Angela May speaks with Sandra Siepak about the Ojai Wine Festival.
Event Overview and Fundraising
The Ojai Wine Festival is celebrating its 38th year in 2026. This annual event takes place on the third Saturday of every June from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is hosted at the Lake Casitas Recreation Area on a beautiful lakefront event site.
Organized by the Rotary Club of Ojai West Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the festival serves as the club’s primary fundraiser.
The proceeds support both local and international grants, including local scholarship programs, with over $60,000 granted locally and $80,000 in total funds distributed.
Attractions and Activities
The festival is a family-friendly, relaxed event where attendees are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets to set up along the lakefront. Key attractions include:
- Beverage Tastings: Featured selections from 30 to 40 curated, smaller wineries that typically lack grocery store distribution, alongside roughly 20 breweries, cideries, spirit companies, and various non-alcoholic options.
- Commemorative Glass: Attendees receive an updated, large crystal wine glass for tastings.
- Wine Judging: A serious wine-judging competition is held in partnership with the Sommeliers of the American Riviera (STAR).
- Free Boat Rides: Guests can take a complimentary trip on the Rotary Floating Classroom, a science-based educational boat program funded directly by the festival’s proceeds.
- Silent Auction: Wineries and partners donate premium items for attendees to bid on.
- Artisan Village: Features craft vendors selling unique items like jewelry, clothing, wood crafts (such as custom cutting boards), and goods made from wine barrels.
Entertainment
Live music and dancing are central to the festival experience. This year’s featured entertainment is Area 51, voted the number one dance band in Santa Barbara. They specialize in a wide range of upbeat dance music from the 1960s through the 1990s, as well as current Top 40 hits.
Logistics and Attendance
The event typically draws an enthusiastic crowd of 1,500 to 2,000 people. Children under 12 are admitted for free when accompanied by a paying adult.
TV broadcast week beginning 05/17/26
Producer: George Alger
Sponsor: NONPROFIT FIRE, Google Ad Grants Community Building NonProfitFire.org
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