2024 marks the 21st anniversary of the Encinitas Rotary’s Wine & Food Festival. Since its inception, the festival has raised over $1.4 million for local nonprofits, including the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce.
This year’s festival features over 50 food and beverage vendors with live entertainment from Celeste Barber in the beautiful setting of the Encinitas Ranch Golf Course.
Many people attend just to hear Celeste, and come back year after year for the lamb chops from Promiscuous Fork, the “Cardiff Crack” prepared by the Rotary Home Team and to sip delightful California wines. www.encinitaswinefestival.com.
One of the returning vendors this year is John Simonelli, Encinitas Chamber of Commerce member and former president of the Encinitas Rotary Club.
John spent 30 years as an executive at ABC Supply company before retiring, and is now serving on boards, volunteering and growing his own tequila brand, Venga.
John was sampling tequilas in the Cancun airport shops in 1995 when the thought came to him: Americans deserve to know there are good tequilas out there. Some are meant to be savored, not thrown back in a shot glass. After decades of traveling across the border, connecting with locals, and learning about the cultural importance of tequila and the life-sustaining agave plant, Venga Tequila was born.
“Venga has been a labor of love and persistence,” he explains. “The backstory of its name and bottle design are as unique as its taste. Our mission has always been to share with others the marvelous world of the great tequila experience.”
John invites everyone to come to the Wine & Food Festival and taste Venga for themselves.
“This year’s festival will have all the fun and interaction as in the past, just more of it! It’s all about sipping, interacting, laughing and connecting in a relaxed atmosphere. You must come to the booth to hear the stories of the Venga name, bottle design and taste profile, and make Venga memories!”
“To me, the basic entry fee to participate in life is giving to and helping others. Supporting events like the Wine & Food festival help the Encinitas Rotary and Encinitas Chamber give back to our local community.”
His perfect day in Encinitas?
“Walking one of the many beautiful trails of Olivenhain, and then spending the afternoon at the Encinitas Wine & Food festival, of course!”
