Meet Emily Kaufmann | Executive Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Kaufmann and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
California Wine Festival is proud to support local charities in the coastal communities where our events are held. We work closely with Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, Surfrider Foundation, Sandy Feet Initiative and Golden Rule Charity. We strive to shine a spotlight on these amazing non-profits while giving a portion of our proceeds to help support their missions.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Over twenty years ago, I co-founded the California Wine Festival with a vision to bring wineries from all over California to one beautiful waterfront location. I wanted to provide wine lovers an opportunity to taste wines and speak with winemakers from as far north as Mendocino County and Napa Valley and as far south as Temecula Valley all in one afternoon. Highlighting and educating consumers about wonderful wine regions of California has always been the mission of the California Wine Festival.

The first event was in Santa Barbara with a very small team and now the California Wine Festival hosts 2-day weekend festivals in four beautiful California coastal cities including Santa Barbara, Dana Point, Carlsbad and Huntington Beach. I am so proud of the brand we have built and the experiences we can offer to our attendees. I have learned that surrounding yourself with a great team who has the same goal of creating an amazing festival for our wineries, sponsors and guests is key to a successful event. If someone is looking to learn more about the wines of California in a fun and accessible environment, please join us for our next festival, oceanfront in Huntington Beach on November 10-11 at the luxurious Paséa Hotel & Spa.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If you were to come to Huntington Beach, I’d say you definitely need to spend time at Huntington City Beach, the most iconic of them all, although Huntington Beach has many award-winning beaches and a fun dog beach for pet lovers. Of course you need to spend time at the Huntington Beach Pier nearby, which you’ve probably seen photographed somewhere in the past. You can’t visit “Surf City USA” without visiting the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum where you can witness the “World’s Largest Surfboard”! Check out Pacific City nearby for some world-class shopping, and let your hair down with some live country music at Old Crow Smokehouse.

Pacific City also has some top restaurants like Bluegold for stunning ocean views and coastal California cuisine, as well as a hidden door that reveals a small outpost called LSXO for classic Vietnamese eats, old-school hip hop & cocktails. To experience Hawaiian vibes, check out Duke’s Huntington Beach for delicious Hawaiian-inspired dishes like kalua pork, roasted fish and poke bowls or sip on a mai tai at their Barefoot Bar. Top off your night at Tanner’s Treehouse at Paséa Hotel & Spa. This is Huntington Beach’s best-known rooftop bar and really does resemble a treehouse! Also, Paséa Hotel & Spa is the ultimate place to stay where coastal chic style and beachside luxury meet.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My special shoutout without a doubt goes to my mom. She has taught me the value of hard work, problem solving and a “never give up” attitude. Her unwavering support and encouragement throughout my life has brought me to where I am today.

Website: http://californiawinefestival.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/calwinefest

Twitter: http://twitter.com/calwinefest

Facebook: http://facebook.com/calwinefest

Image Credits
Luis Esparza Photography