La Jolla Art & Wine Festival 2026
Brian Robertson – With Hurricane Rachel slowly approaching the San Diego coast last week, the 2026 La Jolla Art & Wine Festival (LJAWF) recently kicked off for their 18th year (17th in service due to Covid). With seagulls squawking overhead and dogs up for adoption barking on the ground, the pet and family friendly event opened to the public a couple of Saturdays aga at 10am. The slightly overcast day was a welcome break from the recent heatwaves, but it was overshadowed by the colorful and vibrant works that were scattered across Girard Avenue in La Jolla from Torrey Pines Road to Prospect Street. La Jolla was officially founded in 1887 and has a history of culture and creativity as it became an artist colony back in 1894 so it’s only fitting to continue the tradition of an art festival here that supports the community.
Photos by Golnessa Amini
The La Jolla Wine & Art Festival featured more than 170 artists from across the U.S. and Mexico, showcasing beautiful works in a variety of mediums from paintings, sculpture, jewelry, glasswork, ceramics, woodwork, photography, printmaking, and mixed media. This year’s featured artist for the festival was Doug Merskin, a Florida-based mixed media artist with studios in Florida and California. Doug transforms acrylic paints, mineral pigments, and metallic powders into sculpted, three-dimensional art pieces that pulse with the movement of the ocean. His boundary-pushing technique of heat-bending substrates breathes life into every piece.
Founder Sherry Ahern (a fulltime volunteer) created the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival in 2008 in the wake of the financial crash to help local businesses and public schools during economic decline. The mission for this non-profit organization is to bring needed funds to La Jolla’s public schools, art to the community, and promote La Jolla and its merchants supporting the vibrant neighborhoods. All profits raised benefit underfunded programs such as art, music, science, physical education, technology, and on-site medical care at all La Jolla public elementary, middle, and high schools. Since its inception, LJAWF has donated more than $1.7 million dollars to these schools for the educational benefit of more than 5,000 children.
Not only did Sherry start the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival, but she also founded the La Jolla Open Aire Market in 1998, where she is known as the ‘Head of Lettuce’. The original motivation for the market was to help fund a library and librarian since at the time, the school’s “library” consisted only of a small collection of books in the back of the auditorium. The first market was held on October 25, 1998, with 14 farmers and one artisan. The market has continued to grow and in addition to helping children, the market has become a vibrant weekly community event and gathering place for the entire La Jolla community. Currently it has over 120 vendors that support it every Sunday, and it is 28 years strong and counting and has since raised over $10 million dollars since its beginning to help the local La Jolla schools.
Sherry moved to San Diego from Detroit Michigan when she was just 2 years old and has lived here ever since. A former La Jolla Elementary School (LJES) mom and La Jolla community supporter and happily married for over 41 years and she has two children enrolled at LJES. Sherry was on the Friends of La Jolla Elementary, Inc. board, the school’s nonprofit education foundation. The love and support that she has for her community is shown as she is greeted and hugged by everyone that walked by.
With all of the walking you will do at the festival you will want to grab a bite to eat so it’s a good thing there’s some of the best local food vendors brought into downtown La Jolla. Vendors like Doggos Gus, House of Bao, Fusion Eats, and Isola Pizza Bar. Or, if you’re in the mood for something cold you can have some authentic New Zealand ice cream from Archie Bees (@archiebees_icecream) that had just launched Saturday. Owned and operated by Sherry’s daughter, Brianna Ahern, Archie Bees (named after their dog Archie) uses organic real fruit and local honey that is sourced from The Bohemian Bee (www.thebohemianbee.com) by Julian’s only Master Beekeeper, Andrea Supergan.
The LJAWF also had a wine and beer garden with over 35 participants featuring international wines, local craft breweries, and craft distilleries and spirits. Breweries like Novo Brazil Brewing Co. being poured out of the Tipsy Truck Mobile Bar, Pure Project, Mike Hess Brewing, Boochcraft Organic Hard Kombucha, Fuego Hard Alcoholic Ginger Beer, Paul Hobbs Winery, Outlaw Wine Company, Bernardo Winery, Artiste Winery, Blowfish Tequila, Chervona Vodka, Vieroma Cacao Liqueur, and many more. Many had a drink or two while live music played throughout the festivities keeping their spirits high as rain started to set in. You could rock out to Josh Weinstein, the Seaside Seranaders, the San Diego Opera, go back in time with Paging the 90’s, or dance to some yacht rock with Captain’s Orders, Pop Vinyl, and Full Strength who were voted San Diego’s best cover band five years running. You could also enjoy the roving entertainment throughout the LJAWF like the dancers from Seaside Arts Center in San Diego.
Like every year before, since day one, the Geppetto’s Family Art Center offered engaging activities for children of all ages like the La Jolla Youth Robotics with exciting robotics demonstrations, Momentum Acrobatics, Seaside Arts Center and Rosin Box Project. Activities ranged from face painting and balloon twisting to interactive visual arts projects like the interactive art mural by Brandon Fuqua, aka Barfo (@barfalamul) for the young, and the young at heart.
It’s not just an art and wine festival, but an area where local vendors sold their wares. Like first time attendee Glow and Behold (glowandbeholdlotion.com) which was founded by longtime friends Shannon Dunn-Downing, Olympic medalist and pro snowboarder, and Kelli Noonan, San Dieguito’s Earl Warren Middle School math teacher and wellness enthusiast. Their shared passion for healthy living inspired them to simplify what we put in and on our bodies. That journey led them to eliminate toxins from our homes and daily routines, starting with skincare made from the purest, organic ingredients. Small-batch, grass-fed (sourced from Wisconsin) tallow lotions and balm crafted with only the cleanest ingredients. I can only attest to their product by way of my partner (and photographer) since she was very enthusiastic at finding a vendor that sold this and since she purchased some and raved about their eye balm (Vital Eyes).
Along with a two-day silent auction, pet adoption stations, an all-star line-up of live entertainment, music, beer, wine, spirits, and gourmet food options, there was something for everyone to enjoy. If you ever get a chance to attend, bring your appetite and your wallet and remember to make room on your walls or space in your home because you’ll definitely want to bring something back with you. Rain or shine, or even an approaching hurricane, the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival is a great way to enjoy the weekend with family, friends, and pets.
