More than palettes and palates, the annual event brought tens of thousands to The Village of La Jolla for a weekend of artistry and community.
Steadily expanding beyond palettes and palates, the 17th annual La Jolla Art & Wine Festival entertained tens of thousands along Girard Avenue in The Village Oct 11 and 12.
A major fundraiser for the five public schools in La Jolla, the festival, founded by Sherry Ahern, closed down much of Girard, Silverado and Wall streets to host about 170 artist booths, a ticketed Wine & Beer Garden, pet adoptions, an auction, community organization tables, a kids entertainment area, a food court and more.
“We’re on the map,” Ahern said, noting spaces for the juried artists, selected to participate from hundreds of applications, sold out in May in fewer than 48 hours.
Sponsorship and the Wine & Beer Garden tickets also sold out quickly, with companies from local to international clamoring to sponsor, Ahern added.
Crowds came in a “constant flow,” she said, with artist after artist reporting steady sales and all adoptable pets spoken for by closing time. “It never stopped.”
Ahern established the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival to support programming at the five public schools in La Jolla; to date, the festival has donated nearly $2 million to the schools.
Final numbers for 2025 are not yet available, but Ahern is hoping each will receive at least $50,000.
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