Annual Foothills Wine and Brewfest offering new changes

In the last two years, the Foothills Wine and Brewfest has dealt with inclement weather. The forecast for this year's event looks better. The Rotary Club of Auburn will host the eighth annual Foothills Wine & Brewfest on Saturday, May 31, from noon until 5 p.m. at the Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn. Entry and first pour are scheduled for 1 p.m. According to its website – www.foothillsbrewfest.com – 18 breweries from Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties will be offering their best brews. As for the weather, people who plan to attend may want to consider wearing a hat and sunscreen. The forecast calls for sunshine and temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s. According to Randy Tooker, a member of the Rotary Club who helps oversee the event, rain has taken place the last two years it was held the first weekend in May. This year's brewfest was pushed to the weekend after the three-day Memorial Day holiday. Tooker hopes the attendance will be more than in 2024, which was estimated at 700 to 900. The event hopes to have close to 1,000. Attendees will get a chance to visit each brewery. This year's event will also feature wineries. "This year, we are excited to announce the addition of wine to our event to expand our demographic and broaden our appeal," said Jeff Ambrosia, another Rotary member who helps oversee the event. "This is an incredible opportunity to see the best craft breweries and wineries from our region together in one place." Wineries taking part are Dora Dain Wines of Lincoln, PaZa Estate Winery of Auburn, Twin Rocks Estate Winery of Granite Bay, Wise Villa Winery and Restaurant of Lincoln, Lecavalier Cellars of Newcastle, Bonitata Boutique Wine of Auburn and Vina Castello Winery, also of Auburn. "More diverse offering," Tooker said. "Local wineries from the greater Auburn area. We're excited because they are great wineries. Just makes it for a better event." Tooker and Ambrosia each said there are going to be a variety of food vendors. Tooker described the foods as being on the high end. "We'll have some fun food trucks that will be out there," Tooker said. "A little higher-end food trucks. With adding the wine, we're just picking up the level of the food, just to be a little more farm to fork-ish." Old Town Pizza of Auburn is scheduled to be at the festival, Tooker noted, and there will be designated water stations. "We want to keep everyone hydrated," Tooker said. "There's lots of shade at the fairgrounds." The Auburn Ravine Revival and Liberators bands are scheduled to perform. Tooker said the bands plan to play a variety of songs from the 1960s through today's hits. Tooker said the bands are donating their time to perform. "A great variety," Tooker said. "People will recognize the music." Proceeds from the event benefit the Rotary Club of Auburn, which supports various community projects in the greater Auburn area, including the Boys & Girls Club, Stand Up Placer, Placer Arts, Placer High School scholarships and its Grad Night and The Salvation Army. This event is for people 21 and over. Ticket prices are $60 for VIP, plus a $5.87 fee. On the day of the event, the ticket price increases to $75 plus a $6.88 fee. General admission tickets are $45, plus a $4.87 fee. The fee will increase the day of the event to $60, plus a $5.87 fee. "Usually, the sales happen the last two weeks," Tooker said. "Once people see what the weather is going to be." Designated drivers will be available at $10, plus a $2.51 fee. Tickets can be purchased on the Foothills and Brewfest website. Click on the tab that says tickets.