---

What is this delicious Wine & Food Week?
Wine & Food Week is a weeklong celebration of wine and fine foods containing over 40 events with a broad selection of offerings designed for both the novice and serious enthusiast. Featuring culinary treats and wines of all styles and prices. So not to forget the beer lovers we even have A special event for them as well as well! Launched in 2005, Wine & Food Week was enjoyed by over 4,000 participants, today it welcomes 10,000+ guests who enjoy one of the top destination culinary and wine events in the country. Please check out the event page to see all of the wonderful offerings of Wine & Food Week!

Where is Wine & Food Week being held?
In the beautiful suburban area of Houston Texas - The Woodlands! Most of the events will take place at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center.

The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center
1601 Lake Robbins Drive
The Woodlands, Texas 77380

The Wine Walk will be held on Market Street adjacent to The Woodlands Mall.
Market Street
9595 Six Pines Drive, Suite 6390
The Woodlands, Texas 77380

Frosted! Sip, Sparkle & Shine
TBD

The multiple events within the Wine & Food week will be at several different locations within The Woodlands area - those locations will be disclosed on each individual event description on our website.

What are the dates and time of the event?
Wine & Food Week as a whole will take place from June 6-12, 2011. Each event within Wine & Food Week will take place on different dates, times & at different locations. Please refer to the events page on the Wine & Food Week Website.

When & where can I buy a ticket?
For some larger Wine & Food Week events, tickets are available at the door at a slightly higher price than on line. VIP tickets will sell out in advance and there is no guarantee that tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

For the smaller events including luncheons, seminars and waterway tours, tickets are only available for purchase in advance. We recommend that you buy tickets online in advance, please proceed to the Ticket page to purchase tickets. http://www.wineandfoodweek.com/tickets.php.

Wine Dinner tickets are sold directly through the restaurant where the dinner will be taking place. For reservations please call the restaurant, the phone number can be found on the event page.

Do you accept credit cards or checks?
We do not accept personal checks. We only accept all major credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. At the event, we accept cash as well as credit cards. You must be 21+ with a valid ID to purchase tickets and attend the Festival.

What is your lost / return / exchange policy?
Please keep your tickets safe!! If they are lost, sorry there is no refund and no replacement. If you can’t come please try to find someone to take your tickets! There are no refunds for any reason. All ticket sales are final and nonrefundable. All tickets are only good for the event for which they were purchased and cannot be switched for another event.

What is the appropriate ID to get in?
You must be 21+ with a valid ID to purchase tickets and attend the Festival. All patrons must have their ID’s checked in accordance with TABC regulations regardless of age. Please be prepared to show your ID to the Ticket attendant. The proper IDs to get into the event include: a Driver License, a Passport, US military Identification card with a photo and birth date. *Note: the ID cannot be expired at the time of the festival

When does will call open?? I am so ready to be there!
Will call opens thirty minutes prior to the start time of each event.

How many wines can we taste?
As many as you want! There is no limit on how many wines you may taste. Each event varies in the number of wines there will be to taste; the Grand Tasting will have 400-500 and the H-E-B Wine Walk you can expect around 200 wines! Please drink responsibly. Spit buckets will be provided along with plenty of water.

Is there any food available at the events?
That answer depends on the event. Please check the events page for descriptions of each event. The descriptions will have information about the inclusion of food at each event.

To Wet your appetite! For the Grand Tasting Come Hungry! The Grand Tasting will feature culinary delights from some of the Nation’s best chefs and restaurants! The H-E-B Wine walk will feature delicious samples from various Houston area restaurants and of course H-E-B! Sips, Suds & Sliders will feature a delectable slider competition! Houston area chefs will be serving up some of the most unique sliders every created!

Are menus available in advance for any of the events?
We do offer menus in advance for some of the wine dinners if the chef wants to place it on the website. We will not accept requests to see the menu if the chef does not wish to post it. We may advertise on Facebook in advance the dish creations for the Grand Tasting, Wine Walk and Sips, Suds & Sliders, but there is no guarantee we will do so. If you would like to keep up to date with event information please visit our facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/WineAndFoodWeek.

Can I request a menu substitution?
We will not accept requests for menu substitutions. All menu items are at the discretion of the chef.

How many people will be there?
This answer also depends on the event. Wine & Food Week as a whole will see about 10,000 people come through during the week. The Grand Tasting will have around 2,500 – 3,000 people in attendance; The H-E-B Wine Walk will have around 2,000-2,500; Sip, Suds & Sliders will have around 1,000; The Wine Dinners, Boat tastings experience and seminars all have an attendance cap, so please check the specific event information for attendance information.

