After missing the Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival (FWFWF) in 2025 because Mother Nature had other plans, myself and the lovely Mrs. Junell were able to make a return to the annual event at Clear Fork Ranch this year.
Oh, Mother Nature hinted that she might once again interfere, but she opted to hold off – and for that we are grateful. While we are always thankful for rain and the bounty it brings, I’m glad she took a closer look at the calendar and decided to wait a bit. And what a festival it was. But then, it always is. The folks at the Fort Worth Food and Wine Foundation (ironically, also FWFWF) know how to throw a party, as evidenced by the many who attended throughout the event’s four days.
“We sold approximately 5,800 tickets this year, and when you factor in chefs, volunteers, partners, media and team members, more than 7,000 people helped bring the Festival to life over the four day weekend,” said Julie Eastman, Executive Director of the Fort Worth Food and Wine Foundation.
“Fork + Fire alone welcomed nearly 2,000 guests, making it the largest single-day event in the Festival’s history.” We were a part of that history as we chose to attend the Saturday night event Fork + Fire. Nothing like a little vino, great food and music to make for a great weekend evening.
While sharing it with a couple thousand neighbors may sound a bit crowded, it never feels that way at the FWFWF. Everyone is enjoying the opportunity to be laid back, chit chat and even make some new friends – which we have done a few times, including this year.
“Fork + Fire was truly a dream realized,” Eastman said. “Bringing together festivals from across the state and showcasing the breadth of Texas cuisine in one place was everything we’d hoped it could be. It felt like a defining moment not just for our Festival, but for Texas food as a whole.” Texas has so much to offer, from mountains to the ocean. It only makes sense the food here would also be nothing short of fantastic – and that was proven at the Festival. And get ready for even more as the funds from the Festival go to helping young dreamers discover their own culinary careers.
By the way, kudos to the folks at the entrance gate for getting people in so swiftly. Having never gone to an evening session before, I had no idea that attendees line up from here to Amarillo to get inside. While it’s certainly well worth the long wait, had there been one, it didn’t take long at all to get in. The model of efficiency right there. But no matter which session you chose to attend, it’s impossible to not have a great time at the FWFWF. It just keeps getting better with something new added each year.
“We were also incredibly encouraged by the response to many of our new elements, from the BMW ‘Ride in Luxury’ experience to the expanded footprint and new partnerships that helped elevate the guest experience, including MBL Landscaping and Design, who did a beautiful job enhancing the grounds this year,” Eastman said. “It’s exciting to see how the Festival continues to grow, and we’re already having conversations about how these ideas can evolve next year.”
While tickets for the 2027 event aren’t officially on sale until Dec. 1, the dates have already been set for next year, April 1-4. In the meantime, Eastman encouraged folks to “Keep the momentum going” with upcoming events like their Reserve Wine Tasting June 4. Tickets for that event go on sale April 20. Check the Foundation website at https://fwfwf.org/.
