Albany Wine And Chocolate Festival

Albany Wine And Chocolate Festival is a grand tasting wine festival held annually in Albany, New York — organized by Galaxy Events and scheduled for Saturday, February 14, 2026, at The Desmond Hotel, 660 Albany Shaker Road. The event runs in 2 ticketed sessions — 1–4 pm and 5–8 pm — giving attendees a structured, crowd-managed format across the hotel's winding layout of vendor spaces.

The Albany Wine And Chocolate Festival brings together wineries, distilleries, cideries, and a meadery from across New York State for unlimited free samples included with paid admission. Confirmed participants for 2026 include over 20 producers, among them Keuka Spring Vineyard, Three Brothers Wineries and Estates, Thousand Islands Winery, Ashley Lynn Winery, and Albany Distilling Company, alongside meaderies like Bee Spit Meadery and cideries under the same roof. Each attendee also receives a souvenir wine glass at no additional cost. Beyond wine, the festival features a Chocolate Fountain — each ticketed guest receives a pass to walk through the chocolate buffet — plus vendors selling chocolates, cheeses, and specialty sweets. Bottles of wine and spirits can be purchased at festival pricing, and a free Wine Check service lets guests store purchases while they continue sampling.

Practical details worth knowing before buying a ticket: the festival offers a Designated Driver ticket for non-drinkers or guests under 21, which includes bottled water and a souvenir item. All attendees must present ID at the door and are wristbanded accordingly. Tickets are non-refundable but transferable. Galaxy Events notes that past editions have sold out in advance, making early ticket purchase advisable. Mobile ticket delivery is accepted at the door. The Desmond Hotel, also the official festival hotel, offers a room block under group code WCF; reservations can be made by calling 518-869-8100.

Albany sits at the northern edge of the Hudson Valley wine region, and the Albany Wine And Chocolate Festival draws producers from multiple New York AVAs, including the Finger Lakes — home to Keuka Spring Vineyard — as well as Hudson Valley and Thousand Islands producers. New York's Finger Lakes region is particularly known for Riesling and cold-climate red varieties, giving the festival a cross-regional character that reflects the breadth of the state's wine industry.