The Denver Food + Wine Festival is more than just a chance to partake in great food and drink, although that would be reason enough to go. It’s also a way to discover, revisit, support and celebrate more than 50 of Denver’s best restaurants, food trucks, chefs, and bartenders. And there’s a charitable element to the event too, rounding out how awesome it is. The In Good Taste Denver blog was founded by born-and-bred Denverites, so we’re honored to partner with the Denver Food + Wine Festival for this sponsored article to help support the local dining scene and to help YOU make the most of each festival event.
Everything you need to know before you go to the 2025 Denver Food + Wine Festival
When is the 2025 Denver Food + Wine Festival?
It’s September 3-6.
Where is it being held?
Primarily, at the Tivoli Quad on the Denver Auraria Campus; 1000 Larimer Street. There are other events around town and across the Front Range, too; see the Dine Out Auction section below.
What happens there?
The event is created BY and FOR restaurant lovers. Over the four days of the Denver Food + Wine Festival, there are four main elements. (Please note, all events are for ages 21+ only. No pets are allowed.)
Riedel Wine Glass Seminar, Wednesday, September 3, 6-7pm
Learn why the type and shape of your wine glass makes a real difference in how you experience the wine you drink. Shelley Sale, sommelier for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, will guide you through an educational and entertaining wine tasting following the research done by the Riedel family as they develop their glassware., featuring high-end wines. As a bonus, you’ll take home your own four-glass set of Riedel glasses, valued at $178. That pays for the seminar and then some!
Shake + Brake Showdown, Thursday, September 4, 7-10pm
Top Denver bartenders and super-star local food trucks compete for your votes in this cocktail-and-food-truck competition. Enjoy all-you-can-drink cocktails and a plentiful supply of appetizers from the food trucks; you can purchase more food from them if you’re still hungry, but that’s unlikely! Cast your vote for People’s Choice Best Food Truck and Best Cocktail while also enjoying dancing the night away as DJs spin tunes. Bartenders are still to be announced, but confirmed food trucks include Konjo Ethiopian Food, Mile High Tikka Express, the Pizza Bandit, and Uptown & Humboldt.
Dine Out Auction Series, Friday, September 5 and future dates. (Bidding runs Aug. 1-27).
Back by popular demand, you can bid on a lineup of one-of-a-kind experiences that take place in various locations in Denver and across the Front Range, including special dinners, behind-the-scenes tours, date-night packages, educational opportunities and more in the Dine Out online auction running Aug. 1-27. Some events will take place on Friday, September 5, during the festival week, and others can be scheduled for a future date. Auction proceeds support the Colorado Restaurant Foundation’s mission of helping restaurant workers advance and thrive.
Grand Tasting, Saturday, September 6, 12-4pm. VIP and First Taste ticket holders get in at noon. General Admission ticketholders get in at 1pm.
Whether you’ve attended all the previous Denver Food + Wine Festival events or are new to it all, you won’t want to miss this one. Taste what more than 50 of Colorado’s best restaurants have brought to show off some of their favorite bites. Eat, drink, then do it some more, in a walk-around format under two massive tasting tents, with bites from more than 50 local restaurants and hundreds of drink options from the Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits portfolio. Three ticket levels give you various ways to partake, from the special VIP area with exclusive restaurants, reserve wines, tasting seminars, and dedicated restrooms, to getting in an hour early to taste it all before the crowds arrive. Learn more about that below including how to use our exclusive discount promo code!
Participating chefs and restaurants include Hosea Rosenberg from Blackbelly (and Top Chef alum); Luo Lefebvre of Chez Maggy; Frank Bonanno, Mizuna; Carrie Baird, Fox &the Hen and Top Chef alum; Aminata Dia, Le French; Kenneth Wan, MAKfam; Zuri Resendiz, Luchador Taco & More; Luke Hodnett, Leven Deli Co., and many others. The website will be updated as more restaurants and chefs come on board, so check back often.
New for 2025, finalists and winners from The HOSPYS, the Colorado Restaurant Association Hospitality Awards, will be stationed throughout the Grand Tasting.
Here’s what each ticket level gets you at the Denver Food + Wine Festival:
VIP Ticket Holders are admitted at noon, an hour before general admission. Get access to the more elevated and roomier-than-before VIP area with food no one else will be able to try, from ten high-end restaurants. You’ll also get to drink reserve wines, attend tasting seminars (space is limited to 40 so it’s first-come-first-served), and have your own VIP restrooms and fast entry. Plus you get early access to what GA ticket-holders will be sampling under the big tents.
First Taste Ticket Holders also get in at noon, an hour before General Admission. Head straight to the Grand Tasting tents for early access to all the small bites, spirits and wines being offered.
General Admission Ticket Holders are welcome in at 1pm, with access to all of the food and drink offerings of the Grand Tasting.
Please note: This event sells out every year so get tickets early and, for heaven’s sake, use our exclusive discount promo code below to save 10% on any level of tickets!
