Hi there, I am Julie Calder from the Sales and Marketing team, and I am excited to write my first summer 2018 piece for the Get Local series. In the past, I have written about things I enjoy doing with my daughters, Avery and Hannah like horseback riding as well as hiking in Teton Village with my kids. This time, however, I wanted to focus on something very near and dear to my own heart- food and wine!
This week is a great time to be in Jackson Hole, WY, especially because one of my favorite Jackson Hole events, JH Food & Wine, falls on the summer solstice! The first event, Taste of Jackson Hole kicks off the annual JH Food & Wine summer festival on Thursday, June 21st. This event takes place at the Rendezvous Lodge on top of the Bridger Gondola with a beautiful ride to kick off your night. Imagine being over 3000 feet above the valley floor, on a deck, looking at the mountain and valley views while tasting some of the best food our valley offers along with local beer, fine spirits and wine from around the world. This is pretty much the perfect combination of everything. With your ticket, you get a signature glass at the entrance and an invitation to taste away. Local restaurants and eateries offer tastes of their signature dishes and top beverage producers pour a variety of libations to complement this amazing cuisine. All of this while looking at the Tetons…. sign me up!
I have attended Taste of Jackson Hole a few times in the past and have a few tips. First of all, you want to be ready to enjoy this event to its fullest- hands-free is good! Also, no matter what the temperature at the base, it can get chilly above 9000 feet so a wrap or layer is helpful! This is a great chance to dust off your Jackson Hole summer attire and get dressed up, or not! There is also an opportunity to practice your tomahawk throwing skills with New West Knifework’s. It is a wonderful chance to sample local restaurants before deciding where to eat during your time in Jackson. Be adventurous- try new things and taste new wines, you never know what you are going to like best!
There are several events associated with JH Food & Wine. Another favorite is Savor, which is hosted at the Mead Ranch on Saturday, June 23rd. Savor is one of the closing events for JH Food & Wine and it does not disappoint. My favorite part is being able to taste food from notable guest chefs as well as local chefs and sip on delicious beverages on an authentic, functioning cattle ranch owned by the Wyoming homesteading Mead family. The views are incredible and the setting could not be more Wyoming. This is another chance to pull out your cowboy boots. There is live music featuring the Canyon Kids, Jackson Hole’s very own providing the perfect Americana backdrop with music ranging from the classic honky-tonk to bluegrass and soulful rock and roll! We will all Savor this event as we savor summer in Jackson Hole.
Other events during the week include a wine tasting lunch called Big Wines, Small Plates on June 22nd, as well as several locally, hosted and sponsored dinners for the true foodies out there. The weekend will officially conclude with a late-night bar takeover event at Glorietta Trattoria featuring Death & Co. Denver. I can’t think of a better way to close out an amazing weekend at Jackson Hole Food & Wine! Please visit jhfoodandwine.com for more details and ticket information.
We even have partner lodging offers with JH Resort Lodging with condominiums and homes and 20% off their stay by using JHFWFest 18 at checkout on jhrl.com or call 800.443.8613.
I hope you can make it out to enjoy these events. Maybe the next time I will go back to writing about fun with kids, but for now I am ready for JH Food and Wine.