COMPETITIONS

SEDONA WINE COMPETITION

A Celebration of Arizona Winemaking Excellence

CALL FOR ENTRY

Presented as part of FLEUR: Sedona International Festival of Fine Food and Wine

June 26–28, 2026 — Sedona, Arizona

Set amongst the soaring red rock formations and soulful desert energy of Sedona, the Sedona Wine Competition honors the craft, character, and creativity of Arizona’s winemakers. This prestigious showcase brings together the state's most exceptional producers, celebrating not only the excellence inside the bottle but the artistry that surrounds it.

From high-elevation vineyards to sun-drenched desert estates, Arizona’s wine country is evolving, expressive, and world-class. This competition shines a spotlight on the rising prestige of Arizona wine, in a place as iconic and inspiring as the vintages it celebrates.

Eligibility

Open exclusively to licensed Arizona wineries.

Submission Details

  • Eligible Wines: All Arizona-produced varietals & blends

  • Number of Bottles: 3 bottles per entry

  • Required Info: Wine name, vintage, varietal, AVA, and winery license

  • Judging Categories Include:

    • Best Red

    • Best White

    • Best Rosé

    • Best Sparkling

    • Best Dessert Wine

    • Founders’ Choices

    • Best in Show

    • Best Label & Packaging Design

  • Shipping / Drop-Off Location: Provided at registration.

Judging & Awards

Wines are evaluated by a distinguished panel of sommeliers, industry professionals, and sensory experts in a blind tasting format, scoring for balance, structure, aroma, flavor, finish, and overall character.

In addition, wines will be judged on the creativity, design excellence, and storytelling of their labels and packaging, celebrating both craftsmanship and visual artistry.

Award-winning wineries will be honored at the FLEUR: Sedona International Festival of Fine Food and Wine awards ceremony.

Why Sedona

Sedona is situated in Verde Valley which is the heart of Arizona wine country. Sedona’s world-renowned red rock landscapes, spiritual energy, and refined desert-luxury atmosphere make it the perfect setting to honor wine as it’s a place where nature and artistry converge. More than a competition, it is an elevated celebration of Arizona’s wine culture, community, and future.

Timeline

  • Entry Deadline: February 15, 2026

  • Judging: April 1, 2026

  • Wine Selection Notification: April1 15, 2026

  • Public Announcement at Opening Night Ceremony: June 26, 2026

How to Enter

Interested in participating? Fill out the form on the Inquire page and you will be sent the registration form.

SED0NA CULINARY ARTS COMPETITION

Rewarding Excellence in the Culinary Arts

CALL FOR ENTRY

Presented as part of FLEUR: Sedona International Festival of Fine Food and Wine

June 26–28, 2026 — Sedona, Arizona

A showcase of culinary excellence where top chefs present their most innovative, artfully crafted dishes inspired by the flavors, heritage, and natural beauty of Sedona. This competition celebrates creativity, technical mastery, and the transformative power of food as art.

Eligibility

Open to:
• Executive chefs
• Pastry chefs
• Chocolatiers
• Culinary artisans
• Restaurants, resorts, and boutique culinary teams
• Emerging chefs demonstrating exceptional skill and vision

Submission Details

Entry Deadline: February 15, 2026

Judging Categories Include:

1. Chef’s Signature Dish Award

This award honors the dish that embodies the chef’s identity. Judges evaluate concept clarity, personal style, execution, and the story behind the plate. It is a tribute to authenticity and culinary voice.

2. Best Avant-Garde Culinary Art

This category honors the chef who pushes the boundaries of contemporary gastronomy. Judges evaluate innovation, creativity, technique, and the ability to transform ingredients into edible art. Dishes should surprise, delight, and reveal a bold culinary vision.

3. Best Native American Cultural Dish

This category celebrates personal stories, tradition, and culinary lineage. Dishes may honor the chef’s cultural background and the region’s indigenous foodways. Judges value authenticity, respect, and emotional resonance.

4. Best Sedona-Southwestern Inspired Dish

A celebration of Sedona’s red-rock landscape, desert botanicals and Southwest spirit. Entries should reflect the essence of place through color, texture, ingredients, or narrative which captures the natural and spiritual beauty that defines Sedona and its Southwestern spirit.5

5. Best Plant-Based Culinary Art

A celebration of botanical cuisine. This award recognizes plant-forward creativity, ingredient mastery, sustainability, and the transformation of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, and flowers into high culinary art.

