LA Wine Fest

Last weekend I was privileged to attend the LA Wine Fest. I had a ball there! My favorite wine discovery turned out to be the Barefoot Moscato. It's so sweet, it's almost like a dessert wine. The Chocolate Traveler was there, along with coffee and wine vendors offering samples. There were two gourmet soda companies, and even a vinaigrette salad dressing. A single bread company offered at least ten different loaves to try. But the best was the importer of German Blue Cheese or Mushroom Brie wheels. Held at Raleigh Hollywood Studios, this is definitely an event to put on your calendar for next June.

Tickets for this event are pricey, but I've found a way to work this into my lifestyle--I got in for free as a volunteer. I gave four hours of my time to the event, and was given free entrance that allowed me to participate fully. This is an opportunity that wouldn't have occurred to me until a friend got me involved, so I wanted to point it out here. There's another food festival coming up in a couple weeks, and I'm going to see if they need any help too....

What are your favorite foodie events? Do you help out at any kind of event just so you can attend? Please tell me about your experiences in a comment.