Capitola Art and Wine Festival

View on map
Food & DrinkCapitola
Dates12–13 September 2026Confirmed listing
Duration2 daysListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forRegional food & drinkThe festival's setting is unusually scenic
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: USD
CategoryFood & DrinkFestival type
The story

Capitola Art and Wine Festival in Capitola

The Capitola Art and Wine Festival is a mid-September event along Capitola Village's Esplanade overlooking Monterey Bay, founded in 1982 by local organizers and joined a year later by the Capitola Chamber of Commerce, which added wine tasting and gave the event its current name. It now features more than one hundred fifty fine artists and craft vendors alongside Santa Cruz Mountains wines.

Its beach-town setting and wine/art format give it strong regional appeal.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

The festival's setting is unusually scenic for an art fair: the Esplanade steps directly down to the beach in the small seaside village of Capitola, giving visitors ocean views alongside the artwork on display

02

The mystery stays covered

Its founding by three local organizers, Carrie Jacobson May, Barbara Reding, and Eric Johnson, as a fifty-artist village art show in 1982 shows how modest the event's origins were before the Chamber of Commerce's addition of wine tasting the following year transformed it into a combined art-and-wine event that now draws well over a hundred fine artists and craft vendors

03

The city starts moving

Wine tastings pour specifically from the Santa Cruz Mountains American Viticultural Area, tying the festival to a specific, well-regarded regional wine identity rather than generic tasting offerings

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

The festival continues California's regional wine-tasting festival tradition

Water and renewal

Living ritual

specifically showcasing Santa Cruz Mountains AVA producers

The sacred route

Living ritual

alongside a juried and vendor fine-art marketplace format common to coastal California village art fairs

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

12–13 September 2026

Getting around

Driving from San Jose or Santa Cruz is common.

What to wear

Light layers for a mild Santa Cruz County coastal September, with cool, often foggy mornings burning off to comfortable 60s-to-low-70s-Fahrenheit afternoons and a steady coastal breeze off...

Safety

Use normal food-market caution, hydrate, and leave time between crowded stalls.

Where to stay

Capitola or Santa Cruz

Tickets/cost

Entry may be free while tastings, meals, or special tables are paid locally.

Language/currency

USD

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map36.97 N, 121.95 WOpen in Google Maps

Capitola, CA

TransportDriving from San Jose or Santa Cruz is common.
Stay areaCapitola or Santa Cruz

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Capitola via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Capitola, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for September.Compare faresFestival gearLight layers for a mild Santa Cruz County coastal September, with cool, often foggy mornings burning off to comfortable 60s-to-low-70s-Fahrenheit afternoons and a steady coastal breeze off the bay.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for United States and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Capitola Art and Wine Festival?

Capitola Art and Wine Festival is listed for 12–13 September 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Capitola Art and Wine Festival take place?

The festival is listed in Capitola, United States. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

2 days is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Capitola, CA

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLcapitolaartandwine.com
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed dates12–13 September 2026
Source statusOfficial source linked
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