The first-ever Celebrity Wine & Spirits Festival presented by Volvo Cars Bend, comes to Bend, Saturday, September 14, 1pm-4pm at Bendistillery Tasting Room, featuring wines, spirits and beers from the palates of renowned personalities and global experts, with special guests: globally celebrated bourbon authority Fred Minnick; Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame artist Neil Giraldo; and star of Vampire Diaries, Ian Somerhalder. Tickets on sale now.
A portion of event proceeds benefits the Deschutes Children’s Foundation, providing space and support to help children and families succeed.
“We are thrilled for Bend to host this first Celebrity Wine & Spirits Festival at a terrific spot, the Bendstillery, home of Crater Lake Spirits and presented by Volvo Cars Bend,” Aaron Switzer, president of Lay it Out Events said. “This collaboration with our partner R Entertainment of Scottsdale has been a visionary adventure. We invite everyone to come out and enjoy the fruits of our efforts, what we plan to be a singular tasting experience.”
“When we started this mission, we wanted to present an exceptional tasting journey of wines, tequilas, bourbons and beers that perhaps you’ve never tasted before,” Kerry Dunne, partner at R Entertainment said. “Celebrity creators add to the experience. And, as guests sip to entertain their taste buds, they’ll be supporting the remarkable Deschutes Children’s Foundation, providing services and assistance to support children and families. We’re honored to have them as our charity partner.”
Celebrity Wine & Spirits Festival delivers a treasure trove of wines, spirits and yes, beer, many from surprising sources, with a plethora of sampling opportunities in one place, pleasing connoisseurs and fans alike. Expert seminars will be part of the day’s tasting experience led by celebrity special guests as well.
Love It, Buy It, Give It!
Eventgoers can act on their fresh tasting notes by conveniently purchasing featured wines and spirits at a storefront immediately onsite, with a portion of proceeds going to the Deschutes Children’s Foundation. In fact, any interested shopper can stop by because the pop-up storefront will be accessible outside event gates. What’s more, an offsite liquor store also will offer featured brands for a period of time; that location coming soon.
Cocktail Week September 4-10 — 7 Days of $10 Cocktails!
Celebrity Wine & Spirits Festival kicks off with Cocktail Week September 4-10, in Bend, offering enthusiasts preview sips of celebrity branded spirits in unique cocktail creations at the area’s favorite restaurants and bars. It’s a week of 7 Days of $10 cocktails. More at BendWineandSpirits.com.
Tickets: Celebrity Wine & Spirits
Tickets range from $45 to $90 in advance at BendWineandSpirits.com. Exclusive seminars are a $50 add-on; seminar space is limited!
- General Admission. $45. Includes ten samples from a vast variety of renowned beverages gathered in one location;
- $90. All the benefits of general admission, plus one-hour early entry; sampling of exclusive brands; seminar & accompanying samples with renowned bourbon expert Fred Minnick; plus enjoy a VIP Lounge;
- Seminar are $50; GA or VIP ticket required:
o The Bourbon Gospel According to Fred. Bourbon Seminar with renowned Fred Minnick. The bestselling bourbon author is sought globally for his insight and vast knowledge of bourbon and whiskey;
o Whiskey & Music, A Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famer’s Passion. Whiskey Seminar with Neil Giraldo & his Three Chord Whiskey. Giraldo finds harmony with music and whiskey; “Celebrate music, honor those who make it, and remind us of the power of music to bring people together;”
o Diaries of a Bourbon Maker. Bourbon Seminar with Ian Somerhalder & his Brothers Bond Bourbon. The American actor shares his bourbon story, inspired by “two things we all cherish in life, time and quality.”
Wines, Spirits, Beer, Special Guests & Celebrated Sips
A bevy of sampling and tasting notes from special guests:
- Fred Minnick. Woodinville Bourbon. Bestselling author, podcaster and renowned bourbon expert extraordinaire, Minnick is first a wine and spirits writer. For more than a decade he’s led the Kentucky Derby Museum’s popular Legends Series of Bourbon, headlined innumerable bourbon sessions and events, and has consulted for many award-winning bourbon whiskeys. Minnick is recognized as THE scorekeeper of fine bourbons and is globally sought by makers and fans for his knowledge and enthusiasm for bourbon whiskey. His words are the gospel of bourbon.
