Welcome to Fuyu Fest 2026

Fuyu Fest is the only sake festival in the Pacific Northwest, and sets itself apart by serving as a bridge between Japanese and PNW sake lovers, with a combination of tasting AND cultural/educational features. This February, join us for our fourth year of tasting, discovery, education and community!

Activities & Features

  • Sake Tasting

    The heart of the fest: ~100 different types of craft sake to taste and explore, while learning from brewers and the folks who work with them every day.

  • Demos, Talks & Experiences

    Expert demos, regional representatives, speakers & immersive experiences allow exploration beyond flavor: history, culture, food & more.

  • Food & Drink

    Look forward to a cozy Winter menu from local food, coffee, tea and snack vendors. In 2026 we're welcoming Obon Shokudo, Ippai PDX & Hey Day Mochi Donuts!

  • Coffee Ma 間

    Our good friends and resident Sunflower popup Slow Bar Ma 間 will be sharing coffee, tea and matcha with a selection of special beans and teas from within our wonderful Portland Sunflower community. Take an afternoon break and enjoy your N/A sip in the quiet of our back nook, behind Okan Lover.

  • Shop Local Art & Ceramics

    Shop from a collection of local artists, including commemorative sakazuki artists Michelle Sparnicht (2023), Dwayne Sackey (2025), Maria Enomoto (2026) and more.

  • Team SupportSAKE

    From the folks in LA who are doing wonderful work promoting sake in North America, stop by the SupportSAKE table and photo booth to learn more about opportunities to get involved, volunteer, win prizes, get recognized for your work in their annual award ceremony, and apply to next year's SupportSAKE Brewery Tour!

Demos and Experiences

  • Kanzake with Okan Lover

    From Tokyo-based okan (warm sake) restaurant Takasaki no Okan, Okan Lover is a project spreading the joy of sake through okan. At the OKAN LOVERS BAR, seated guests will experience a lineup of different styles of hot sake, techniques, methods, and styles, with the opportunity to ask questions and dive deeper.

  • Breakaway Sessions

    Guests interested in diving deeper can pull away from the crowd and enter our breakaway classroom, where highly limited tastings and classes will take place on a first-come, first-served basis. In 2026 we're featuring a talk from experienced brewers on approaching home-brewing in the US, a Fukuoka calligrapher, and more!

  • Music Pairing

    Emceed by professional composer and pianist Sid Samberg, music pairing is a core feature and theme for 2026 Fuyu Fest. Three artists of varyiing modalities and instruments skilled in improvisational composition and all based on the West Coast will each play music inspired by a flight of 3 sake, shared by you and introduced by Sid.

    Collaborations

    • The Tiny Spoon neon

      One of the big areas of feedback from 2023 was: "this is great, but...it's pretty cozy." I hear you! This year we have multiple areas to relax, learn, take a break, and wander. With over 10,000 total square feet, it's going to be a nice and spacious fest.

    • Maria Enomoto

      Our limited-edition 2026 sakazuki are handcrafted by local glass artist Maria Enomoto, whose playful, vibrant exploration of color and form brings life to the vivid flavors of sake.

    • Reggie's Stamp Rally

      Once again, we welcome the wonderful folks at Reggie's to Fuyu Fest. In 2026 they're bringing assorted Japanese sandos, loaded gachapon machines, lots of fantastic stationery and leading the Fuyu Fest 2026 Stamp Rally to award 3 YEARS (!) worth of sake brewery merch and Sunflower custom stickers.

    Location

    The Redd on Salmon, 831 SE Salmon St, Portland, OR 97214

    Fuyu Fest 2026 is taking place at The Redd on Salmon, a nonprofit event space in SE Portland with over 10000 square feet of room for activities.

    Google Maps

    About Sunflower Sake

    Sunflower Sake is Portland's only dedicated sake shop/bar, committed to providing a cozy and welcoming environment for guests to taste and learn about sake. Sunflower endeavors to foster a unique, diverse and creative American sake culture defined by our own traditions, artists, people and environment, and inspired by our extended community in Japan. Fuyu Fest is Sunflower's pride and joy, and we're here to make it as special as possible.

    Shop Sunflower

    Giving Back

    Fuyu Fest and its sponsors are proud to support Ikoi no Kai, acknowledging the contributions of the elder Nikkei community in forming Portland's diverse cultural identity. 20% Of each ticket will be donated to Ikoi no Kai, which is a nonprofit lunch program primarily serving the senior Japanese-American community in Portland.

    Learn more

    FAQ

    What are my accessiblity options?

    Guests with accessibility needs are encouraged to reach out to us and coordinate to ensure their needs are met. An elevator is available to access the event space (otherwise 10 ft of stairs) and restrooms are wheelchair accessible. While much information is in visual format, all vendors are happy to guide guests through the tastings and activities verbally. Quiet spaces are also available throughout the building if you need time away from the crowd.

    Do I need to be 21+ to enter?

    Yes. Only guests who show a valid government-issued ID indicating their age is 21+, will be permitted to enter. You'll be given a wristband which needs to be visible to sake vendors: they may ask to see your wristband if it isn't immediately apparent.

    Are children or pets allowed?

    No. No one under the age of 21 is allowed to enter the event. Licensed service animals are allowed but we caution against bringing them due to the potential crowd size.

    Learn more