Encinitas Wine & Food Festival Raises $133K For Local Groups

ENCINITAS, CA — The Encinitas Rotary Club has distributed $133,000 to 17 local nonprofit organizations from proceeds raised during the 2026 Encinitas Wine & Food Festival.

The checks were presented Aug. 5 during the club's weekly meeting at the Encinitas Elks Lodge in Cardiff. The festival was held in June at Encinitas Ranch Golf Course and drew about 1,100 guests.

Now in its 23rd year, the festival has raised nearly $2 million for local organizations, according to the Encinitas Rotary Club.

Each of this year's 17 beneficiaries received a share of the proceeds based on the amount they raised through the event, rather than an equal portion of the total.

"These 17 organizations did the work, and this is their money coming back to them," said Brian Driscoll, president of the Encinitas Rotary Club. "What I like about the festival is that it gives a small nonprofit the same platform as a large one."

The 2026 beneficiaries were the American Association of University Women, American Cancer Society Relay for Life, Casa de Amistad, Del Sol Lions, Doors of Change, Dream Center Baja, Encinitas Chamber of Commerce, Encinitas Education Foundation, Encinitas Rotary Foundation, Labrats, MAEGA, Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA, Pacific Southwest CDC, Rancho Coastal Humane Society, Retread Housing, Solana Beach ECO Rotary Club and Solutions for Change.

The festival features food and drinks from local vendors and raises money for participating organizations.

The Rotary Club said a grant from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors helped offset some of the costs of staging the event.