Home, Garden, Culinary & Wine Expo 2012 in Santa Cruz this weekend

The 2012 Central Coast Home, Garden, Culinary & Wine Expo takes place at the Cocoanut Grove in Santa Cruz from March 24-March 25 (10am-5pm each day). The trade show, which has long focused on topics including home improvement, gardening, sustainable living, and landscaping, is in its 17th year. It has just expanded from “Home & Garden” to add “Culinary & Wine.”

There are many fun elements to this event; here are a few highlights.

Cooking Demos: The culinary stage will feature rotating chefs including the executive and sous chefs from the Cocoanut Grove plus India Joze’s Jozseph Schultz and The True Olive Connection’s Susan Pappas. See full schedule below.

Wine: There will be lots of wineries including ones from the groups “Surf City Vinters” and “Summit to Sea Wineries” plus Bargetto and Silver Mountain. Cabrillo College culinary arts instructor and wine expert Sue Slater is presenting on “Wine Appreciation 101-From California to France.”

Gardening: The gardening stage will have experts including the Monterey Bay Master Gardeners (such as rose expert and author Joe Truskot), beekeeper Dana Mumm, and several individuals speaking on landscaping (topics such as succulents in landscaping, natives, sustainability, and feng shui).

Antiques: Doug Woolard from A&A Auction will be appearing from noon-3pm both days for antique auction appraisal.

Admission is only $3; children 12 and under are free with a paid adult. The first 200 people to arrive receive a free plant! For more info and a coupon, see event web site.

Culinary Stage Schedule

Saturday March 24
11am Lydia Greenspace
11:45am Chef Lisa Magadini
12:30pm True Olive Connection
1:15pm Cocoanut Grove Chefs
2pm Sue Slater on Wine
2:45pm Pono Grill
3:30pm Marc Jones Tasty Solutions Catering
4:15pm Peachwood’s Chef Dave Smith

Sunday March 25
11am Marc Jones
11:45am Chef Lisa Magadini
12:30pm True Olive Connection
1:15pm Cocoanut Grove Chefs
2pm Sue Slater on Wine
2:45pm India Joze’s Jozseph Schultz
3:30pm Peachwood’s Chef Dave Smith
4:15pm To Be Announced

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