Days are getting shorter, kids are going back to school, and the Baja festival scene is starting to wind down. Here are our recommendations to maximize your fun factor as we head into fall.

Latin Food Fest – It’s the 5th Annual; events take place August 18 & 19. The BIG event = Gran Tasting at San Diego’s Embarcadero Marina Park North this Saturday. LFF has secured an amazing number of sponsors; good for them! But last year we found signage to be lacking, the Spirits Tent to be WAAY too crowded, and many of the promoted wineries & chefs seemed to be in the VIP tent only. Specifics on participating chefs, wineries, etc. for LFF 2017 seems to be lacking. Read our review of last year’s LFF Gran Tasting, and get info about this year’s Fest>>

At last year’s LFF Gran Tasting, Chef Martin Omar’s Dominican-inspired dish of chicken with spices and parmasean cheese was delicious.

Baja Blues Fest – Also this weekend, from Friday, August 18 through Sunday, August 20. This fun fest will hit its stride Saturday afternoon. We plan to arrive around 2 pm to see Hola Soy Lola, staying for headliner Kenny Neal & Family (faves from New Orleans Jazz Fest!), who take the stage @ 6:45. Hope the food & drink options on festival grounds (the beautiful beachfront gardens of the Rosarito Beach Hotel) will be more sophisticated this year to reflect Baja’s growing culinary/wine/craft beer movement. Click here for info about this year’s Fest & tickets>>

Paella Contest “Ramon Garcia Ocejo” – The granddaddy of all Baja food & wine festivals, the closing event of the Fiestas de la Vendimia (wine harvest festival) takes place this Sunday, August 20, at Vina de Liceaga in Valle de Guadalupe. It’s easy to find; just get yourself to the Valle and follow all the cars!! A fantastic afternoon, with more than 90 teams cooking paella over wood fires (mandatory!) and more than 60 wineries pouring their best. Live music, dancing, plenty of tables under shady trees and fantastic folks to share the afternoon with; I wish I could bottle this event! We look forward to seeing friends from several of our fave wineries and sampling wonderful paella. Online tickets are now SOLD OUT, but you MAY be able to score unused extras from folks in line; we recommend getting there before noon, the official start time!

Sabor de Baja – As previewed in our last post, this is one VERY CLASSY event you do NOT want to miss. Wednesday, August 30 from 6 pm at the Rosarito Beach Hotel. I hope to see you there, dressed, of course, in your finest all-white attire! Details>>