The McMinnville Wine & Food Classic’s inaugural year was 1994; the year St. James became a tuition base school.

The Classic was held at the Armory with an attendance of 1,653.  The original steering committee, Steve Allen, Steve Bernards, Chris Browne, John Desmarteau, and Stan Primozich were all parents of St. James Catholic School at the time.  With the demand to find new sources of funding, the McMinnville Wine and Food Classic was born.

It has grown from a small community event into a prosperous destination event that is a showcase for the many wineries, vineyards, artisans, chefs, and agricultural products Oregon and the Pacific Northwest offers.  It remains a vital source of funding for the school.  Many thanks go out to our 300+ volunteers. With attendance reaching up towards 10,000 visitors, the parents of St. James students and the friends of St. James School dedicate countless hours towards the success of this event. 

The McMinnville Wine & Food Classic is highly regarded by all our vendors, sponsors, attendees, and volunteers as the premier event of its kind.

With so much gratitude to all of you who make the McMinnville Wine & Food Classic success, we Thank You!

Come and see why so many people call the McMinnville Wine & Food Classic an event not to be missed!

If you would like to help make the 16th Annual Wine & Food Classic the most successful yet, please fill out the volunteer request form, here.