- Neil Giraldo. Three Chord Whiskey. By Musicians in Support of Musicians. Giraldo presents his line of whiskeys, leads an exclusive tasting seminar and shares samples of his proprietary collection with guests. Giraldo was inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame as musician/songwriter/partner of Pat Benatar, who also happens to be his wife! His work has sold 45 million records worldwide.
- Ian Somerhalder. Brothers Bond Bourbon. Actor and TV star perhaps best known for his role as Damon Salvatore in The CW’s The Vampire Diaries. His small batch whiskey with a “One of a Kind Taste” will be presented in his exclusive tasting seminar and in general sampling.
Celebrity Wines & Spirits & Beers to sip & savor, include, but not limited to:
- Floyd Mayweather. Good Money Canadian Whisky. A premium spirit that embodies the essence of luxury, success and unparalleled quality;
- Mary J. Blige. Sun Goddess Wines. Produced with love and passion from sun-kissed vineyards owned by the Fantinel family in Friuli Venezia Giulia;
- Brad Pitt. Miraval Rosé. Created from grapes selected from the richest parcels of land on the legendary Miraval estate;
- Ryan Reynolds. Aviation American Gin. Distilled using a proprietary maceration recipe that produces a pure medley of botanical flavor;
- The Chainsmokers. JAJA Tequila. 100% Blue Agave grown for 8 years in Jalisco, mixed with volcanic water and proprietary yeast. Double distilled and aired, yielding sweet, herbal flavor;
- Kendall Jenner. 818 Tequila. Seven-year-old agaves from family farms in Tequila’s Los Valles region of Jalisco, sourced by skilled jimadores and aged in Oak barrels, sustainably produced;
- LeBron James. Lobos 1707. Multi-award-winning tequila aged in sherry-bathed oak, creating a smooth and elegant Tequila in the tradition of distillers in Mexico and Spain;
- Adam Levine. Calirosa. The infusion of red wine notes results in a remarkable transformation of the tequila’s profile;
- Jon Bon Jovi. Hampton Water Wine. “Disrupting the wine category,” a rockstar-created rosé blending the best French wine and the Hamptons in a laidback style;
- Jay-Z. Armand de Brignac Blanc de Blancs. Chardonnay cuvée is crafted from fruit sourced from traditional Chardonnay territory, the Côte des Blancs;
- Mark Wahlberg. Flecha Azul Tequila. Voted number one sipping tequila in the world, 100% Blue Weber Agave, volcanic water and yeast; no additives;
- Michael Bublé. Fraser & Thompson Whiskey. Elegantly blended, with a distinct flavor profile of sweet fig, blood orange and a subtle finish of caramel and vanilla;
- Jamie Foxx. Brown Sugar Bourbon. Ultra-smooth blend of cinnamon and brown sugar-infused whiskey, easy to mix, easier to shoot.
Visit & Follow for More
For the latest on Celebrity Wine & Spirits Festival, visit Celebrity Wine & Spirits Bend and follow on Instagram and Facebook @bendfestivals
Saturday, September 14 | 1-4pm
Bendistillery Tasting Room | Home of Crater Lake Spirits
Presented by Volvo Cars Bend
Benefiting the Deschutes Children’s Foundation
Tickets on Sale Now | $45 at BendWineandSpirits.com
About Lay It Out Events:
Lay it Out Events is Central Oregon’s premier events company, and produces over 20 festivals, races, and contracted events annually. Over the past decade, these events have yielded more than $320,000 for local charities, enhancing the community through vibrant events. The Lay It Out Events portfolio includes the renowned WinterFest, Bend Fall and Summer Festivals, The Little Woody, Cascades Wedding Show, Balloons Over Bend, and Theater in the Park.
About R Entertainment:
R Entertainment is an experiential marketing, content and business development company, producing 200 dates a year. The company celebrates 12 years managing and programming Pepsi Amphitheater; produces music and culinary events such as the ten-city Martha Stewart Wine & Food Experience; Celebrity Wine & Spirits; Great Life Festivals; PGA Waste Management Phoenix Open; Scottsdale 4th of July Celebration at WestWorld; Pratt Brothers Christmas; Arizona Diamondbacks Evening on the Diamond; DiscOasis Los Angeles, among others. Corporate events include Fund Launch, Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli private events; Kentucky Derby Fillies & Lilies Party; Final Four Sponsors Ball; Super Bowl events, among others. R Entertainment also books concert talent for numerous Native American casino showrooms and provides a range of services for festivals and events.
BendWineandSpirits.com • layitoutevents.com • R-Entertainment.com
