Southern Delaware Wine, Food And Music Festival

The Southern Delaware Wine, Food And Music Festival is an annual food and wine festival held each May in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware — now in its 10th year, it draws over 4,500 attendees and has raised more than $300,000 for local non-profits since its founding in 2015. Hosted by Creative Coastal Connections Corp., the 2025 edition takes place Saturday, May 30th from 12 noon to 4 pm at The Cambria Hotel in the heart of Rehoboth Beach.

The Southern Delaware Wine, Food And Music Festival is built around four concurrent program pillars: over 100 top-shelf tastes including unlimited samples of wines, cocktails, mocktails, and craft beers; small plates from Coastal Delaware's top chefs; live music from solo artists and bands performing across multiple styles; and the Chef Throwdown Competition — the festival's signature event, in which two teams of chefs face off in a "chopped"-style challenge using a mystery basket of ingredients, judged by celebrity judges. A silent auction and Wine Wall round out the programming, offering attendees opportunities to bid on prizes, experiences, and bottles of wine. With over 350 culinary and industry experts participating and more than 700 community volunteers involved across its history, the event operates at a scale that reflects a decade of consistent growth.

The 2026 charity beneficiary is Celebrate Wellness, a non-profit that supports the mental health of hospitality workers by providing education, resource connections, and financial assistance for therapy. Each year, the festival designates a new non-profit beneficiary, making the charitable component a structural part of the event rather than an afterthought. Attendees should note the new venue: The Cambria Hotel, described as a move to Rehoboth's most prominent event space. Ticket pricing had not been publicly confirmed at time of publication — check the official website at sodelfest.com for current availability.

Rehoboth Beach sits along Delaware's Atlantic coast, a region known for its proximity to the Chesapeake Bay wine corridor and Mid-Atlantic producers. The Southern Delaware Wine, Food And Music Festival reflects the coastal community's culinary identity, centering local chefs and regional artisans alongside a broad selection of wines and craft beverages.