By 
By Barrett Holmak Leak
Although the seasons change in America’s Finest City, life is almost always a summer breeze of pleasure and this year is no exception. Summertime will still be on tap as autumn begins with the opening of the annual La Jolla Art & Wine Festival on September 28 and 29! The High Holy Days or Days of Awe are late this year so the festival is happening early. Not only will you be having a marvelous time, you will be helping children get better educations in La Jolla’s public schools, and that is a dream come true for festival founder Sherry Ahern.
It’s All About The Giving
Ahern conceived of this weekend as a way to raise money to bring art and music to La Jolla public schools. People commonly and erroneously think children in La Jolla are all in private schools. However, La Jolla is not incorporated as its own municipality, so it has public schools. These schools are within the San Diego Unified School District—and the district says it does not have funds to provide the art and music children need. What is life without art and music?
This is why Ahern and Brenda Chand are the forces behind the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival Foundation, a non-profit organization. With great warmth and enthusiasm, Ahern shared that it is dedicated to the Jewish value of tzedakah, or giving back. The event proceeds will support art programs, bring in an art teacher and fuel art and music initiatives. The festival also gives back by bringing art to the community and promoting La Jolla merchants and the culture of La Jolla.
Free Family-Friendly Fun
This family-friendly event features great fun for children. The Geppetto’s Toys Family Art Center features balloon twisting, dance performances, face painting, live entertainment and music. La Jolla Youth Robotics, The Living Coast Discovery Center, Seaside Arts Center, and Science Guys of San Diego are offering interactive installations and visual arts projects, a robotics installation and visual arts projects.
There is also a two-day silent auction that people can participate in using their mobile phones and there are pet adoption rescues that participate.
“It’s a day or a stay,” said Ahern. “Some people make a weekend of it so all the hotels and guest homes in the area are full. This has become a huge weekend for everyone.”
She is spot-on about that. There a so many things for people of all ages to eat, drink, do and see.
Exquisite Art
What makes this annual family-friendly festival so enjoyable is that it not only offers delightful tastes through its many refreshing beverages, it also perfectly pairs exquisite beer, wine and spirits with international art masterpieces from nearly 200 artists from the U.S., Mexico and around the world.
“This is a juried art show,” said Ahern. “We had so many great entries and the artists selected are some of the best in the world.”
Festival participants will have the opportunity to stroll Girard Avenue and other streets in La Jolla Village as they view and acquire quintessential pieces for themselves, their homes and offices. Mediums include ceramics, fine hand blown glass, jewelry design, painting, sculpture, jewelry design, fine glass, ceramics, mixed media, photography and wood work.
Roy Kerckhoff is this year’s featured artist, a mixed media artist and photographer who integrates wooden, concrete and steel structures with naturally soft organic forms.
Tasty Beverages
Beverages for connoisseurs of all types will be on display at the wine and beer garden, with Diego County regional wines as well as international vintages from dozens of wineries. But there is something for more than oenophiles. Breweries and distilleries will also offer beers and liquors that are painstakingly made from a diverse set of recipes.
In case you are unaware, San Diego’s local wineries have seen a steady increase in business (a new wine-tasting room is opening in La Mesa, next to Bougie’s Cheese Shop). San Diego also bears the distinction of having one of the most dynamic and exciting craft beer cultures in the United States of America.
Beer, spirits and wine merchants participating in the festival include local favorites Pali Wine Co., Bird Rock Fine Wine, Puesto, Boochcraft, IZO Spirits, Solento Tequila, and more.
All are welcome: Whether you are seeking to enjoy a tasty beverage as you look upon beautiful things or you are a sophisticated connoisseur seeking a beautiful piece of art, there is something for you here.
Music? Yes!
Yes, there will be dancing. That is because there will be foot-moving, hip-shaking, head-nodding music of all types: guitar virtuoso Mark Langford, improvisational jazz duo Ride Share, operatic selections delivered by the San Diego Opera, versatile vocalist Maria Christina (pop, soul, ballads and more), multi-tribute R&B dance band Paradygm, Jimmy Buffet Tribute Band (hey, it will be 5 o’clock all weekend in La Jolla!), some reggae and dub from Top Stock, and much more entertainment will pump up the volume—you will be singing, dancing and moving to the groove.
Your Ticket Is Waiting!
Tickets for the Wine & Beer Garden are priced at $50.71 for five tastings and $72.34 for 10 tastings. Prices include service fees. Viewing the art, enjoying the live entertainment and other events are free.
Prices will increase on the day of the event.
For more information, visit www.ljawf.com.
Barrett Holman Leak is an author, educator and the creator of Playing Together Project, a Jewish non-profit whose mission is to unite Black and/or Jewish San Diegans over a common love of film, food, music and art. She is a former TV/radio news anchor and reporter as well as the former director of a non-profit organization in Denmark where she worked with diplomats from around the globe to create large-scale cultural events. When she’s not working she mothers Shalom, Shiloh and Shlomo.
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