The most delicious time of the year approaches quickly. We are so happy you are interested in attending Savor Dallas with us Friday March 30, and Saturday March 31. We hope that this information will be helpful to your Savor Dallas experience.
Q. Does my ticket include the food and wine at each event?
A. Absolutely yes! You're welcome to try anything that is being served at any event you attend. Remember, though: Please drink responsibly. Savor Dallas has arranged for a special rate at a number of hotels located very close to the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, site of our largest events for the weekend.
Click here for Hotel Information.
Q. What do we wear? Well, it depends on the event.
A. Savor Dallas is an upscale event, but not stuffy. Dress the way you would for dinner at a nice restaurant or to go to a cool friend's party. Just to break that down for you, we have come up with this handy guide:
- Arts District Wine Stroll---casual to business---weather appropriate
- Reserve Tasting and International Grand Tasting--business to cocktail
Q. Where do we park?
A. If you're attending the Arts District Wine Stroll, Friday's best bet for parking is the Winspear Opera House "Red Self Parking lot". They have offered a great $5 parking rate for Savor Dallas. You can leave your car there all evening, too, if you want to stay in the Arts District and have dinner or are going to the Symphony.
- If you are a member of the Dallas Museum of Art or the Nasher Sculpture Center, parking is free at the DMA lot
- Saturday for the International Grand Tasting, the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas provides a self parking rate of $8.
- Take DART LIght Rail to the Arts District Wine Stroll. The "Pearl Street" Station is about two blocks from the Dallas Arts District.
Parking for the International Grand Tasting and the Reserve Tasting will be easy at the new Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. Self parking is only $8, with easy access to the Savor Dallas events. Valet parking will also be available. Information TBA on price.
Q. What happens if it rains, or snows, or sleets?
A. Savor Dallas goes on rain or shine.
Q. Where do I start the Arts District Wine Stroll?
A. Online ticket purchasers can check-in at any location by presenting your Savor Dallas voucher with barcode. You will be given a wristband, which will admit you to the all Wine Stroll venues: The Winspear Opera House, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, or the Meyerson Symphony Center. If you already have your ticket voucher, the DMA, Winspear and Nasher are better places to start, since the Meyerson may be a bit more congested. It is the only location where tickets for the Arts District Wine Stroll may be purchased "at the door" for the event. If you would like to buy a ticket for the Arts District Wine Stroll on the day of the event, they are available at the Meyerson Symphony Center, beginning at 4:30 on Friday March 30. You may pay with credit card, cash or check.
Q. What time should I arrive on Saturday?
A. On Saturday night, many people show up early to check-in. We are very appreciative that they don't want to miss a minute of the tasting. It does cause a bit of congestion. We think that there is a good plan in place to check-in everyone quickly and to get people in the door for a great evening of tasting once the doors open at 7 p.m. The registration area will be open at 6 p.m. The rush is usually over by 7:15 or 7:20. If you don't want to stand in line, we advise you to arrive about 7:10. You'll move through registration--where you will get your wristband, Savor Dallas tasting glass, tasting guide and official program, and be inside for tasting pretty quickly. The choice is yours.
Q. Are tickets available at the door?
A. YES, for all events, except "premium events". There is generally room for more people to attend the two big events, the Arts District Wine Stroll (purchase at the Meyerson Symphony Center) and the International Grand Tasting (at main registration in the lobby of the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas ).
Q. Can I bring my children?
A. Sorry. No. This is an adult-only, over-21 festival; IDs will be required to verify age and all adults will be clearly marked as attendees and participants. The only exception is the Arts District Wine Stroll, and this is only if the child is in a stroller. This is not a place for toddlers, or active kids who would rather be on the playground. Children and teens don't belong at an adult beverage event.
Q. Where is Savor Dallas located?
A. There are maps and details for each event on the website.
Q. Is Savor Dallas moving away from Dallas?
A. No. The event is expanding. The very popular Arts District Wine Stroll takes place in Downtown Dallas. We will have a very cool music, wine and food event in Oak Cliff at The Kessler Theatre in Bishop Arts. The Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, a new, state-of-the-art facility adjacent to the Las Colinas Town Center, is the new home of the Reserve Tasting and the International Grand Tasting. This is a beautiful facility, a work of art in and of itself, that will give us more room to stage the events, and provide some wonderful covered outdoor terraces to use for tasting and entertainment events (weather permitting). Inside is comfortable and easy to get around. The Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas is only 10 minutes north of downtown Dallas. It's very conveniently located between MacArthur and O'Connor Road on Highway 114.
Q. Who's serving at each event?
A. There are details on every event in which you are interested.
Click here.
Q. How many wines will there be?
A. Each event features different wines with over 400 wines, beers and spirit samples offered during Savor Dallas.
Q. Can I purchase wine at the festival?
A. Texas law prohibits the sale of wine or any alcoholic beverage at Savor Dallas. All of the beverages featured at Savor Dallas are available for sale at better retail package stores. Please hold onto your Savor Dallas Tasting Guide so you have a list of your personal favorites.
Q. Will there be food?
A. Friday's Wine Stroll is designed as a wine and Arts District appreciation event. Very limited food is available for this event. Usually cheese, fruit, bread, and other nibbles are available at each venue. There is ample food Saturday at both the Reserve Tasting and the International Grand Tasting, with over 60 top chefs providing samples of their cuisine.
Q. I'm from out of town. Where should I stay?
A. Check out current offers from our lodging partners.
Q. Where is will-call?
A. Will-call will be located at the entrance to each event and will be available one hour prior to the events. Will-call for the Arts District Wine Stroll will be at the Meyerson Symphony Center.
Q. Can you really walk around with a glass of wine during the Arts District Wine Stroll?
A. No. You must empty (consume or dump) your wine glass before you leave one stroll area to reach another. Wine cannot leave any of the Stroll venues.
Q. Does Savor Dallas donate any money to charity?
A. We have raised over $150,000 for our non-profit partners. 100% of Silent Auction sales goes to the North Texas Food Bank. We also contribute to the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association Chef Scholarship Fund. In addition, In the past we have donated money to the Booker T. Washington High School for the PerformIng and Visual Arts. Savor Dallas has donated thousands of dollars of Savor Dallas tickets to worthwhile charities for their fundraising efforts through the years. Several of our satellite events raise money for non-profit organizations associated with food and wine.
Q. Will there be live entertainment?
A. We always have some great live musical accents at the Arts District Wine Stroll (piano at the Meyerson, guitar at the Nasher for example, and more) and at the International Grand Tasting we expect to have two or three live music setups for our next event.
Q. Where are the events being held?
A. Click here.
Q. Is there a designated driver program or a non-drinking ticket?
A. Yes. These tickets are discounted, attendees will receive different credentials and no wine glass for the event. Please call our offices to get these tickets: 888-728-6747.
Q. Is there shuttle service or some kind of transportation available from the International Grand Tasting at the Irving Convention Center to the nearby hotels?
A. Please check with your individual hotels. Most of them offer this as a courtesy service to their guests. We are also planning to offer some kind of "Tipsy Taxi" service on Saturday evening--just in case. Details TBA.
Q. What if I buy tickets and can't come to the event?
A. We are sorry. Just like a sporting event, there are no refunds after February 29, 2012. Refunds requested prior to that date will be subject to a 20% handling fee (based on purchase price).
Q. What if my question is still not answered?
A. Call us at the office, we are happy to help (877) 328-2783.
I hope this recap is helpful. We look forward to seeing you at Savor Dallas: Celebrating Wine, Food, Spirits and the Arts!
Cheers! and à votre sante!
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