Event: Fashion, Food & Wine
Location: Bloomingdale’s, 175 Bloomingdale Road, White Plains, N.Y.
Time: 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Description: High fashion, fabulous food, plus TV personality Kathie Lee Gifford mix it up for an unforgettable evening of razzle dazzle at Westchester’s retail mecca, Bloomingdale’s. Enjoy fashion shows while sampling Kathie Lee Gifford’s private label, Gifft wine and shop like a VIP. Don’t miss the mingling, shopping, giveaways and a chance to win an amazing gift, courtesy of Bloomingdale’s!
Ticket Cost: Free
Thursday, June 4
Event: Burger & Beer Blast
Location: Kensico Dam Plaza, 1 Bronx River Parkway, Valhalla, N.Y.
Time: 6:00-10:00 p.m.
Description: Bigger, better and juicier than ever-Westchester’s ultimate block party marks its fourth year (can we get a “Heck, Yeah!”) and the stakes are high as 30 local restaurants battle it out to flip the crowd-pleasing patty supreme. Come out to sample and vote on your faves-and bite into burgers that’ll range from haute to hearty. Check out a variety of great beers as well as wine and spirits. Don’t forget to stop by the area’s most in-demand and trendy food trucks too. Live music will keep the crowd moving, making the Burger & Beer Blast a rockin’ good time.
Ticket Cost: $65
Friday, June 5
Event: An Evening with Westchester’s Tastemakers NEW!
Location: 42 Restaurant and Events, 1 Renaissance Square, White Plains, N.Y.
Time: 6:30 10:30 p.m.
Description: Reserve your spot now for Westchester’s most in-demand wining and dining experience-as 10 of the county’s top chefs come together for a dinner by the bite reception in the stunning 42 Restaurant and Events atop The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester in downtown White Plains. Each chef will prepare two signature dishes for an exclusive gathering of VIPs. The delicious dishes will be paired with three top wines from each of the ten great wine regions from around the world. This event is the ultimate celebration of food, wine and Westchester-all rolled into one, with unmatched views of Westchester, Long Island Sound and the Manhattan skyline. And, best of all, this evening of good taste benefits a good cause: proceeds will go to support the Food Bank for Westchester.
Ticket Cost: $125
Saturday, June 6
Event: Grand Tasting Village NEW!
Location: Kensico Dam Plaza, 1 Bronx River Parkway, Valhalla, N.Y.
Time: 12:00 5:00 p.m. (Chef Demos: 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.)
Description: The white tents of the Grand Tasting Village are the place to revel in the Westchester food and wine scene and its special focus on farm-to-table cuisine. Dubbed the World’s Fair of the Wine + Food Festival, the Grand Tasting Village is a sprawling celebration of the most exciting chefs and culinary trends in the County, plus world-class wines from some of the top internationally known wineries. With 44 restaurants serving samples of their signature dishes that feature locally sourced ingredients, plus over 100 of the best wines in the world, celebrity chefs demonstrating their culinary expertise, a variety of the best beers and a mini farmers’ market-It’s all at the Grand Tasting Village!
Ticket Cost: $75
Event: Jr. Chefs Academy – Kids in the Kitchen
Location: The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, 3 Renaissance Square, White Plains, N.Y.
Time: 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. (two sessions)
Who’s the next master chef of tomorrow? Bring your kids ages 7-17 to this “Kids in the Kitchen” experience and nurture the next generation of culinary genius as kids learn side-by-side with the pros. The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester chefs will help kids build skills and sharpen their kitchen chops in kid-friendly, fun demos that go from the fundamentals of baking to whipping up recipes to prepare at home.
Ticket Cost: $95
Westchester Magazine’s 5th Annual Wine + Food Festival proudly supports two local not-for-profit organizations: Friends of Westchester County Parks, committed to the preservation and conservation of 18,000 acres of parks and trails; and the Food Bank for Westchester, dedicated to ending hunger in Westchester County.
Zachys returns as a partner with Westchester Magazine’s 5th Annual Wine + Food Festival. Zachys’ multi-generational business is devoted to promoting the connection between great food and high-quality wines and spirits.
Tickets on Sale Now! Visit westchestermagazine.com/winefood for complete details.