Top Chef Activation:
Colorado ProStart® students are recruited every year to pitch in throughout the festival, gaining valuable experience helping participating restaurant teams prepare the thousands of bites they’ll serve at the Grand Tasting and other festival events. This year, five Colorado ProStart® classes from area high schools will pair up with five of the state’s Top Chef alumni, to cook and serve together at the event, including: Carrie Baird from Fox & the Hen; Manny Barella from Riot BBQ; Brother Luck from Four by Brother Luck in Colorado Springs; and Hosea Rosenberg from Blackbelly in Boulder.
The chefs will teach each ProStart class how to make the dish they’ll serve at the Grand Tasting, the students will prep the bites needed for the event, and then they’ll serve the dish alongside their chef on September 6. And you get to taste it all!
“It’s going to be a fantastic learning experience for these ProStart students, and the chefs are excited to mentor our next generation of culinary leaders,” says Laura Shunk, CRF President.
Great! Now, how do I get tickets AND use that DISCOUNT PROMO CODE?
Click on the links for the individual events you want to go to below or head to the overall website to easily choose multiple events or the Party Platter Package described below.
Riedel Wine Glass Seminar, September 3: $95
Shake + Brake Showdown, September 4: $70. Price will go up to $80 on the day of the event if it is not sold out.
Dine Out Culinary Auction, September 5 (and other dates): Tickets aren’t required to participate. Bidding begins on denverfoodandwine.com on August 1.
Grand Tasting, September 6: Here are the prices for each Grand Tasting ticket level. There are a limited number of tickets available at each level; as they sell out, the prices go up.
GA tickets: $125 reduced price, $200 full price
First Taste: $160 reduced price, $225 full price
VIP tickets: $250 reduced price, 300 full price
VIP Party Platter Package (Grand Tasting VIP ticket plus Shake + Brake Showdown ticket): $325
Party Platter Package (Grand Tasting GA ticket plus Shake + Brake Showdown ticket): $200
Save 10% on any tickets (except the Riedel Wine Glass Seminar) by using discount promo code IGTD10 at checkout.
For more information, visit the Denver Food + Wine Festival website.
BONUS: Other things you should Know-Before-You-Go to the Denver Food + Wine Festival:
Is there a purpose behind the event – besides having an awesome time and celebrating some of Colorado’s best food and drink?
Definitely! Proceeds from the Denver Food + Wine Festival benefit the Colorado Restaurant Foundation’s mission to support worker education, training, scholarships, and Colorado ProStart®, their high school culinary and entrepreneurship program. In addition, proceeds help with providing mental health and wellness resources and benefit the Angel Relief Fund, which provides emergency grants for Colorado hospitality employees experiencing hardship. See? You can feel really good about having so much fun.
Are there tips for making the most of it?
You bet! We asked the organizers for their tips from their years of experience with the DF+WF and here’s what they told us (as well as some of our own from attending in the past):
What should I wear?
In years past, the weather has ranged from very hot to cold and drizzly (i.e. Colorado in September) so watch the weather forecast and dress appropriately. Because the festival takes place on grass, wear flats so your fab heels don’t get ruined. Be sure to wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen if sun is in the forecast.
Is there a certain strategy for experiencing the events?
At the Shake + Brake Down Showdown, get in line for the most popular food trucks first because the lines will likely stay long all night. Same goes for the Grand Tasting. But keep this in mind: sometimes people get in a long line just to follow the crowd. Don’t forget other food trucks or tables that might not have as long a line but that have something delicious waiting for you (with no wait!).
Also, you’re going to be discovering some new restaurants you’ll want to try for a full-fledged meal. Be sure to take a picture of their sign or nab a business card to help you remember to check them out. Same with wines and spirits you try – take a picture of the label of ones you love so you can purchase a bottle later.
There’ll be a lot of food and drink. How should I pace myself?
Come hungry and stay hydrated. VIP ticket holders should explore the VIP area first for all that it has to offer and then head to the General Admission tents; VIP closes around 3 pm, an hour earlier than GA. First Taste and GA ticketholders should go slowly and choose what really looks good to you; you can always go back for seconds of what you love.
Also, during the Shake + Brake Showdown, when you vote for your favorite cocktail (via a poker chip in buckets ), you’ll receive a full pour so allow for that! Otherwise, cocktails are in tasting portions. There’s so much food and drink, you don’t want to tire yourself out too quickly.
What if I’m just visiting Denver or have guests visiting from out of town?
Definitely attend and bring your guests! Last year, we ran into several people who were visiting Denver and, in looking for things to do, discovered the Festival and bought tickets. What a great way to get the best of our local restaurant scene?
Final tips? Go slow. Take breaks. And have fun!
Remember: Save 10% on any tickets (except the Riedel Wine Glass Seminar) by using discount promo code IGTD10 at checkout.
-By Courtney Drake-McDonough, publisher and managing editor of In Good Taste Denver. Photos courtesy of Denver Food + Wine Festival
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