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Alaska is a state at the northwest extremity of the United States. Bordering the Canadian province of North Columbia, this state is known for its wide and open spaces, the Alaskan Native culture, and its outdoor experiences.

Meanwhile, the wine scene in Alaska is a great way to get together with friends or family and experience events with entertainment, wine, and good food.

In this article, we will look at the top 4 wine festivals in Alaska. This will hopefully help you plan your next outing and broaden your horizons.

List of the Top Wine Festivals in Alaska

Great Alaska Beer and Barley Wine Festival 2023
Simon and Seafort’s – Duckhorn Vineyards Wine Dinner
American Cancer Society’s Anchorage Wine and Food Festival
Wine in the Woods

Deeper Look at the 4 Top Wine Festivals in Alaska

1. Great Alaska Beer and Barley Wine Festival 2023

Where: 555 W 5^th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 99501
When: Friday, January 27 to Saturday, 28 January
Time: Day Session: 12:00 to 15:00. Evening Session: 18:00 to 21:00
Price: $50 for Day Session, $55 for Evening Session

The Great Alaska Beer and Barley Wine Festival is a social event where visitors can taste quality beer and barley wine which is produced at some of the most prominent breweries in Alaska.

Barley wine has a similar taste to strong ale, with an alcohol content of between 6% and 12% (12 to 24 proof). This is a good option for those who are not necessarily fans of beer. Otherwise, there are beers for those who prefer a different taste.

There will be live music shows, entertainment shows, dance performances, and other events as part of the entertainment aspect of the festival. The 2022 event had live music by The Stack during the day session and I Like Robots during the evening session.

During the event, visitors have an opportunity to enjoy good wine and beer, remain entertained by the various performances, and enjoy food from a variety of food trucks.

This food will come from a host of local food trucks that will allow visitors access to a wide array of food types that can be enjoyed by visitors.

2. Simon and Seafort’s – Duckhorn Vineyards Wine Dinner

Where: Simon & Seafort’s, 420 L Street, Anchorage, Alaska, 99501
When: Thursday, September 29, 2022
Time: 19:00 to 22:00 AKDT
Price: $125 per person

The feature of the event will be a selection of 4 Decoy wines which pair well with each dish from the 5-course menu that has been prepared for the event.

The first course will be an Amuse with shrimp ceviche and cilantro-citrus mojo. This will pair well with the Decoy Sauvignon Blanc from California.

The second course will follow with a butter-poached Maryland blue crab with lemon beurre blanc and avocado blini, which will be served with the Decoy Limited Chardonnay from Sonoma. A fillet of king salmon will follow with parsnip and potato puree and a luxardo cherry source. This will be served with a decoy Limited Pinot Noir from Sonoma. Following on from this is a beef tenderloin with mushroom risotto and cabernet demi which will be served with a decoy Limited Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley.

Dessert will consist of a warm chocolate cake with macerated berries, whipped cream, and port source. There will be no wine with dessert, and instead, a coffee service will be available for guests to enjoy.

3. American Cancer Society’s Anchorage Wine and Food Festival

Where: 939 W. 5^th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska, 99501
When: September 17, 2022
Time: Starting time: 19:00
Price: $7 500 to $25 000 as Donation Packages

Hosted at the Hotel Captain Cook, the 37^th annual Anchorage Wine & Food Festival was held on the 17^th of September. Given the annual trend of the event, there is likely to be a 2023 event for you to attend.

There was a multi-course dinner menu planned of refined cuisine prepared by a variety of Alaskan chefs. Each course is served with a premium wine of healthy pours which are perfectly paired with the food prepared.

For entertainment, there was music to dance to, live and silent auctions where guests stood a chance to take home a prize, and a keynote speaker who shared their unique cancer story. This is all to help guests learn more about how cancer affects people and their loved ones and highlight how their donations help these people.

This event is held as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society which has been around since 1913. During the 100 years that the American Cancer Society has been helping lead the fight against cancer, they have seen more than a 20% decrease in cancer death rates in the United States.

Given the fundraiser nature of this event, there are various donation packages available. A Presenting Sponsor package is available for $25 000 and ensures your company name is alongside the event name each time it is written or mentioned. This will include 2 tables of 10 guests and 20 admissions to the VIP Pre-Party.

A Survivorship Sponsor package for $15 000 will be used to fund services and programs directly benefitting cancer patients. This will include a table of 10 guests and 10 admissions to the VIP Pre-Party. There are 10 other packages available that have a price range of $7 500 to $15 000 which can be purchased.

4. Wine in the Woods

Where: 4601 Campbell Airstrip Road, Anchorage, Alaska, 99507
When: August 11, 2022
Time: 18:00 to 21:00
Price: $75 for Wine Tasting, $40 for Designated Drivers

The annual Wine in the Woods wine tasting event was held in August 2022 with the next event expected to occur again in 2023. This event is held annually as a fundraiser for the Alaskan Botanical Gardens.

More than 70 different wines from both domestic and international sources were provided by K&L Distributing, giving visitors the chance to try a wide array of wines. There was an option to try wines that guests would not have necessarily tried or had access to before.

Live music from Melissa Mitchell kept guests entertained throughout the events as they enjoyed food from Wild Fork Catering which consisted of a variety of hors d’oeuvres to keep guests nourished while wine tasting.