Second Annual Traverse City Food & Wine Festival Set for Aug. 19-23

The lineup for the second annual Traverse City Food & Wine festival is coming together, running from Aug. 19-23, with award-winning chefs Andrew Zimmern and Anna Ansari joining the roster of guest chefs. // Photo courtesy of Traverse City Food & Wine

Traverse City Tourism announced the additions on Monday, along with new events for this year’s five-day exhibition of the culinary and beverage scene in northern Michigan. The event is presented by 4Front Credit Union and organized by Traverse City Tourism.

Guests are invited to come to Traverse City to enjoy the region’s produce, agricultural products, and flavors crafted by award-winning chefs – all set against the backdrop of West Grand Traverse Bay.

Four-time James Beard Award Winner, Emmy-winning creator and food television host Andrew Zimmern will appear with stories of his culinary travels and the impact of food in bridging social and cultural divides. His shows include “Bizarre Foods,” “The Zimmern List,” and “What’s Eating America.”

As a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the UN World Food Programme and The Nature Conservancy, he has worked to fight world hunger and promote social understanding through food. Zimmern will host an exclusive Evening at Black Star Farms with a nostalgic, interactive dinner and will appear at The Grand Tasting on Sat., August 22.

Ansari is a cookbook author and home chef who showcases her world travels in the pages of her new cookbook. “Silk Roads: A Flavor Odyssey from Baku to Beijing,” which was shortlisted for both the 2026 Fortnum & Mason Debut Cookery Book Award and the 2026 Guild of Food Writers Debut Book Award. Ansari has appeared on CBS Sunday Morning’s “The Dish,” “The Splendid Table” with Francis Lam, and “This is TASTE.”

New additions to this year’s schedule include:

An Evening with Chef Andrew Zimmern at Black Star Farms – Saturday, Aug. 22Afrim Pristine’s Estate Cooking Demo and Dinner at Black Star Farms – Wednesday, Aug. 19The Four Seasons: A Traverse City Wine Journey – Wednesday, Aug. 19Old World, New World Wine Dinner at Chateau Grand Traverse – Saturday, Aug. 22Cheese & Wine Masterclass with Maître Fromager Afrim Pristine- Thursday, Aug. 20Fire, Water, Earth & Air: An Elemental Wine & Food Pairing – Friday, Aug. 21Scavenger Hunt at French Valley Vineyards (Kid-Friendly) – Thurs and Fri, Aug. 20 & 21Beer vs. Wine Showdown – Friday, Aug. 21Pixnos and Pours Experience – A Multi-Vineyard Tasting Experience – Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 19 & 20The Art of Riesling Tour and Barrel Room Tasting – multiple datesOld World, New World Wine Dinner – Saturday, Aug. 22

A few of the premier events in the 2026 schedule include:

James Beard Foundation Dinner — Wednesday, Aug. 19: The festival’s opening night features an elegant al fresco dinner celebrating culinary excellence, with nine Michigan James Beard finalists teaming up to craft the wine-paired affair benefiting the James Beard Foundation.Ruth Reichl – A National Writers Series Conversation — Thursday, Aug. 20: Celebrated food writer and critic Ruth Reichl (Gourmet, The New York Times) talks about her career, her passion for food, and her latest fiction in an unscripted culinary conversation.The Grand Tasting — Saturday, Aug. 22: An afternoon event that includes chef demonstrations, dozens of culinary samples from local and guest chefs, and more than 100 locally made beers, wines, and spirits, returns as the festival’s signature centerpiece at the Traverse City Open Space. The Grand Tasting includes a fully redesigned VIP area with several award-winning local chefs and a curated beverage selection.Bubbles by the Bay — Thursday, August 20: Toast the sunset over the bay with some of northern Michigan’s finest wines crafted in the Méthode Champenoise, paired with music, small bites and decadent desserts.

Additional events will be added to the schedule in the coming weeks. Event and ticket information is available at TraverseCityFoodAndWine.com.