San Diego Spirits Festival 2026: two days of sips by the sea.

Two days, one waterfront museum, and more good spirits than any reasonable person could get through in a weekend. The San Diego Spirits Festival took over the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego on September 26–27, and if you weren't there, here's what the room felt like.

First, the venue. MCASD sits right on the water in La Jolla, which means every pour comes with a Pacific Ocean backdrop whether you planned the shot or not. It's the rare festival where the setting does half the work — golden hour hits different when there's a coastline involved.

What the weekend was actually like

Booths everywhere, each one pouring something they'd clearly thought a lot about. The people behind the tables weren't just serving — they were talking, explaining, obviously proud of what was in the glass. That's what separates a real spirits festival from a trade show with snacks: the pour comes with a story.

Booth game strong. The pour always came with a story.

The crowds told you where to go. The booths with genuine energy had lines. The rest had space. By day two you could read the room like a menu — follow the noise, find the good stuff.

The soundtrack. A festival pours better with a beat.

The @chefshanu recap

I shot the weekend and cut it into a 16-clip recap carousel — pours, reactions, the room, the view. Carousels over reels for this one. A festival deserves to be sat with, not scrolled past at double speed.

The numbers came back strong: 897 views, 61% from non-followers, 33 likes, 10 comments, 4 saves, 2 shares. For a recap posted after the tents came down — when the FOMO window is technically closed — that's content traveling on its own legs.

The full carousel is live on my Instagram. Go watch it thirsty.