The eighth annual Tucson Culinary Festival took place this weekend, bringing Tucson’s many wine and food lovers out. The four-day culinary festival began with the Margarita Championship, moved on to the Reserve (wine) Tasting, was topped off with a Grand Tasting and finished with the Copper Chef Challenge and Barbecue. The event raised money for the new Diamond Children’s Medical Center and brought out “”Top Chef’s”” Tony Abou-Ganim and “”Bon Appetite’s”” Barbara Fairchild.

The festival highlighted the Tucson Originals local eateries and highlighted a plethora of fine wine vendors. The event was well-attended; while many younger people and students came out for the first night’s event, the Reserve Tasting brought out Tucson’s wine connoisseurs. The Grand Tasting was a busy event that showed just how diverse the foodies of Tucson are. With much of the weekend being hosted at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, there was no lack of lavish to be found.

The annual event will return next October and is worth saving up for. While tickets to the Margarita Championship — a must-do featuring margaritas from dozens of Tucson’s best restaurants — generally start at $35, the Reserve and Grand Tastings are a bit pricier.

This event is just another example of the culture our town has to offer. Whether you’d like to try cocktails from a master mixologist or simply sample some of the finest fair Tucson has to offer, you’ll be satisfied at the Tucson Culinary Festival.