By Josh Cross

Twenty-eight years ago, the WineFest didn’t exist. The Atascadero Lake was fairly quiet in June. There was no large community gathering where friends met to dance by the lake, swapped thoughts about their favorite wine with dozens of winemakers, or enjoyed a tasty bite of local cuisine with their neighbors. This all changed with a small team, led by Barbie Butz. The goal was to connect our Atascadero community with their neighbors, friends, and family to enjoy some of the best the Central Coast offers. They also decided that this festival would help support the Charles Paddock Zoo, the only zoo on the Central Coast accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a part of globally managed programs to preserve animals and their habitats. 

Now, twenty-eight years later, the Atascadero Lakeside WineFest has raised thousands of dollars for our beloved zoo, helping to establish several new exhibits that we all know and love, like the new Cerrado Aviaries Exhibit, and many more. This festival has also helped shine a spotlight on our incredible artists right here in our backyard. It also provided a really easy way for folks to experience what wine country has to offer without driving hours over the Central Coast to try it all. Most importantly, the WineFest has brought our great community together year after year. It’s become such a time-honored tradition that last year we SOLD OUT of tickets. 

What does the Atascadero Lakeside WineFest have in store this year? Well, we’re kicking things off on Saturday, June 21, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Atascadero Lake Park. That means four hours of festival fun! We’re continuing the sought-after Roar & Pour Experience, letting you get Free entrance to the Charles Paddock Zoo during the festival to enjoy wine, beer, cider, and more while you get up close and personal with the wildlife. For those who love to dance by the lake, we’re rolling out the red carpet for Garden Party! They’ll be playing classic hits from the 70s. We also have a nice lineup of food vendors dishing out some mouthwatering meals. Last but certainly not least, we’ll have over 50 wineries sharing their award-winning wine, with the occasional beer, cider, and spirit tasting to shake things up. 

For additional information on what you can bring to the WineFest, a full list of vendors, and more, check out our website, AtascaderoLakesideWineFest.com! The team and I at the Chamber are excited for another amazing year celebrating community by the Atascadero Lake! 

New April Chamber Members

The Movie Experience at Colony Cinemas

atascadero.themovieexperience.com 

Martech BI / GarmentGraffiti.com

garmentgraffiti.com 

Coast Soft Tissue Rehabilitation

atascaderochiropractor.com 

Oak Ridge Estates

OakRidgeAtascadero.com 

Salt & Vine Bodyworks

saltandvinebodyworks.com 

All My Stars Photography

allmystarsphoto.com 

Atascadero Cooperative Preschool

atascooppreschool.com 

ITECH Solutions

itech-solutions.com 

T & R Plumbing

tandrplumber.com 

Importaciones Oaxaca (Organic Hair Care)

(559) 470-8963

Upcoming Events

Register for upcoming events at atascaderochamber.org

Membership Mixer At The Portola Inn

Thursday, June 19 | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

6650 Portola Rd, Atascadero

Atascadero Lakeside WineFest

Saturday, June 21 | 4 to 8 p.m.

Location: Atascadero Lake Park, 9305 Pismo Avenue, Atascadero

SLO CAL Wine Passport

Experience wine country! Complimentary tastings all year long. On sale now, while supplies last!

ATASCADERO NEWS MAGAZINE

Copies of Atascadero News Magazine are directly delivered to 11,500 readers in zip codes 93422, 93432, and 93453 and 1,500 dropped with support from advertisers and subscribers. Together, we are Making Communities Better Through Print.™

To subscribe or advertise, click here.