Taste Washington, the largest single-region wine event in the country, had record attendance earlier this month. Over 7,500 guests attended the Grand Tasting, which took place March 15th and March 16th at Lumen Field Event Center in Seattle. More than 1,000 people attended other Taste Washington signature events.

“This was a big win for Washington wine,” says Lacey Lybecker, owner of Cairdeas Winery, which poured at the Grand Tasting. “The energy was really high and people were engaged and curious. It was a bright spot for the industry.”

This year’s Grand Tasting featured 200 wineries and 75 restaurants. This was the 25th Taste Washington, and some said it was among the finest.

“The event was the best it has ever been,” says Alan Holtzheimer, owner and winemaker at Silver Bell Winery. “The entire event had a great vibe. Tasters asking great questions, wineries seemed very optimistic about 2025, and the food vendors were amazing.”

The increase in attendance also brought a more varied crowd to the event. “I was really happy with the wide range of demographics,” Lybecker says. “It was one of the more diverse crowds I’ve seen at Taste Washington.”

Taste Washington is owned by the Washington Wine Commission. (Full disclosure: I consult for the Washington Wine Commission on educational matters.) The event paused from 2020 through 2022 due to the pandemic.

The pause included needing to find a new producer for the event. This is the third year that SE Productions, a Seattle-based event management company, has produced Taste Washington.

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