Sweepstakes offers shot to win truly epicurean experience during 15th annual Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival

Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival returns this fall for a 15th year of unforgettable flavors, award-winning chefs and global culinary experiences rooted in Hawai‘i’s rich culture and ingredients.

Organizers — in collaboration with festival partners Hawaiian Airlines and OUTRIGGER Resorts and Hotels — are celebrating the 15th anniversary by bringing back a salivating shot at sinking your teeth into the annual epicurean experience.

The Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival 2025 Summer Sweepstakes kicked off this week.

One lucky winner will win a trip for 2 to the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival on O‘ahu, with a grand prize package that includes:

• 160,000 HawaiianMiles for travel on Hawaiian Airlines.
• 4-night stay at OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Paradise Hotel.
• Two priority access tickets to the Hawaiian Airlines Presents Decanted grand tasting Nov. 1 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center in Honolulu.
• Two tickets to Cirque Du Soleil ‘Auana at the OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Beachcomber Hotel.

It’s a prize package worth a total $5,700, providing the winning food and travel enthusiast an opportunity to attend the festival in style and immerse themselves in Hawai‘i’s vibrant culinary scene.

U.S. residents who are 21-plus years old are eligible to enter. Visit the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival website and follow the instructions to submit an entry form.

Participants can increase their chances of winning by entering once day until 11:59 p.m. Aug. 4 to be eligible. The sweepstakes is limited, however, to just one entry per person/email address per day.

One winner will be selected at random and notified by email on or about Aug. 7.

The main event — Hawaiian Airlines Presents Decanted at Hawai‘i Convention Center — is a wine lover’s oasis, boasting a grand tasting experience with world-class wines poured by acclaimed winemakers, proprietors and sommeliers.

Priority access tickets get their holders early entry into the event.

These VIPs get an entire extra 1 hour — before general admission ticket holders even see a plate — to enjoy culinary creations prepared by 20 of the nation’s top chefs, including several Honolulu favorites such as Jason Peel of Nami Kaze, Michelle Karr-Ueoka of MW Restaurant and Artizen by MW and Wade Ueoka of MW Restaurant.

View the full official sweepstakes rules online.

The 15th annual Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival is scheduled for 3 weekends from the middle of October through beginning of November on three islands:

• OCT. 17-18: Hawai‘i Island.
• OCT. 24-26: Kāʻanapali, Maui.
• OCT. 30-NOV. 2: O‘ahu.

Click here to see the full schedule.

More than 100 world-renowned chefs and culinary personalities join wine professionals and mixologists this year to showcase their talents while highlighting the diverse flavors and bountiful local ingredients that make Hawai‘i a true culinary destination.

As the only festival that requires participating talent to use a locally grown, raised or caught product in their dish, Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival attendees are treated to culinary creations they won’t taste anywhere else while directly supporting the Aloha State’s local agriculture, ranching and fishing industries.

Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival — organized and produced by nonprofit Hawai‘i Ag & Culinary Alliance — has grown into the premier epicurean event in the Pacific and largest food and wine festival in the state since its inception in 2011.

The festival has raised more than $5 million for local culinary, agricultural and community organizations.

“In 2024, we saw a record number of tickets purchased by out-of-state visitors, reinforcing Hawai‘i’s growing reputation as a top culinary destination,” wrote festival Chief Executive Officer Denise Yamaguchi and Co-Chairmen Roy Yamaguchi and Alan Wong in a letter included in the 14th Annual Recap Report for the 14th annual Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival. “This was further validated when Hawai‘i was named the U.S. state with the best food scene by Escoffer, as reported by Travel + Leisure — a recognition that reaffirms what we have long championed: Hawai‘i’s chefs, farmers and food producers are second to none.”

This milestone 15th year celebrates the flavors of Hawai‘i while highlighting the festival’s ongoing commitment to culinary and agricultural education.

This year’s theme “FEAST” honors the powerful connection between food, education, agriculture, sustainability and tourism — the foundational pillars that shaped the festival and reflect Hawai‘i’s identity.

Looking ahead, leadership is excited to deepen its impact beyond the festival, too.

“The Hawai‘i Ag & Culinary Alliance is evolving to strengthen the link between our world-class culinary events and advancement of culinary education — from community colleges to 4-year universities,” their letter in last year’s festival recap report added. “By doing so, we aim to elevate Hawai‘i’s culinary and agricultural sectors, enriching both the visitor industry and local community.”

You can find additional information about Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival and Hawai‘i Ag & Culinary Alliance by visiting the festival website.

Get connected with them, too.

Follow Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival on X/Twitter and Instagram @HIFoodWineFest and Facebook @HawaiiFoodandWineFestival for sweepstakes information, event details, tickets plus more.

You can also find videos from past festivals, other sponsored events and more on the Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival YouTube channel.