Drink Las Vegas: MGM Resorts Turns the Strip Into a Four Day Culinary Festival This September

A new hospitality festival spanning four Strip resorts will bring dozens of celebrated chefs, sommeliers and mixologists together this September, another sign of how seriously Las Vegas now takes its place on the global dining map.

A new kind of festival lands on the Strip

MGM Resorts is set to debut Drink Las Vegas, an entirely new culinary and cocktail festival, across four of its Strip resorts this September. Organized in partnership with the experiential events agency a21, the four day event runs from September 24 through 27, 2026, and brings tastings, seated dinners, cocktail programming and wine seminars to more than 30 venues across ARIA, Bellagio, The Cosmopolitan and Park MGM.

The scale sets it apart from the smaller food weekends Las Vegas has hosted in recent years. Rather than concentrating programming inside a single hotel, Drink Las Vegas spreads its footprint across an entire stretch of the Strip, treating the whole corridor as one connected stage for the city's hospitality talent.

The chefs, sommeliers and mixologists filling the bill

The chef roster reads like a highlight reel of the resorts' culinary partnerships. Jean-Georges Vongerichten headlines opening night, Wolfgang Puck and Michael Mina anchor signature dinners tied to their existing Strip restaurants, and Masaharu Morimoto, Tom Colicchio, Roy Choi and Mary Sue Milliken round out a lineup built from names that have shaped Las Vegas dining for decades.

Just as notable is the beverage side of the bill. Master Sommeliers Michael Engelmann, Jason Smith, Jesse Becker and Amy Racine are leading wine seminars, while mixologists Lynnette Marrero, Christine Kim, Meaghan Dorman and Jeremy Barrett are building cocktail masterclasses. That depth of sommelier and bartending talent signals the festival is not just a chef showcase with drinks on the side, it is meant to be a genuine celebration of the glass as much as the plate.

Marquee nights already drawing a crowd

Several of the festival's headline nights are already drawing serious attention. Opening Night with Jean-Georges Vongerichten takes place at ARIA's Yucca pool, with a VIP hour ahead of general admission. Bellagio hosts 24K: Caviar and the Classics inside The Pinky Ring, the venue tied to Bruno Mars's house band, pairing a caviar forward menu with classic cocktails. A separate evening, A Night of Excellence, is presented with the James Beard Foundation.

Demand has been strong enough that, as of late spring, three of the festival's social events, the Welcome Party, the After Hours late night gathering and the Closing Party, had already sold out. Individual ticketed events start above $275 per person, a price floor that organizers have compared to what earlier Las Vegas food festivals once charged for their headline tastings.

What it signals for Las Vegas fine dining

Drink Las Vegas arrives at a moment when the city's fine dining identity is shifting fast. The Michelin Guide's return, a wave of James Beard recognition for local chefs, and a steady stream of internationally acclaimed restaurants choosing Las Vegas for their debuts have all pointed toward a city competing on a genuinely global stage. MGM's chief content officer, Ari Kastrati, described the festival's programming as "bold, energetic and constantly evolving," a description that fits the broader mood of Las Vegas dining right now.

Proceeds from Drink Las Vegas benefit Keep Memory Alive and the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, the Cleveland Clinic's Nevada based home for brain research, giving the festival a philanthropic backbone alongside the star power. For those of us who care about the craft of a well built evening, from the pour to the plate to the pacing of a meal, it is encouraging to see that spirit celebrated at this scale on the Strip.

If a festival built around long, thoughtful meals sounds appealing, we would gently suggest starting closer to home. Pamplemousse Le Restaurant has spent years perfecting the unhurried, French inspired dinner, and a reserved table here is a fine way to build your own excellent evening, festival season or not.

Seven moments defining the first Drink Las Vegas

The festival is packed with programming, but a handful of moments capture what MGM is trying to build with this inaugural year.

1. Opening Night with Jean-Georges Vongerichten: The festival kicks off at ARIA's Yucca pool with a VIP hour ahead of general admission, setting the tone for four days of marquee dinners and tastings.
2. 24K: Caviar and the Classics: Bellagio hosts a caviar and cocktail evening inside The Pinky Ring, the venue associated with Bruno Mars's house band, pairing a luxe menu with classic drinks.
3. A Night of Excellence with the James Beard Foundation: A dedicated evening tied to the Foundation's mission brings together chefs recognized nationally for their craft, underscoring how seriously the festival treats culinary credibility.
4. Wine seminars led by Master Sommeliers: Michael Engelmann, Jason Smith, Jesse Becker and Amy Racine anchor a slate of tastings built for guests who want real education alongside the glass in hand.
5. Cocktail masterclasses from leading mixologists: Lynnette Marrero, Christine Kim, Meaghan Dorman and Jeremy Barrett bring craft cocktail programming that treats the bar side of the festival as a true co-headliner.
6. Signature chef dinners across four resorts: Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Masaharu Morimoto, Tom Colicchio, Roy Choi and Mary Sue Milliken each host seated experiences spread across the four participating properties.
7. A charitable throughline: Proceeds support Keep Memory Alive and the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, giving the festival's ticket prices a purpose beyond the plate.

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