The spectacular changing colors of autumn will stage a breathtaking backdrop for the much anticipated Steamboat Food and Wine Festival, which began Thursday and concludes Sunday.

The event, which is in its fifth year in Steamboat, features chefs from around the world as they congregate in the Yampa Valley to collaborate with local culinary artists, sommeliers and mixologists to produce a wide range of culinary creations paired with fine wines and spirits.

Nicole Jarman, the executive director who is overseeing the event, said that this year’s festival is unique in many ways.

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“The vision has always been to invoke curiosity and to invoke a journey from a culinary standpoint, a wine standpoint, and from a Steamboat standpoint,” Jarman explained. “The ethos is to encourage people to explore Steamboat while having a culinary journey.”

The event, which will take place throughout the area, will be hosted at 25 different locations in a wide variety of venues including galleries, ranches and others that are not typical to the culinary scene. Some of those locations include Alpine Mountain Ranch, Jace Romick Gallery, Mythology Distilling, Marabou Ranch, Haus of CuCu, Del’s Triangle 3 Ranch, Primrose, The Westerly and many others.

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Incredible locations will be paired with activities that include fly-fishing, gallery walks, horseback riding and an incredible 200-seat table-tasting on Yampa Avenue.

Local chefs such as Joe Campbell, Collin Kelley and Jon-Claude “JC” Stevens will be collaborating with culinary artists and food producers from around the world to bring attendees creations that are different from what might typically be offered in local restaurants.

Jarman said that planning for the event began in early 2023 and started as a “blank canvas” that chefs, sommeliers and mixologists then built up together into a menu-based collective evolution.

Regarding the selection of Steamboat as a venue for a food and wine event, Jarman said, “the talent here is incredible and it is really fun when I get to pair local culinary talent with talent that is from out of town.”

“It is not just the talent but the enthusiasm behind the talent and the excitement that has to do with the innovation,” Jarman explained. “You do not find that everywhere.”

There will be some unique food preparations including a massive smoker and a meal that is entirely cooked over a cinder block open fire pit at Alpine Valley Ranch, where the event kicked off Thursday night.

Additionally, there will be a wide selection of wines from around the world.

“Again, with the wines, we try to invoke curiosity,” Jarman said. “You will see some wines that you have likely never heard of.” These more obscure wines are balanced with a selection of wines that are more well-known and loved.

One of the main events of the festival will be the Grand Tasting, which will be at Torian Plum and Steamboat Square from 1-5 p.m. Saturday. Over 100 different wines and spirits will be combined with culinary creations that have been collaborated on for well over six months.

Attendees of the Grant Tasting can also elevate their experience to include the Elevated Pour, which allows unlimited access to a reserve wine selection as well.

More information and tickets can be found at SteamboatFoodAndWine.com/.