Get ready because the annual Taste of Sonoma Event is coming soon to the Green Music Center on Sonoma State University’s campus on Saturday Aug. 31, from 12pm-4pm.

This event is geared towards those who are interested in viticulture, good food, great music, and socializing over a nice glass of wine. Taste of Sonoma is the perfect place for its participants to enjoy the finest things life has to offer. It stands as one of the highest recognized wine events in the nation and is known for its delectable food options and grand selection of wines offered by Sonoma County’s most popular, wineries and breweries. Some of these include: Bear Flag, Francis Ford Coppola, Kendall-Jackson, and Korbel, as found on the event’s website. 

Taste of Sonoma attracts people from all over the nation to come to Sonoma County and attend one of the most well known wine events of the year. As stated by USA Today, this event was voted “one of the top wine festivals in the nation by a Reader’s Choice Poll.”Although Taste of Sonoma is open to students over the age of 21, it also attracts other young adults and college students in Sonoma County. 

Although this event does focus mainly on the wine options Sonoma County has to offer, it also presents so many more attractions. 

A Taste of Sonoma goer by the name of Victoria Mapoy is anxiously awaiting the event and plans to go for the second year in a row.

“With the amount of food, wine, and entertainment you are getting, it truly is the full package.” said Mapoy. 

Taste of Sonoma also offers fun opportunities such as a silent disco, live music, great food options, and themed lounges. 

“You are able to visit different themed lounges and are even able to participate in a silent disco. There’s just no other event that I have found that offers as many things as Taste of Sonoma does for such a great price and you can definitely taste the difference,” said Mapoy

According to Taste of Sonoma’s event website, this year’s event will be hosting over two hundred wineries, holding wine talks, and will be offering four different lounges. 

Along with this event being a huge hit amongst its participants, it also is a massive annual event for vendors across Sonoma County. Many of Sonoma State’s own students work at wineries that take part in this event, allowing them to be on the vending side of Taste of Sonoma, which has proven to be just as exciting. 

A Sonoma State student, Alexa Woo, is an employee at a participating winery, Laurel Glen Winery, and a Sonoma County native.

“The most exciting thing about Taste of Sonoma is getting to see what makes this place I call home so special,” said Woo. “Being surrounded by vineyards my whole life and now at work, it has become normal for me, but seeing so many people from different parts of the nation and the world to come see my own wineries along with so many others wine, makes me realize how lucky I am to live here.”

General admission ticket prices for Taste of Sonoma start at $150 while VIP begin at $225. VIP tickets offer early access to the lounge and tasting rooms as well as the food. 

This event has not only created amazing marketing for wineries, breweries, and food vendors, but has also touched the hearts of so many locals that not only are vending but also that are attending. 

“Taste of Sonoma has everything one could hope for at a wine festival. Whether or not you are a huge wine drinker or food advocate, this event will undoubtedly make you both.” said Mapoy, Between the high end wine, live music, and silent disco you just can not go wrong. I mean, who doesn’t love to drink wine and dance around?”