Over 60 area chefs, farmers, purveyors, wineries, breweries and distilleries took part in this year’s Taste of Local Festival held on September 11, 2022 on the beautiful lawns of the Ventura County Credit Union corporate office. Ventura County businesses showcased their culinary and mixology expertise during this year’s event.
Ventura County is known as one of the top agricultural producing areas in the world. And this means that we’ve got one of the best cuisine scenes that California has to offer. Locally-grown, locally-produced and locally-owned are some of the key ingredients at the Taste of Local Festival.
A few highlights from the event
The Star Spangled Banner. A rendition of the Star Spangled Banner performed by Mary Kay Sawyer was followed by a moment of silence in remembrance of 9/11. There truly was not a dry eye in the house.
The Homebrew Challenge. It was a fun-filled event, lederhosen and all, as home brewers from the 805 competed for the title of Homebrew Grand Champion. The winning brew was made by Don White. Here is the whole story.
The Mixology Throwdown. This very popular competition featured area bartenders throwing down their best cocktails in an effort to win the Grand Prize. The winning cocktail was dubbed the Venturan and will be available at local bars and restaurants. Contestants were challenged to craft a signature cocktail made from locally produced and grown, farm-fresh ingredients and hand-crafted spirits from Ventura Spirits. Here are the details.
The Edible Magazine Education tent. This was a big hit offering classes ranging from Home Brewing 101, Sweet Arleen’s cake decorating , and Ragamuffin Roasters’ talk on growing coffee locally and bean to cup.
The music stage and picnic area. Guests spread their blankets and relaxed on the lawns as the enjoyed a little music as they satisfied their pallets while enjoying a spectacular ocen view. Performances were provided by the Dan Grimm Band, Rose Valley Thorns and the always-a-good-time Spencer the Gardner Band.
All and all, it was a great day filled with food, wine, brews and epic views.
The 4th annual Taste of Local Festival by the numbers
The Taste of Local Festival Sponsors
Please show some love to the Sponsors that helped make this year’s Taste of Local Festival possible.
Proceeds from the event go to help area organizations including Totally Local VC’s Agriculture Education Program, Ventura Independent Beer Enthusiasts (VIBE), and other non-profits in the Ventura County.
Image credits: Viktor Budnik, John Foronda, and Mke Love