6. Best Fusion Cuisine

This award honors a dish that seamlessly blends flavors, techniques, and traditions from multiple culinary cultures. Entries should demonstrate harmony, creativity, and refined balance, resulting in a cohesive and elevated fusion expression

7. Best Orchard Heritage Dish

Back in the day, Sedona was known for its lush and glorious fruit orchards. This category celebrates that heritage and an award will be given for the best savory or sweet dish that incorporates the apples, peaches, plums or cherries that grew in Sedona.

8. Best Dessert Creation

From modern pastries to plated masterpieces, this category rewards excellence in sweetness. Judges look for technical skill, creativity, balance of flavor, visual beauty, and an unforgettable finish.

9. Best Chocolate & Cacao Dish

Inspired by La Fleur de Chocolat, one of the festival’s signature events, this award is for extraordinary use of chocolate in any form from sweet or savory. Judges evaluate originality, cacao expression, texture, and flavor depth, as well as how chocolate is elevated into culinary artistry.

10. The FLEUR Masterpiece Award

The festival’s highest honor. This award recognizes a dish that achieves excellence in every dimension: concept, flavor, artistry, innovation, technical execution, and emotional impact. It is given to the creation that most fully represents the spirit of FLEUR: A Symphony of Flavors, Scents & Artistry.

Timeline

  • Entry Deadline: February 15, 2026

  • Public Exhibition and Tasting of Dishes: June 26–28, 2026

  • Awards Ceremony: June 28, 2026

How to Enter:

Interested in participating? Fill out the form on the Inquire page and you will be sent the registration form.

FLORALIA BAROCCA FLOWER COMPETITION

A NOTE FROM THE CURATORS

Floralia Barocca is not about replication—it is about reinterpretation. We seek works that honor history while engaging place, transforming flowers into living art that reflects both Baroque drama and Sedona’s timeless beauty. The competition is open to large scale, medium and small installations and floral arrangements. Interested in competing, please fill out our form on the Inquire page. Prizes will be announced soon.

WHO MAY ENTER

Floralia Barocca is open to:

  • Professional floral designers

  • Floral artists and installation artists

  • Studios, collectives, and independent creatives

  • Emerging designers with a strong conceptual vision

JUDGING CRITERIA

Entries will be evaluated on:

  • Artistic interpretation of Baroque style

  • Integration of Sedona landscape and spirit

  • Creativity, originality, and emotional impact

  • Technical skill and craftsmanship

  • Overall composition and visual presence

EXHIBITION & AWARDS

Selected works will be exhibited during FLEUR as part of a curated floral presentation. Awards and distinctions will be presented to outstanding entries, celebrating excellence in floral artistry and innovation.

IMPORTANT DATES

  • Event Dates: June 26–28, 2026

  • Location: Sedona, Arizona

  • Entry deadlines and submission details to be announced

Presented as part of FLEUR: Sedona International Festival of Fine Food and Wine
June 26–28, 2026 | Sedona, Arizona

The Art of Flowers. The Drama of Baroque. The Spirit of Sedona.

Floralia Barocca invites floral designers, artists, and creative visionaries to present bold, expressive floral works inspired by the grandeur, movement, and emotional richness of the Baroque era, thoughtfully intertwined with the landscape, light, and spirit of Sedona.

This competition celebrates floristry as fine art where flowers become sculpture, narrative, and theatrical .

DESIGN INSPIRATION

Entries should draw from Baroque principles, including:

  • Opulence and abundance

  • Dynamic movement and asymmetry

  • Dramatic contrast, shadow, and light

  • Emotional intensity and storytelling

Designs must also incorporate elements inspired by Sedona, such as:

  • Red rock formations, canyons, and geological forms

  • Desert flora, native botanicals, or sculptural interpretations of them

  • Sedona’s spiritual energy, natural rhythms, and sense of place

  • Earthy palettes, mineral tones, and organic textures

Interpretation may be literal or abstract, but the dialogue between Baroque artistry and Sedona’s landscape should be clearly expressed.