This November, experience a culinary trip to France in your own backyard — enabled by the 24th edition of the “Beaujolais & Beyond” party. This festival, made possible by the Rocky Mountain French-American Chamber of Commerce, is complete with authentic French cuisine, endless wine and a virtual immersive French experience. Help deepen the connection between France and Denver by celebrating its culture — and of course, indulging in tempting food and wine. 
Not only does this event guarantee satisfaction, but it is also the perfect way to assist the French-American Chamber of Commerce with its fundraising efforts. As a non-profit organization, its mission is to encourage and foster more business cooperation, commerce and investment between France and the Colorado region. The Beaujolais & Beyond party will take place on November 17 from 6 to 10 p.m. Both a culinary and wine competition will take place — highlighting the best Colorado wines and chefs. Many local French restaurants are also participating in the competition this year. This includes Michelin-starred Chef Ludo Lefebvre, who Denverites may recognize from his cooking with Selena Gomez on her HBO hit, Selena + Chef. Beyond this, many other well-known French bakeries and restaurants will compete and give event-goers the chance to sample spectacular French cuisine.
The Restaurants and Food Vendors that will participate in Beaujolais & Beyond include:
Emma Glass, the Executive Director of The French-American Chamber of Commerce states that the main goal of the event is to share “French-ness” with the Denver community. “We want to bring everything that we love from France, whether it’s the food or the wine. We want to share everything with the Denver community and also Colorado, by extension.”
Glass explains that the event is aimed to feature both French and local wines for those who attend the event. Not only will there be a launch of the Beaujolais Millésime 2022 wine to gift the community a deeper French experience, but many local wines can be tried and tested as well. “We also want to put the spotlight on Colorado wineries because Colorado has really stepped up its game in terms of wine for the past two years. We want to show that you can still find amazing ones in Colorado,” Glass described.
Some of the wines that will be available for tasting include:
Beyond food and wine, Beaujolais & Beyond will feature music from DJs and performers, a silent auction and a photo booth. One special aspect that the Executive Director is looking forward to most is its virtual France immersive opportunity. This experience allows guests to feel as if they are in France for the day. “When you walk into the room, you might be in Paris or the Beaujolais region, which is very special,” explains Glass.
Some items available within its auction catalog include:
Flight tickets: round trip to Europe in Premium
Hotel Meridien
Hotel Jacquard
Lodge Casino
Dinner at Coohills
Dinner at Barcelona
Dinner at Urban Farmer’s Denver
Dinner at Brasserie Brixton
Babolat Tennis package
Babolat Pickleball package
Decathlon package
Artist Frederic Pichon’s paintings
Artist Alexandra LaPoule’s paintings
Tickets for non-members go for $85 in advance and $95 at the door. If you are a food or wine lover, visit its website and get your hands on admission while you can. “We also want to show the friendship that exists between France and Colorado. Not only will we bring some great French products, but we also want to highlight the amazing products here in Colorado,” Glass finished.
The Beaujolais & Beyond party takes place on Thursday, November 17 from 6 to 10 p.m. at ReelWorks, 1399 35th St, Denver. This event is 21+ only. Visit its website to buy tickets.