Find out what's on the schedule at this year's Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta

With approximately 30 different events offered over the course of a five-day period, the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta has a little something for everyone.

All told, approximately 4,500 guests from New Mexico and other states are expected to attend the festival, which is in its 34th year. It has expanded considerably since its humble beginnings in September 1991, when about 350 people attended a one-day gathering that featured some 20 restaurants and 20 wineries. This year, more than 60 restaurants and 80 wineries are expected to be on hand throughout the festivities.

“I actually think the restaurant participation is what makes this pretty special. We have over 65 local restaurants that participate — kind of unheard of in the festival world,” Mary Hallahan, executive director, said.

Hallahan has been in her current position since moving to New Mexico in June 2021 from Boston, where she oversaw the Nantucket Wine & Food Festival.

“You go to a lot of other festivals and they have great food, a lot of guest chefs, visiting chefs, but these events are big, so the restaurant participation can sometimes be a challenge,” Hallahan added. “I think here it’s really a great community of restaurants.”

The fiesta is known for a handful of signature events. Perhaps the most noteworthy is the Grand Tasting, which takes place on Saturday, Sept. 27, from noon to 3 p.m. at Fort Marcy Park in downtown Santa Fe. That will attract the largest gathering, with approximately 3,000 people in attendance.

“That’s where all the restaurants and the wineries are together, and it’s really about the synergy of showing that you can have high-end wines with local foods,” Hallahan said. “So it’s really meant to show a diversity of pairings.”

One of the newer featured events is Chile Friday, which debuted three years ago. While the culinary aspect of the Grand Tasting might not emphasize New Mexico’s state vegetable, the day prior is all about celebrating chile. Hallahan expects something in the neighborhood of 1,400 attendees for this option.

“It’s more focused on New Mexican foods and flavors. We’ve got the chile roasters out there … it’s just a lot of fun,” Hallahan said. “It’s a different nature. We have margarita samples, this year we have a vodka sponsor, and then there’s local breweries and a couple local wineries that are sort of on theme. They have chile-infused wine, which is kind of cool.”

Meanwhile, the Reserve Wine Tasting and Silent Auction takes place on Thursday, Sept. 25, from 3:30-6 p.m. at The Santa Fe Community Convention Center. There will be some higher-end wines available along with small bites, appetizers and hors d’oeuvres. The auction will include rare wines and curated collections, and supports Santa Fe Wine & Chile Festival’s educational programs and community initiatives.

Beyond those, options abound for those seeking something on a smaller scale. Each year, there are a number of new wine seminars, chef demos, tasting events, winery dinners — and even a railway tour. For an enjoyable concluding experience, Hallahan points to the Rosé All Day on Sunday, Sept. 28. It’s a smaller walking event with a pink apparel theme, with restaurants and wineries focusing on the different types of rosés.

“It’s one of my favorite events,” Hallahan said. “It’s just sort of like a fun-loving kind of conclusion to the fiesta.”

For first time attendees, Hallahan recommends scheduling two to three events — enough to get a taste, so to speak, but not so much as to feel overwhelmed.

“There’s a different size for everybody,” she said. “You can really kind of pick a schedule that works for you. You could do none of the big events and still have a very full experience at Wine and Chile.”

Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta returns for 34th year