Naples foodies have a date circled on the calendar: the USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience returns to the Paradise Coast Sports Complex on Saturday, Nov. 14, running noon to 4 p.m., with local restaurants, regional wine brands and mixology classes filling the venue at 3940 City Gate Blvd. N.
The event brings together food from local chefs, wine from regional and national producers, live music and mixology activities, according to Naples Daily News. General admission covers entry, a tasting cup, all food and beverage samples, and access to mixology classes, the outlet reports. The event's own website confirms samples from its lineup of local restaurants and food establishments are included with the price of a ticket, per USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience.
Mixology classes are scheduled at the bottom of each hour throughout the afternoon, but seating is limited and sign-ups go on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the event's website. Attendees should also know the event enforces a 21-and-older age requirement with valid ID, and it runs rain or shine, with no refunds available within two weeks of the event date, per the same site.
Who's Pouring and Plating This Year
The Nov. 5 Naples Daily News report names several of this year's participants, including Acqua Bistecca Estero Bay, The Bowl, Caiman Cantina, Chloe's Cookies, Chops City Grill, Chuck Lager Legendary Kitchen, Cline Family Cellars, Damn Good Catering & Events and Deep Lagoon Seafood. The report does not list every restaurant, vendor, winery or brewery confirmed for the 2026 event, so the full lineup remains unclear.
The annual event is presented by Publix, the outlet notes. Paradise Coast Sports Complex lists free on-site parking for the event, though the venue's own FAQ page advises visitors to check with the event organizer about parking arrangements for games, tournaments and special events, according to Paradise Coast Sports Complex.
Ticket Prices Vary Across Reports
Ticket pricing details differ depending on when you check. The Nov. 5 article states tickets cost $75 each and will increase to $80 on Nov. 13, 2026. A September report from the same outlet, however, described an early price of $70 rising to $80 on Oct. 4. The event's own website confirms prices increase to $80 on Nov. 13 but does not state the starting price in that passage. Whichever schedule applies, tickets remain available online.
For context on cost, the September report noted that tickets for the 2017 edition of the event began at $85 — higher than this year's advertised price point. Tickets can be purchased through the event's official site.
How This Year Stacks Up Against Past Turnouts
Attendance figures for the 2026 event have not been released. Past years offer some sense of scale: the 2019 Naples event at Cambier Park drew about 1,600 people sampling food from 34 local chefs, while a 2025 event report described an expected crowd of 2,400 with 24 restaurants participating alongside sponsors, vendors, wineries and breweries, according to Marco News. That 2025 event, held Saturday, Nov. 15, also at Paradise Coast Sports Complex, crowned Oak & Iron as Best in Show for its seasonal sangria and cheeseburger sliders, per the same report.
The USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience isn't a Naples-only affair this year. The September Naples Daily News report noted the 2026 tour also stopped in Phoenix, Arizona, on Oct. 24, placing the Naples date as one leg of a broader multi-city schedule.
