This wine and foodie is very excited to be once again attending the International Food Bloggers Conference in Sacramento — America’s Farm to Fork Capital– which starts today, September 28 and continues through October 1, 2017. I’m bringing some great California wine for the end of California Wine Month– who wants to do dinner on Friday or Saturday?
At the The International Food Blogger Conference, I will be joining approximately 300 food bloggers, writers, social media gurus, food industry members, and others for a long weekend of content, excursions, fun, and food. This year, the conference takes place at the Sacramento Convention Center. Not only the capital of California, Sacramento is the center of the nation’s food production industry. So many area farms, food companies, and wineries allows the International Food Blogger Conference to provide exciting content and plenty of fresh local food options.
Last year’s IFBC was also held in Sacramento; it was the first time for me to stay in our capital and the host hotel, the Hyatt, is located right across the street from the Capital building and park with vast lawns and majestic trees.
They even closed the street for our farm to table dinner — while a bit warm outside, this was definitely the highlight– the farm to fork meal was excellent, the table flowers gorgeous, and it was fun to dine outside with that view of the State building and park. Read more about it here.
Other highlights for me included a blind olive oil tasting — and learning about olive oils in general– and the exposition had so many inspiring bites to sample!
I first attended IFBC in 2011 when it was held in Santa Monica; while the dinner that year was a highlight, my favorite event was definitely the food truck lunch held at Santa Monica High School– that was my first time to experience a round up of different food trucks at once, and we were able to taste from numerous food trucks. So much fun! And what a feast!
While I had known about IFBC before, with it being held so close to home I really wanted to go — but then I was invited to speak on a panel about pairing food and wine and writing which made attending a no brainer– and my family came also. Other locations for the conference include five times in the foodie heaven of Seattle (and I really don’t know how I could have missed out on going all those times!) It was also held in Portland in 2012 where the Wine Bloggers Conference was also held that year, and in New Orleans (also in 2011).
Highlights from this year’s conference include tonight’s Wine Tour, tomorrow’s expo, Saturday’s Live Food and Wine Blogging, and Sunday’s excursion to Amador County. Unfortunately, I will be driving up during up during tonight’s Wine Tour and will miss out! There was also a scheduling snafu: this weekend is Yom Kippur, an important holiday for observant Jews, but after a valiant attempt, it was not possible to find another weekend. And then there was a keynote snafu: the uproar about booking someone from a company that steals blogger content led to a new keynote speaker. Instead, the conference kicks off at 9:45 – 10:30 AM with Keynote Speaker: Nick “Nicky Bobby” Papadopoulos of CropMobster (Ballrooms 202/203).
Other sessions I am looking forward to range from writing scroll-worthy blog posts, upping my photography game, and one on Instagram — and maybe I will finally join that social media platform for reals!
I am disappointed that there is not a big dinner this year as that social and dining event has always been a favorite for me. Instead, on Friday from 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM we’re having a Picnic Lunch in the California State Capitol Park with Nugget Market –should be a blast!
But I probably won’t be too hungry after tomorrow’s Expo, Taste of Sacramento & Gift Suite (West Lobby) from 4-630pm where we’ll enjoy wine, catching up with old friends and meeting new ones, checking out this year’s goodies and takeaways, and meeting sponsors.
Not sure how hungry I’ll be after Saturday’s final session: from 4:30 – 5:30 PM is Live Food & Wine Blogging (Ballroom 202/203). While I have done many Live Wine Blogging events, this will be my first time tasting 10 different food and drink products in small-group encounters over a 50 minute period while live blogging, Tweeting, and using other social media platforms in real time.
Read my live blogging report from the 2010 Wine Blogger’s Conference in Walla Walla, WA: red wines.
Read my live blogging post about white wines from 2010 WBC.
Not great but not bad!
So I probably won’t go too hungry, plus the conference hotel is the Residence Inn of Sacramento and each room has a kitchenette so I can whip myself up something… or not!
So hey, who wants to do dinner? I’ll bring the wine!
What a great way to close out California Wine Month!
wine predator.............. gwendolyn alley 