Mark Your Calendar: Manchester, Vermont’s Inaugural Food & Wine Festival is This May
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If you’ve been looking for a reason to visit Manchester, Vermont, in the spring, this is it.
The inaugural Manchester Food & Wine Festival is happening May 22–24, 2026, and it’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting new events in southern Vermont.
Three days of local food, curated wines, farm experiences, and Vermont artisans, all set against the Green and Taconic Mountains. It’s a weekend worth building a whole trip around.
Manchester is already one of the best places to visit in Vermont for foodies and outdoor lovers, with great restaurants, beautiful hiking, and a walkable village that is both polished and laid-back.
What’s not to love about adding a food and wine festival to the mix?
Here’s everything you need to know about the festival, including how to make the most of the weekend.
How the Weekend is Structured
The festival runs Friday through Sunday, with a mix of ticketed signature events and additional experiences scattered throughout the weekend. Each event is ticketed separately, which gives you a lot of flexibility; you can do the whole weekend or cherry-pick the events that appeal most to you.
A heads up: several events have limited capacity and are expected to sell out. If something catches your eye, don’t sleep on it.
Friday, May 22: The VIP Kickoff
The weekend opens with the VIP Preview Soirée: “A Taste of the Green Mountains” at the Equinox Golf Resort & Spa from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Think elevated tasting stations, curated wines, chilled seafood, passed hors d’oeuvres, live music, and the chance to meet some of the winemakers and chefs featured throughout the festival.
VIP guests also receive gift bags and early entry to the Grand Tasting on Sunday (with ticket purchase), a nice perk if you want to get ahead of the crowd before the main event opens to everyone.
Saturday, May 23: A Full Day of Experiences
Saturday is where the festival really expands, with a range of experiences that go well beyond the typical wine-and-cheese format.
In the morning, head to Woodlawn Creamery in Pawlet for a two-mile self-guided farm walk through the Mettawee Valley.
You’ll meet the Holstein herd, sample artisanal cheeses at scenic stops along the route, and leave with a Vermont gift bag. It’s a beautiful way to start the day, and a good reminder that Vermont’s agricultural traditions are as worth celebrating as the food and wine made from them.
The Southern Vermont Arts Center is hosting a guided lunch and exhibition experience in partnership with curATE Café, with a three-course meal paired with curated wines, followed by a preview of a new exhibit at Yester House. A welcome glass of wine and a stroll through the Sculpture Garden start things off at 11:30 am.
In the afternoon, the options multiply. Lost Marble Brewing, Manchester’s first, is offering a free behind-the-scenes look at the brewing process from 2 to 5 pm, no ticket required.
Over at Union Underground, there’s a relaxed beer-and-brats patio gathering featuring Lawson’s Finest Liquids from 3 to 5 pm, with two pours and food included with your ticket.
For something a little different, Local Maverick is hosting the Vermont Alpine Aperitif Experience from 3:30 to 5 pm, a guided three-course tasting that brings together Vermont vermouth, cider, and craft spirits in what’s described as a European-inspired aperitif hour.
I love this concept; it’s a nice way to explore Vermont’s craft beverage scene beyond beer and wine.
Saturday evening has two standout options.
At Hildene, the Lincoln Family Home, a farm-to-table tasting from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, pairs local wines and farm-fresh appetizers with access to the historic grounds and sweeping mountain views.
Later, Depot 62 Café is hosting a Mediterranean wood-fired dinner paired with Turkish wines from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, a fixed-price, intimate dinner with live music that sounds like such a fun evening out.
The Saturday night anchor is the Green Mountain Graze at the Barnstead Inn from 5:30 to 9 pm, hosted by Chef Amy Chamberlain. It’s a more open format: a composed central table of locally inspired dishes, passed bites, and tastings of wine, spirits, and craft brews, with Vermont producers on hand to share their stories. Flexible arrival makes it easy to weave into the rest of your evening.
Sunday, May 24: The Grand Tasting
This is the festival’s signature event, held at the Equinox Golf Resort & Spa from 1 to 4 pm (noon for VIP ticket holders).
It’s a walk-around tasting with a wide range of wines, regional producers like Shelburne Vineyard, Snow Farm, and Lincoln Peak alongside national and international selections, plus food from some of Manchester’s best restaurants, including Copper Grouse, The Reluctant Panther, Depot 62, and several others.
The Green Mountain Experience section brings together Vermont artisans and purveyors, Woodlawn Creamery, Grafton Cheese, Mad River Distillers, Mother Myrick’s Confectionery, and more, along with local shops and makers.
Every ticket includes a gift bag, and there are raffle prizes and live music throughout the afternoon.
The Vermont Alpine Aperitif Experience at Local Maverick runs again on Sunday from 4 to 5:30 pm if you missed it Saturday, and a progressive four-course dinner across Barrows House and the Dorset Inn wraps up the weekend on Sunday evening.
Plan Ahead
The Manchester Food & Wine Festival is presented with support from the Manchester Business Association, The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, and Farrell Distributors, along with local sponsors and partners.
Tickets are sold separately by event, and capacity is limited across much of the lineup. While you’re planning, check out our guide to the best things to do in Manchester, Vermont, to make the most of your weekend.
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