Minnesota Monthly Food and Wine Experience

Minnesota Monthly Food and Wine Experience is a grand tasting event held annually in Eagan, Minnesota — drawing over 5,000 attendees across two ballrooms at the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel. The event fills both ballrooms with nearly 100 vendors offering unlimited samples of wine, craft beer, spirits, and gourmet food, making it one of the largest indoor food and beverage tastings in the upper Midwest.

The Minnesota Monthly Food and Wine Experience spans a full weekend and brings together a broad range of local and regional producers. Notable participants have included Loon Liquors, Tattersall Distilling, Lift Bridge Brewery, and Chowgirls Catering. Offerings range from artisanal cheeses and chocolates to craft cocktails and wine. Structured programming runs throughout the weekend, including chef demonstrations, wine seminars, cooking classes, and live acoustic performances on the ballroom stage. A Wine Wall fundraiser benefits Minnesota Public Radio, and blind tasting challenges give attendees a chance to test their palate against peers.

A VIP lounge provides access to premium wines and spirits paired with elevated cuisine from Twin Cities restaurants. General admission includes unlimited samples from all vendors on the floor. Attendees can also meet winemakers, brewers, and distillers one-on-one throughout the event. Specific dates, ticket prices, and lineup details for the upcoming edition have not yet been announced — check the official event source for current information before purchasing.

Eagan sits in the Twin Cities metro area, which has developed an active craft beverage scene supported by Minnesota's growing number of licensed wineries, breweries, and distilleries. The indoor ballroom format makes this event accessible year-round regardless of Minnesota's weather, a practical advantage for a state where outdoor tastings are seasonally limited.