This year was the 30th anniversary and we were pleasantly surprised how the festival remains a…read moregreat afternoon event in July although you may have attended the last 30 years. I watched a few musicians on the three stages including listening to French jazz and accordions! The joust with the knights was a hit; a few friends wanted to join the team. A first hand view of knights and their armor in action included the sounds you would imagine occurring when someone attacks another in metal with swords!!! To go, we grabbed a few baguettes from the bakery vendor from LA, which was a hit in the evening when our family used the bread to make fig and Brie burgers!! Mmmmmm!!!!

Great food and dancing..perfect day to celebrate the French world cup. Crepes are wonderful and the…read morebaguette are rich. Oak Park is a beautiful venue with oak trees and perfect weather

Year THREE and the rain could not stop thousands of filling the park for taster after taster of…read morebeer but it still falls short of it's potential. The vibe has changed each year The food was a let down. The pizza was what I'd expect to eat on the streets of New York at 4am when the bar closes and the burrito was almost meatless. A beer fest is not about the food though. While I fail to understand how organizers could run out of sampler glasses when the tickets were sold out for weeks. You can count. Right? What they did right was apologize and offer a more than generous gesture. This is what was received via e-mail. "If you were one of the people who arrived after we ran out of glasses, we would like to either send you a replacement glass, or offer you discounted admission (20%) to next year's Brews at the Beach." Now that's how you make amends. Not my fave fest in town but it's drinking beer on the beach and that's more than 28 other states can do so for that, I'll come back.

I reviewed Brews at the Beach last year and gave them four stars. They did better this year. I…read moream not sure but it seemed like this year they had a few more Breweries. My absolute favorite was Indian Wells Whiskey Barrel! Loved that beer so glad I didn't discover it until the end of the day if you know what I mean! For the IPA fans they should have been in IPA heaven, seemed to be an IPA festival more than a beer festival. The food might have improved just a touch as well. Giovanni's pizza, two slices for $5. They also had burritos and Tri Tip. This year they allowed people to bring in their own food if they wanted as well. And everyone's biggest complaint last year was the excessive bathroom lines, no problem this year, I think they had four times the capacity and the lines were no longer than a couple of minutes. Great event! $35 last year $40 this year, hope that it doesn't go up next year.

One of Santa Barbara's premier events you'll not want to miss…read more Set in the cute Riviera Park courtyard on Alameda Padre Serra and across the street from the Belmond El Encanto, Taste of the Town is an upscale, annual event benefiting the Arthritis Foundation. But what else do you get other than beautiful views and knowing you're being philanthropic? As if that's not enough. For $125 (as of 2018 with $45 tax deductible) the event space is packed with mostly Santa Barbara wines (Margerum, Demetria, Grassini, Sangers: Consilience/Tre Anelli/Marianello, Zaca Mesa, Jaffurs, Jamie Slone and more), spirits from Cutlers, beers from Islands Brewing Company and local food (Ca'Dario, Opal, Via Maestra 42, The Little Door, The Palace Grill + more restaurants and many local catering companies) that will urge you to make reservations on the spot for dinner. Well worth the price of admission. But what about the level of service? The venue is a little cramped but lovely and the vendors certainly bring their A Game. It's a Who's Who's of Santa Barbara chefs, wine makers and owners. Doug Margerum was pouring his refreshing Riviera Rose' which was perfect on a warm, September afternoon. Dário Furlati was busy making his amazing Raviolis al Burro e Salvia. Katie Grassini was making the rounds. Bill and Jan Sanger talked up the best of their brands and Jamie and Kym Slone were sharing their new, easy red blend, Apex. For a food and wine lover living in Satan Barbara, I could not go more than a table or two without knowing someone poring a taste or handing me a plate. So many smiling faces. Open Air Photobooth was on hand to document your best moments and live music persuaded a few to hit the sunny dance floor. The day was light and airy The music was smooth And the wine and food was superb This is a higher level of event for Santa Barbara and I'm grateful I could attend.

Had to make it down to the last Brewhouse Oktoberfest before the new owners take over (and possibly…read morechange things up a bit). Checked out the brass band, filled my stein with a pilsner, and had the bratwurst plate. There will be many more festivities Saturday (Oct 8th) like a stein lifing contest and live music all day. So I suggest you get down there and help send off the current owners and welcome the new ones while celebrating the biggest Octoberfest in town. Make sure to get the soft pretzel!

French Festival--mehhh Greek Festival-mehhh Same goes for the Avocado Festival, Lemon Festival and…read moreany other food group or fruit festival. But Oktoberfest, Five Stars! A liter of Hiffbreau plus the Red Baron is a winning combination. As I sit here eating my Jeagerschnitzle waiting until the next time I can do the Chicken Dance I Channel my inner Deutchman and offer you all a hearty Prost!!!

SBBF 2017 was such a hoot! From the awesome live bands to the fabulous food and small plate bites…read morein the center of all the festivities, this beer fest had it all going on. The volunteer staff were very kind and you could tell the representative running it were very organized with attention to detail, in headsets and all. Though it looked small from the outside, the festival actually turned out to be a great size with a perfect amount of beer, wine, and food vendors. I maybe would have liked to see some optional food trucks on the outside but it was also great (and different) to have free food samples on the inside. A few of my favorite tastings were by Kerrygold with their cheese samples, Barrel Brewing Co with their Raspberry Sour, and Jean Marie's Ciders. There were tons of local breweries there as well that rocked the IPA game and wineries that shinned through with their rosés. The home-brewing beer set up by the SB Brewers was my favorite attraction, but others also enjoyed dancing to one of the 3(?) live bands on the grass dance floor, and playing cornhole in the sun with a gorgeous ocean view. This festival had a little bit of everything for everyone. It was amazing how much they pulled together for year 1 which gets me so thrilled for what will come around year #2! Crossing my fingers on no timed/payed parking options. See you next year!

