El Paso, Texas (KFOX14) — Wine lists have a way of making people feel like they should already know what they are doing. Then you see a bottle priced at several hundred dollars and start wondering what could possibly be happening inside that glass.
That question came up during our conversation with Andy Whatley and David Silva of the Rotary Club of El Paso as we previewed the 13th annual El Paso Wine & Food Festival. The two-day festival returns to downtown El Paso on Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026.
The festival started as a Rotary Club fundraiser 13 years ago. Since then, it has grown into a full weekend built around wine, food, live entertainment, local art and the culinary talent developing right here in El Paso.
“It’s been an amazing run for us,” one of the organizers told us.
The 2026 festival carries the theme “A Toast to World Peace” and gives guests two very different ways to experience the event.
Friday’s Chef Showdown puts culinary students to the test
The weekend begins Friday evening with the Chef Showdown, a live culinary competition featuring 12 teams from the Culinary Institute by Southwest University.
Students will create original dishes and pair them with wine, beer and bubbly. Festival guests get to taste the results while seeing what these emerging chefs can do under the pressure of a competition.
This was one of the parts that caught our attention because it gives the students a chance to show their skill in front of the public, local chefs and restaurant owners. It also gives attendees more than a finished plate. They get to experience the thought and technique behind a successful food and beverage pairing.
Saturday brings more than 400 wines to downtown El Paso
Saturday’s Grand Tasting is the festival’s largest event, bringing together more than 400 wines from around the world and food from approximately two dozen El Paso restaurants. Guests can also enjoy live music and local art throughout the afternoon.
The scale is impressive, but the selection process is what makes the tasting especially interesting.
“We primarily look at the quality, and we also look at what is being served at restaurants,” one of the Rotary organizers explained.
That means guests may encounter wines they have seen on an expensive restaurant list but have never wanted to order by the bottle without knowing whether they would enjoy them. At Winefest, they can explore different regions, producers and styles before deciding what is actually worth revisiting.
Some of the featured wines are the kind of high-end bottles many people rarely get an opportunity to taste. For anyone who enjoys wine but feels intimidated by a long restaurant list, the festival offers a much more practical way to compare pours and figure out what they genuinely like.
Honestly, that is the part that makes the experience more approachable. You do not have to arrive as a wine expert. Curiosity works just fine.
Festival proceeds stay in the El Paso community
The weekend also serves a larger purpose for the Rotary Club of El Paso.
“One hundred percent of the proceeds of this go to the community of El Paso,” one of the organizers said.
Festival proceeds help support Rotary programs such as its long-running Christmas celebration for Head Start children, RotaCare El Paso and the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy.
The Head Start Christmas program has been part of the club’s work for more than a century. The organization also supports access to medical care and leadership opportunities for young people in the Borderland.
That community connection gives each ticket a second purpose. Guests get an evening or afternoon of food and wine, while the funds raised continue supporting local programs after the festival is over.
How to attend the 2026 El Paso Wine & Food Festival
The Chef Showdown takes place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6. The Grand Tasting follows from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7.
Both events will be held in downtown El Paso near the corner of Main Street and Mesa Street. General admission, VIP and weekend ticket options are available through the festival’s official website.
What we liked most about this conversation was how clearly the different pieces fit together. The wine brings people in. The chefs and restaurants make the experience distinctly El Paso. Then the proceeds help Rotary continue programs that serve the community throughout the year.
You may arrive looking for a new favorite wine. You will leave knowing a little more about what is happening behind the glass and where your ticket money goes.
El Paso Food and Wine Festival 2026 (Courtesy: KFOX14)