The fourth annual annual Food & Wine Festival Palm Desert kicked off Friday in town, and it's slated to continue through Sunday.
Thousands of people are expected to attend the event March 22-24, which saw 2,875 patrons last year, according to organizers.
More than 100 fine dining restaurants and wineries are taking part in the 2013 event which gathers "...the brightest and most inspired chefs from California for three extraordinary days of culinary and wine tasting under The Big White Tent on Larkspur between El Paseo and Shadow Mountain," a press release stated.
The festival includes cooking demonstrations, wine seminars, food from more than 50 local restaurants and food purveyors, and book signings. Featured chefs include Luciano Pellegrini, Martin Yan, Bradley Ogden, Sarah Moulton, Tanya Holland, Sharone Hakman and Alejandra Schrader.
"This event will be uniquely educational in focus, showcasing the Coachella Valley as a culinary destination," a release said.
The festival's Grand Tasting is Saturday and Sunday, tickets are $75. There are also several wine seminars scheduled throughout the weekend, which cost $25.
The festival benefits the Friends of the James Beard Foundation, the Culinary Institute of America's Endowed Scholarship Fund and Les Dames d'Escoffier.
For tickets and information, go to www.palmdesertfoodandwine.com.
