The San Diego Zoo’s Food, Wine and Brew Celebration is set for Saturday, May 2, with VIP guests admitted at 6:30 p.m. and general admission beginning at 7:30 p.m. The annual tasting event will bring together food, beer, wine, live entertainment and wildlife-focused programming for one night at the zoo.
Guests will sample bite-sized offerings from Buona Forchetta, Chicken Pie Shop, Del’s Hideout and Lia’s Lumpia, along with beer and wine from Southern California makers including Altisima Winery, Boochcraft, Helix Brewing Co. and Mike Hess Brewing. All food and drink samples are included in the $179 ticket price, and complimentary soft drinks and water will be provided.
According to event organizers, more than 3,000 attendees are expected this year, making the evening one of the zoo’s larger public fundraisers. Guests also will be able to move through the zoo and hear live entertainment from various locations, while connecting with wildlife at the new Conservation Stage near Reptile Plaza.
The event is open only to guests 21 and older, and everyone must present a valid ID before entering the zoo. Infants and children are not allowed. The proceeds will benefit the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, the international nonprofit that oversees both the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
That makes the night more than a tasting event. It is a fundraiser built to draw a grown-up crowd, fill the grounds and channel the evening’s spending into conservation work the zoo alliance says extends beyond a single property. For anyone planning to go, the question is simple: get the ticket, bring the ID and show up on time, because there is no way in for children or anyone under 21.
