The fourth-annual Elm City Brewfest, featuring over 225 craft beers from over 60 craft breweries, returns to College Street Music Hall on November 17, 2018.  Live entertainment will be provided by Jason Ingriselli and Lyon Street Fire. Proceeds will benefit the New Haven Center for Performing Arts. This is a 21+ event. For more information and for tickets, click here.

The 3rd annual Foxwoods On Tap returns to Foxwoods Resort Casino on Saturday, December 1, 2018. More than 150+ craft beers from over 70 different breweries, microbrews, brewpubs and ciders are featured. Music by the 2018 Foxwoods Battle of the Bands winners, Auguste & Alden., plus games and food available for purchase. 21+

See last year’s highlights here.

The annual Connecticut Restaurant Association event honors the state’s industry with annual meeting, reception and awards gala. Nomination and registration information coming soon.

The CRAZIES Awards Gala celebrates the “Best of the Best” in the Connecticut Restaurant Industry.
12:00pm Annual Board Meeting
5:30pm Vendor Showcase & Cocktails
​7:00pm Awards Dinner

See last year’s highlights here.

Grand Tasting

Sample over 1,000 varieties of wine, beer, and spirits during the 16th annual Sun Wine Fest Grand Tasting. Purchase signature dishes from some of the region’s most highly-rated restaurants and the main culinary stage features a day full of celebrity chef demonstrations. Join host Ryan Kristafer, WTNH’s CT Style alongside co-host Teresa Dufour for Saturday’s Grand Tasting Chef Demo, schedule:

• 12:15pm – 12:45pm: Maneet Chauhan
• 1:00pm – 1:30pm: Marcus Samuelsson
• 1:45pm – 2:15pm: Alex Guarnaschelli
• 2:30pm – 3:00pm: Todd English
• 3:15pm – 3:45pm: Aarón Sánchez
• 4:00pm – 4:30pm: Brian Duffy
• *Schedule subject to change.

Saturday, January 26th from Noon to 5:00pm – Earth Expo & Convention Center. Tickets to the Sun Wine & Food Fest Grand Tasting are $99.00 per person. Tickets for designated drivers are $20.00 per person.

Vintage Cru presented by Bobby Flay

Taste the “best – of – the – best” vintages and get one – on – ones with the winemakers during the Vintage Cru presented by Bobby Flay. Enjoy the raw bar and pick up your $50.00 iGourmet gift card before you leave!

Saturday, January 26th from 4:00pm to 6:00pm – Earth Ballroom.Tickets to Vintage Cru presented by Bobby Flay are $150.00 per person. The ticket price includes the Vintage Cru and a $50.00 iGourmet gift card. Tickets do not include access to the Grand Tasting.

The Rhode Island Hospitality Association’s 2018 “Stars of the Industry” awards dinner and ceremony will take place Wednesday, November 28, 2018. Created more than 29 years ago, the award ceremony is hosted by the RI Hospitality Association and RI Hospitality Education Foundation to recognize shining stars in the restaurant and hospitality industries. Exactly 906 industry professionals attended last year’s event from across all sectors of the trade. Recipients are nominated by their leaders, coworkers and customers. Awards are given in more than 20 categories. Winners are voted on by the public and elected officials of the board. For more information, visit the association website.

To view last year’s highlights, click here.

The annual Rhode Island Brew Fest is returning in 2019, and ticket sales are open as of October 1. The event, which features local and regional breweries in two all-samples-included sessions, will be held on January 26, 2019 at the Waterfire Arts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. The event is produced by Gray Matter Marketing. “Attendees have the opportunity to sample beer from across the state and the region, and speak with brewery representatives about their favorite beverages,” says Matt Gray, President of Gray Matter Marketing. “The festival is a great way to break up the dreariness of January with a fun, indoor event.”

The 2019 Rhode Island Brew Fest is at a new venue, the Waterfire Arts Center in Providence. “This beautiful venue comes with tons of amazing improvements for the Rhode Island Brew Fest, including increased event space, indoor bathrooms, and on-site parking,” says Lisa McCurdy, Director of Communications at Gray Matter Marketing and the Rhode Island Brew Fest. “We’re thrilled to be supporting Waterfire Providence, a champion of the independent Rhode Island arts scene since 1994. Their mission aligns with our efforts to support our state through the Rhode Island Brewers Guild, Rhode Island brewers, and local Rhode Island vendors.”

The 2019 Rhode Island Brew Fest will have two, three-hour sampling sessions from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. All beer samples are included in session tickets. Each session will also feature local vendors including Narragansett Creamery, Knead Donuts, the Newport Jerky Company, Benito’s Hot Sauce, the Edgewood Cheese shop, and Russel Morin Catering. Tickets are limited, and this event will sell out as it has in years past.  The Rhode Island Brew Festsupports the attending brewers by purchasing all of their product at the festival. Unlike many beer festivals, there are no booth fees for brewers. In addition, a portion of every ticket sold to the 2019 Rhode Island Brew Fest will be donated to the Rhode Island Brewers Guild in their efforts to support breweries in the Ocean State.