Special food and wine events and a celebration of the Sideways movie anniversary at the Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY, Calif. - Creative meals, wine-tasting events, and a special film screening will all be on the menu at the annual Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley.

Beginning Thursday, there will be a series of events to celebrate the honored culinary regions of the Santa Ynez Valley.

There will be four days of events over six towns.

Visit Santa Ynez Valley says there will be signature events, tastings, demonstrations, and numerous activities including olive oil tastings and horseback riding.

There will also be a special screening and 20th anniversary of the wine country movie Sideways, a comedy adventure.

It will be shown on Sunday, Sept. 29 in the Solvang Festival Theatre. Actress Virginia Madsen will introduce the film.  Participating restaurants for this event will include Peasants FEAST, First & Oak, Coast Range, Clean Slate Wine Bar, Cecco Ristorante, and Whiskey 'n Rye. Participating wineries include Kalyra Winery, Crosshatch Winery, Ken Brown Wines, Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards, Sweetzer Cellars, Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards, Sanford Winery, Sanger Wines, Flying Goat Cellars.

Figueroa Mountain Brewing will also be pouring.

Visit the Santa Ynez Valley CEO Shelby Sim says, Sideways made an amazing change to the valley bringing in new visitors to the region as it expanded its wine grape vineyards, international reputation and event schedule. "I used to work in a wine bar before Sideways five to six people a day  was good.  After Sideways 80 to 100 people a day, it really opened up everyones eyes to Santa Barbara county wine."

The Solvang Festival Theater is where the outdoor theatrefest performances are held in the summer.  It has 700 seats available for the showing.

Chantel Green is the Solvang Theaterfest Executive Director. She says, "you are here under the stars and it's just  you can't beat this atmosphere right here in the middle of Solvang".  She says it is a landmark location but it is still getting many new visitors.  " After 50 years of being here you meet people daily that have just discovered us  "

Throughout the Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley event, the wine and food communities will have their own curated events. In the big picture  it is going to be a sweeping economic boost to the entire Santa Ynez Valley with its food and wine-forward approach to guest relations.

Of the events, only the movie and reception have tickets left . Sim says, "every year we get demands from visitors saying that they want tickets sooner so they can plan their trip so we have people from all over the United States."

Some of the events and dinners  will include a full street take over.

"So the Los Alamos dinner, we close Bell street, it is a state highway, for 144 folks. All the chefs come out and they all do a different course and then we we do the same thing in Los Olivos. This will be the first year we are closing the street in Los Olivos," said Sim.

There will also be multiple tasting gatherings throughout the valley,  and outside activities including horseback riding and yoga in the vineyards.

For more information go to: Visit Santa Ynez Valley