Buellton Wine & Chili Festival

Buellton Wine & Chili Festival is a food and wine festival held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, from 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Flying Flags RV Resort in Buellton, California. The inaugural event features tastings from over 30 wineries, craft breweries, seltzers, ciders, and spirit companies alongside chili and salsa from over 20 competing cooks. Guests vote in People's Choice awards across five categories: best red chili, best chile verde, best salsa, best booth showmanship, and best red and white wines.

The Hot Chili Ticket ($65 for ages 21+) includes a souvenir wine glass, unlimited wine and beverage tastings, live entertainment from Maclovia, Salty Strings Band, and DJ F.I.U., and unlimited chili and salsa samples. A Mild Chili Ticket ($25) serves guests under 21 with the same food offerings but no alcohol. Children 6 and under enter free. The venue sits adjacent to Sideways Inn, making it convenient for weekend stays in the Santa Ynez Valley wine region.

Parking is available at Pea Soup Andersons (376 Avenue of the Flags), a short walk from Flying Flags. The Brew Bus offers round-trip shuttle service ($30) from Santa Barbara, Goleta, Lompoc, and Santa Maria, with pickups beginning at 10:30 a.m. Door tickets cost $75 (Hot Chili) and $35 (Mild Chili). The festival combines competitive chili tasting with wine sampling, making it a unique blend of food and beverage competition in California's Santa Ynez Valley.