Overview The Food and Wine Classic in Aspen is Food and Wine magazine's three-day June festival, built on more than 80 events in a weekend: cooking demonstrations, wine and cocktail seminars, dinners, late-night parties and five sessions in the Grand Tasting Pavilion, where more than 150 winemakers, distillers and food producers pour. The pavilion stands in Wagner Park at the base of Aspen Mountain, in the middle of downtown, and the rest of the program spreads across town. On site In 2026 the Classic ran 20 cooking demonstrations, all served with tastings, on subjects from wagyu and steak technique to Indian regional cooking, Caribbean flavor, Japanese frying and noodles. More than 50 wine and cocktail seminars ran beside them, including Victoria James's Champagne and fried chicken pairing. Alpine Escapes added yoga, sound baths, hikes and meditation that year. Restaurant and hospitality workers have their own track, the American Express x Resy Trade Program, held at the Aspen Art Museum and expanded in 2026. Talent and Influencers The 2026 chef bill included Bobby Flay, Maneet Chauhan, Andrew Zimmern, Nancy Silverton, Tyler Florence, Stephanie Izard, Tiffany Derry, Gregory Gourdet, Claudette Zepeda, Shota Nakajima, Chris Shepherd and SK Kim of COQODAQ, with Owen Han making his debut and Phil Rosenthal on the program. On the wine side Ray Isle, June Rodil, Bobby Stuckey and Amanda McCrossin led sessions, and the 2025 class of Food and Wine Best New Chefs had its own programming. Track record The Classic was first held in 1983, and 2026 was its 43rd year. Wine educator Mark Oldman came back that year for his 20th. In 2026 donations raised through the weekend went to the Southern Smoke Foundation and No Kid Hungry through the magazine's Food and Wine Gives program. Brand presence American Express runs the Trade Program with Resy. Partner levels on the listing run from a presenting partner, which carries naming rights to a marquee event, to Epicurean partner and Local Hero. Partners can pour at a branded tasting station, host their own tasting lounge, sponsor a cooking demonstration with a Top Chef alum and bring guests on VIP all-access passes that include backstage meetings with the chefs.