"EXPERIENTIAL DINING & TASTINGS": Finding a foodie to-do that isn't too heavy on the expectations, traditional trappings, or pomposity? It's not always easy, though plenty of festivals do bring both a gourmand flair and a relaxed atmosphere. Add to this pleasant outing a high-to-the-sky, extra-elevation element, and you have an alpine eat-drink affair to remember. And when we say "alpine" you surely, or at least very probably, say "Tahoe," which is completely understandable, given how quintessentially alpine-esque the area is (sparkling lake, tall trees, pretty hills). If you've longed for a relaxed but tony-of-taste to-do that takes place at close to 8,000 feet, long no longer for the...
32ND ANNUAL LAKE TAHOE AUTUMN FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL... is just ahead. It's happening over the second weekend in September — that's Friday, Sept. 8 through Sunday, Sept. 10 — and a bouquet of events is on the schedule. The Grand Tasting & Culinary Competition at The Village at Northstar is a biggie, with over 25 acclaimed chefs going whisk-to-whisk for gourmet glory. A Vertical Mountainside Tasting takes participants up, up, up the mountain for a series of vino-nice sips, while the Take a Hike! Progressive Picnic sends adventurers out to the Tahoe National Forest for noshing 'n nature-amazing views. And the Gourmet Marketplace Vendor Fair at The Village of Northstar? That's free to enter and brimming with pantry-ready goods.
TICKETS... are a la carte for this cuisine scene, so you don't feel worried if you can't do it all. You can do a lot, though, so decide what events appeal to you, your appetite, and your all-important taste buds the most. Then get to dreaming of some alpine breezes, and those soft September days, the kind of days that the Tahoe area may one day rightly possess the patent on.
