Sunsets in Snohomish Wine Walk: A Review of Summer Fun

Wondering if the Sunsets in Snohomish Wine Walk is worth it?

I love a good night’s out of fun, especially if it’s in one of my hometowns!

Make your way up from Seattle for the Sunsets in Snohomish Wine Walk during the summer. It’s a fun night out, popping into boutique shops and sipping on local bottles of vino.

You might walk away with a new bottle (or two!) of a new favorite wine or with a cute new outfit or home decor item!

Where is the Snohomish Wine Walk?

Snohomish, Washington is a mere 45min north of Seattle, just off Hwy 2; a great day trip from the big city. The historic downtown district, where the wine walk is held, is on 1st Ave along the Snohomish Riverfront.

While this section of town is only 5 blocks long, it is chalk full of shopping and restaurants.

How Much is the Sunsets in Snohomish Wine Walk?

Buy your tickets ahead of time online for $25pp. If you buy them at the door, tickets are $30pp but you also run the risk of them not even having any left if advance sales are sold out.

Your ticket includes 8 wine tasting tickets of 1oz pours from various wineries across the state. Also included with your ticket is a credit of $10 if you end up buying two bottles of any brand.

🍷Pro Tip: be aware that your ticket may not mention that this event is
BYOWG (Bring Your Own Wine Glass) OR
buy a small, commemorative glass for $5 at check-in. 

If 8 tasting tickets aren’t enough, you can buy extra tickets for extra tastings for $1.50ea. I recommend coming back for more after your first 8 are gone. You might find you don’t need them or if you do, you will have a better idea of how many more you actually want. 

How Does Check-In Work?

When you arrive in downtown Snohomish, the first step is to check in and get your tickets. Check-in opens at 3:00pm and the event goes from 4pm-8pm. 

Prepare for a line prior to 4pm. Excited wine drinkers like to show up early to have an immediate start to the wine walk. I arrived at exactly 4pm and there was no line. 

Of course you can check-in anytime within those hours. Most people will not need the full 4hrs to do the whole wine walk. 

Check-in is going to sound a little involved, but it’s not really.

The “bouncer” at the door will check your IDs to make sure you are 21 and older. The next person slips on a colored Tyvek wristband on you so vendors know you paid for the wine walk and your age has been verified. 

Follow the line to the table with the person with a tablet to check-in with your name and reservation number. You will probably pass the purchase table that sells all the wines you’ll encounter on the walk, but you won’t buy from them just yet.

You will receive your 8 tasting tickets stapled to a flyer with a map and list of which stores are hosting which wineries. There is also a list of which wines each winery will be sampling, usually about three varieties. 

If you didn’t BYOWG, the next table is where you can purchase your commemorative glass. And finally, the last person can give you extra tasting tickets if you want to buy more (or come back later if you wish).

You are now ready to commence the Sunsets of Snohomish Wine Walk!

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Snohomish Sunset Balloon Rides

Wine Walking in Snohomish

As soon as you have finished checking in, you will want to strategize your wine walk. Take a look at your flyer and first determine which wineries and wines you are most  interested in sampling. 

Remember, you only have 8 tasting tickets and there could be 20+ different wines to choose from. Perhaps you only pick wines you’ve never heard of before. Or maybe you go for only reds or only whites. 

🍷Pro Tip: A great strategy is to have everyone in your group get one of each wine variety from the table. Then you can share and pass your glasses around to have a sip of every flavor.

And yet another plan of attack is to just go to each wineries’ table and judge by the bottle label. 😛

Whatever your method, you’ll still have fun.

If you feel a little lost following the paper map, every stop is marked with a sandwich board and helium filled balloon for easy spotting on the sidewalks. 

You’ll find the wine tables in the back of each shop. Not only does it make sure you see as much of the store as possible, it also helps keep people with wine cups contained.

For legal reasons, you cannot leave the stores with wine still in your glass. Someone will/is supposed to stop you if you walk out the front door with alcohol in your cup.

You’ll find that the busyness of each store will ebb and flow. Sometimes you will be able to walk right up to a wine table and get your sample. Other times you will run into a line the length of the store. 

Don’t be discouraged if the line seems long. It usually moves fast and you won’t be waiting much more than a minute or two. 

Once you get to the table, you’ll meet the wine owners. They are pretty efficient with pouring and moving on to the next person and tend to not chit chat unless you ask questions. 

Give them one of your tasting tickets, hand them your glass, and tell them which of their wines you would like to try. After it’s poured, you are free to sip, savor, and shop. 

You can be as technical or carefree about the tasting experience as you want. Stand around with your group and discuss flavor notes or chug it like you’re at a frat party. 

If you have any questions about the wine, the winemakers are happy to answer them. 

Depending on your drinking speed, a 1oz pour won’t take you too long to go through. I would say the average time would take between 5-7min because you are sipping, browsing the shop, sipping, browsing, etc. Of course you can milk it for as long as you like, but don’t expect to have to stay too long in each store unless you so desire.

🍷Pro Tip: You might want to keep a pen on hand to take notes on your wine walk flyer. That way you can mark which wines you like or don’t like and if you want to buy a bottle at the end of the walk. 

Continue down the streets of Snohomish, popping into any antique or boutique shop that suits your fancy. It won’t take long until you reach your next wine stop and get to repeat the process of sipping and shopping. 

The Snohomish Wine Walk lasts for 4hrs, which gives you plenty of time to take your time. In fact, you can break up your walk halfway through by stopping for dinner at one of the many dinner options (Asian nachos at Fred’s? Yes please!). 

If you start feeling a buzz after 3-4 drinks, stop and have a seat and get some food in ya. Since these walks are during the summer, the day can also be hot, so stay hydrated!

After you’ve had some nourishment and some time off your feet, you’ll feel rejuvenated to finish the wine walk. 

Don’t forget to stop at the check-in location if you want to purchase any bottles to bring home. Remember that you get $10 off if you buy two bottles. 

🍷Pro Tip: partner up with a friend if each of you only wants one bottle of wine. 

If no wines called to you, just head out on your merry way, making sure your wine has worn off or you have a designated driver.

Other food adventures to be found in Washington:
Lyla’s Cafe Coffee Flights
Pike Place Market Food Tours
Penn Cove Musselfest
Seattle’s Best Food Tours
Gluhwein Hunting in Leavenworth

Epilogue: Snohomish Wine Walk

Sunsets in Snohomish Wine Walks add festivity to the streets of Snohomish. It’s a unique way of exploring Snohomish stores you might otherwise not stop into and it’s a fun way to experience different wineries, all within walking distance of each other. 

Snohomish Wine Walks happen throughout the year in Snohomish, so keep your eye out for the next ones coming up at the Historic Downtown Snohomish District website.  

🌞 Continue your summer fun around Washington State:
Leavenworth
Mount Rainier
Civil War Reenactment in Yakima
Camping Along the Columbia River