This was my 3rd Brew Fest. First off let me tell you how beautiful Santa Barbara is and how the…read morelocation was perfect for this event. Upon arriving I noticed the many tents from breweries and was very excited to see some familiar ones and new ones I've never heard of. We entered and were given full size glasses to drink from not the tiny tot sized tasters like the previous festivals. I liked this because it means I am take it home and use it for my drinks instead of it just being a keepsake. The beer itself was non stop flowing and delicious. Of the over 15 I had I can honestly say I probably had about one that watered the grass. My favorite was common cider with their 4 different flavored ciders. In second place for me was the Session IPA can't recall the brewery because well I was a few deep in already and feeling mighty fine. Food was pretty good. It was all finger foods, beef jerky, bread from La Brea, and some chicken taco samples. I had a really good time. The vendors were extremely nice and the crowd was cool too. Everyone minded their own business and there was zero beef. I walked back to my room even though this event offered us a free first time use Uber (which was very awesome and cautious of them). I laughed the whole walk back. Hangover was crazy bad but now that I think about it, I had a blast. The beer and cider was way too awesome to bypass. Thanks again to Dani, the Santa Barbara Ambassador for the tickets!

This new wine and food event is quickly becoming one of my favorites in town. This is the second…read moreyear SB Culinary Experience is hosting their wine and food event and it's bigger and better than ever!! This event is at the historic and gorgeous El Presidio in downtown Santa Barbara. The organizers took advantage of more of this beautiful property than last year, adding a lovely picnic area in the front with more food tasting, wine tasting, shade umbrellas and tables than last year! I really appreciated how much information the event organizers communicated prior to the event regarding parking, weather, entry process and more. At $60/ticket, this event is a steal!! Extremely well-priced, I'm certain the price point will continue to rise as this event gets better and better!! I'm looking forward to more events by SB Culinary Experience.

Well this year was a lot different than last years tasting. The tacos from the Catering company…read morebig G's Barbecue were the best. The service was outstanding. It was nice to see Gretchen from La Lieff wines. Austin from Rusak was also very cool both wineries have very good wines. The ambiance was at the Presidio which is. Spanish colonial church which was great. You could drink wine in a church which was nice without having to attend church.

What a great time! Beautiful weather, great beer and wine, fantastic food, and an awesome crowd…read more This event was just what the doctor ordered. Standouts included Opuntia Prickly Pear "brandy," which was very unique and deliciously exotic. Transmission Brewery's new Street Glide hazy IPA. And of course, the AR Catering BBQ truck's amazing and slutty pulled pork grilled cheese sandwich. It was very cool to listen to the vendors explain their products and their processes with pride. Very interesting! I really appreciated the nice wide-open area for the event. It gave off a cool, relaxed vibe, rather than a dusty stampede of drinkers that you might experience in a smaller, more crowded space. Unfortunately we had to leave before the music started. We didn't take one of the special buses to the event, but I really appreciated that people could ride from Santa Barbara, Goleta, Santa Maria, and Lompoc to attend the event, drink their hearts out and go home safely. Bravo to the organizers!

Another wonder time at the Buellton Brew Fst This event is…read morealways a great time to catch up with friends and to meet new ones. The venders are awesome and truly shower their guests with appreciation . En Fuefo you have outdone yourselves again!!

I Madonnari Italian street festival happens every year during Memorial Day weekend. This festival…read moreshowcases over 140 colorful and vibrant chalk street paintings. I respect that each artist works hunched over on the ground filling in the template. I commend each and every one of them for the time spent to fill in and showcase the beautiful art work. Be respectful and give them space while walking through. It gets pretty busy due to the holiday, so expect crowds during your visit. Enjoy live music, local food, and a great atmosphere. The mission gift store is also open and worth checking out for souvenirs. Bring your camera, charged up phone, and prepare to capture amazing pictures! If you're impatient and don't care to wait in long lines for food, then bring your own food and have a picnic across the street. Park yourself at the rose garden with the family and relax on the grass. There's also an local vendors selling baked goods and lemonade for sweet treats. Tuesday & Wednesday are the best time to stop by if you want to see the chalk art completed.

I Madonnari is an Italian street painting festival that takes place at the mission every Memorial…read moreDay weekend. I've been twice over the years, with and without kids, and it's a nice, free way to enjoy some outdoor time in beautiful Santa Barbara. The festival gets busy, so it's best to go early if you want to park anywhere close to the mission. My elderly father-in-law went and gave up when he couldn't find parking to meet us at 10:00 on the Sunday morning. We found a spot on the rose garden side, and our kids enjoyed looking at the wonderful variety of roses on our way in. The street paintings are super fun and impressive. They all seem to be sponsored by local businesses, schools, and even families, who hire artists to create temporary paintings on the concrete in front of the mission. The works range in subject matter and artistry, with teenagers working alongside absolute ringers rendering amazing images in chalk and pastels. I've only gone in the middle of the festival, and I like watching the artists at work. I'll bet it'd be cool, though, to walk through all the finished paintings. There are food vendors and other entertainment on the lawn, which we will take advantage of some other year, when our children aren't being moody. I'm charmed by this local festival, and look forward to more Madonnaris in the years to come.