It’s the favorite time of winter for everybody who loves ripping apart sea bugs and dunking them in melted butter: the Mendocino Seafood & Sips festival, which this year runs from Jan. 24-Feb. 2.
The 10-day schedule is as loaded as crab legs in a pot and features a sparkling wine and oyster celebration, Dungeness crab feeds, caviar tastings, cioppino dinners and weekend pairing specials at Mendocino wineries.
There will also be a crab cake cook-off and wine competition among local restaurants and vineyards, plus a special screening of the wine-country masterpiece, “Sideways.”
In between all the gourmand-y stuff, there are plenty of opportunities to take in the county’s oceanside attractions, from whale watching and fishing adventures to coastal hikes and art walks, according to tourism group Visit Mendocino County.
The roster of events is posted at Visit Mendocino County (visitmendocino.com/seafood-and-sips-2025), but here’s a sampling of what’s going on:
Jan. 25, 1-4 p.m.: Sparking Wine & Oyster Celebration
The caves at Saracina Vineyards are the setting for this afternoon feast with fresh-shucked oysters, wine pairings and bites from Left Coast Seafood, The Golden Pig, Cafe Poppy and Boonville Distillery. Tickets are $125-$150 (save $18.75 with promo code MendoBubbles) and available at destinationhopland.com.
Jan. 31, 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.: Cioppino Dinner
There are two timed seatings to choose from at this benefit dinner for Club Cardinal, a nonprofit that helps raise money for Mendocino high school sports. The events take place at the Little River Inn Restaurant and feature local Dungeness crab served family-style with baked bread for dipping, salad, dessert, coffee and “plenty of napkins.” Tickets are $75 at the door; check availability by calling the inn at 707-937-5942.
Feb. 1, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Crab Cake Cook-Off and Wine Tasting Competition
Sadly, all tickets to this popular event seem to be sold out. But add yourself to the waitlist by emailing events@mccinc.org and check for updates, including special seating at “VIP Circle of Claws” tables, at crabwinefestival.org.
Jan. 24-Feb. 3: Various events
Crab feeds at Mendocino clubs, auctions, raffles, weekend wine pairings (with caviar in one case), a screening of “Sideways” with wine tastings and more mark the festival’s entire run. For a detailed listing of events, check the PDF linked at the very bottom of the festival’s landing page.