Newport Beach Wine & Spirits Festival Returns to Balboa Bay Resort for Memorial Day Weekend

Fun

Apr 29

Memorial Day Weekend in Newport Beach has its own rhythm and this year, it begins once again at Balboa Bay Resort with the return of the beloved Newport Beach Wine & Spirits Festival.

Now in its 21st year, the three-day celebration has become a longstanding tradition for both locals and visitors, offering a thoughtfully curated blend of fine wines, premium spirits, and elevated culinary experiences set against the harborfront backdrop. It’s the kind of weekend that effortlessly brings together great taste, great company, and the unmistakable energy of summer on the coast.

The weekend opens Friday evening with an intimate Winemaker Dinner hosted in the resort’s Lighthouse Room. Guests will enjoy a four-course menu by Executive Chef Diego Bernal, paired with expressive selections from JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery, known for its Bordeaux-style blends from California’s Central Coast. With guidance from Certified Sommelier Jason Santos, the evening is designed to be as educational as it is indulgent—set against sweeping views of Newport Harbor.

Saturday shifts the energy with the Grand Tasting, where more than 50 wine and spirits vendors come together for an afternoon of discovery. Guests can sample standout labels such as DAOU Vineyards, Chandon, and Perrier-Jouët, alongside a wide range of premium spirits including Casamigos, Belvedere, and Johnnie Walker. Culinary tastings, live music, and panoramic bay views round out the experience, while proceeds support the Balboa Bay Club Scholarship Fund, benefiting graduating students within the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

The weekend concludes on Sunday with Blanc on the Bay, a waterfront soirée set on the resort’s Bayfront Lawn. Guests dressed in coastal whites can expect a lively afternoon with a DJ, light bites, and signature pours—including the always-popular “Ring for Rosé” featuring Whispering Angel. It’s a relaxed yet elevated finale that captures everything people love about a Newport Beach summer.

Beyond the festival, Balboa Bay Resort continues to define the waterfront experience locally. With its private marina, resort amenities, and dining destinations including A+O Restaurant | Bar, the property remains a central gathering place for both residents and visitors. Recognized as a Forbes Four-Star and AAA Four-Diamond property, it blends longstanding coastal tradition with a modern, refined approach to hospitality.

For those looking to start the season on a high note, this is one weekend that consistently delivers.

https://balboabayresort.com/nbwinefestival/

About Balboa Bay Resort & Club

Since its opening in 1948, Balboa Bay Club has mastered the embodiment of timeless coastal elegance, nestled along the picturesque shores of Newport Beach. With its stunning waterfront location, luxurious amenities, and impeccable service, the “Host of the Coast” offers a social haven where members and guests have exclusive access to amenities as well as members-only events, promotions, and preferred pricing for food, drinks, shopping, and spa treatments. Balboa Bay Club is revered as a Newport Beach landmark and gathering place for residents, families and friends, located on fifteen pristine acres including a private marina and Members-only beach. Adjacent to the Club is Balboa Bay Resort, Newport Beach’s premier waterfront retreat offering stunning bay views and sunsets over Balboa Bay’s harbor, which opened to the public in 2003. Recently named the #1 Resort in Newport Beach by U.S. News & World Report, the Forbes Four-Star and AAA Four-Diamond property features 159 luxurious guestrooms and suites, offering relaxed yet refined accommodations. The celebrated culinary program includes signature waterfront restaurant A+O Restaurant | Bar; Blend Café; and in-room dining. Wellness amenities include a fitness studio, year-round heated outdoor swimming pool and whirlpool with poolside cabanas, and access to the Club’s full-service Spa and DryBar Salon. Balboa Bay Resort’s Recreation Concierge offers land and water sport rentals from the hotel’s private dock along with curated experiences and a robust Poolside Cabana program. Wedding and group offerings include the waterfront Lighthouse Room, Bayfront ceremony lawn and more, totaling nearly 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space. For more information, please visit www.balboabayresort.com and www.balboabayclub.com