Last weekend, crowds came out to shake off the winter blues and have some fun in the sun at Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. Wine connoisseurs and food aficionados sipped and sampled all the pleasures and indulgences at the 16th annual Sun Wine & Food Festival.

The fun-filled weekend commenced on Thursday with Boston Brews and Bites. The new event added an extra day to make it a four-day weekend party and kicked off celebrating all things Boston with Boston-based chefs preparing tailgating favorites and the opportunity to meet Boston athletes like Pedro Martinez and Paul Pierce. On Friday, guests were introduced to the world of sophisticated, top shelf bourbons paired with BBQ bites from Bear’s Smokehouse and cigars from BoutiqueCigar.com. On Saturday, the Grand Tasting showcased over 1,000 varieties of wine, beer and spirits from local exhibitors in the expansive 125,000 square foot Earth Expo Center. The afternoon was filled with celebrity chef demonstrations from Marcus Samulesson, Aaron Sanchez, Alex Guarnaschelli and Todd English. After guests warmed up at the Grand Tasting, they made their way to the Vintage Cru presented by Bobby Flay. The Saturday afternoon soiree allowed guests to sniff, swirl and sip high-end wines. On Saturday night, 20 celebrity chefs prepared signature dishes and mingled with guests in an intimate setting at the Uncas Ballroom. The weekend festival wrapped up with a Sunday Country Brunch buffet hosted by country stars Martina McBride and Kimberly Schlapman from Little Big Town with Food Network sensation, Anne Burrell providing cooking demonstrations, sitting down for Q & A session and ending with a book signing.

Record numbers attended the weekend festival that seems to grow in popularity each year. The Sun Wine & Food Fest beckoned foodies from all around the region to enjoy a four-day event featuring some of the leaders in the hospitality industry.

Hope to see you next year! For more information visit: www.mohegansun.com