Where can we park?
Parking is available for the events held at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in the two parking garages adjacent to the hotel and there will be valet parking available for some events. Please note that payment for parking may be required, so please come prepared with cash. Parking for the H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street can be found in the parking garage attached to Market Street, in the H-E-B Parking lot, and in the Parking garage behind Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Please check The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center Website for more parking information.

Who benefits from Wine & Food Week?
The John Cooper School Signature Series benefits from the silent auction at the HEB Wine Walk. The silent auction will be held in Author and Artist Alley and will auction off wine and other lifestyle items. Each winery has graciously donated several bottles of their terrific product for the silent auction, so once you have strolled down Market Street come on by Author and Artist Alley to bid on your favorite selections!

Swing for a cure will benefit from the silent wine auction at the Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting and Chef Showcase. Each winery has been gracious to donate several bottles of their fabulous product for the silent auction. So after you have sampled the room, come on by the silent auction tables at the Grand Tasting the bid on your favorite wines. Your donation will go to a worthy cause! Houston Community College will benefit from the live auction at the Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting and Chef Showcase. The live auction will feature fine wine, lifestyle items, restaurant outings and destination adventures.

Will there be any water available?
Yes, water will be available at each event free of charge.

Can we bring our children, or our pets?
In accordance with TABC rules, no one under the age of 21 is allowed into any of the closed events. Under 21 includes infant, babies, small children, pre-teens and teenagers. Children will be allowed into the H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street as it is an open area. In accordance with Health Department rules, no animals (with the exception of service animals) will be allowed into the closed events. Animals are allowed in the H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street area.

When should I arrive?
For the big events, we suggest arriving 30 minutes before the event begins; big events include The H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street, The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting and Chef Showcase, Frosted and Sips Suds & Sliders. For the smaller events, we suggest arriving 15 minutes early.

Can we bring our picnic lunch, chairs and blanket?
You may bring these items to the event as there is a grassy area in the center of Market Street and there will be live music to enjoy.

What should I wear?
There is no official dress code for Wine & Food Week as a whole. Please dress in accordance with the nature of the event, (even though Texas weather can be a little unpredictable). H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street: Casual, we will be outside in the middle of the Houston Summer so dress accordingly. The Grand Tasting: Elegant Resort Wear. No t-shirts, jeans or cut-offs please. Jackets preferred but not required. All other events are business casual.

What if it rains?
The only event that rain will make a difference at will be the H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street. Knock on Wood! We have truly been lucky in the past and have always had the rain stop by the time the event begins! In the event of rain, the event will go on as planned! There will be no refunds, so bring an umbrella and come join us in the rain!

Are there places to sit down?
Grand Tasting: There will be limited tables and chairs to sit down and the VIP area includes a special limited seating area. H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street: There is no official seating area and we will not put out any tables or chairs at this event. There is a green space in the center of Market Street where the band will play and many patrons will sit on the grass or stairs for this event. Sips, Suds & Sliders: This event will be in the lobby of the Convention center of the Woodlands Waterway Marriott and there will be no seating. Wine Boats, Wine Dinners, Seminars, Luncheons: All include seating.

Are there special hotel deals for ticket buyers?
Yes there are special deals through the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center and other hotels in The Woodlands area. Please see the Travel page of our website to see the hotels featuring special deals.

Will there be police presence on site?
Yes, there will be police officers on site at all of the events. There will also be security from the venue on sight.

What if I am too intoxicated to drive?
Please drink responsibly! If you are too intoxicated to drive, please proceed to The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center Concierge desk and the attendant will be more than happy to arrange a cab for your ride home. You will be allowed to enter the parking area the following day to pick-up your car. You may also contact any of the event staff (anyone carrying a radio, wearing a Food & Vine Time Productions polo, or driving a golf card) who will be able to help you arrange a ride home.

Are events wheelchair accessible?
Yes, all events are wheelchair accessible. Please note that the Grand Tasting is wheel chair acceptable but there will be large crowds and wine and food tasting stations to navigate through and around.

Do you have all access passes available?
There is not one pass that will get you into all events, but we do have packages that will get you into several events. Please check our tickets page for these offers as they will be posted as they become available.

Rules for Entrance to Wine & Food Week Events

• Please be prepared to be carded at any age.
• Must be 21 years of age to purchase tickets, enter the event and sample alcohol
• No vertical Id's accepted
• No firearms may be brought onto the event grounds.
• No bicycles allowed on event grounds.
• No pets allowed (only service animals).
• No distribution of literature allowed within public easements or on festival grounds.