Fuyu Fest, year by year

The biggest and most ambitious fest yet, built around music pairing: three improvising musicians, each playing to a flight of three sake shared with the room and introduced by composer and pianist Sid Samberg. The classroom ran three ticketed-capacity sessions, and Reggie's turned the whole floor into a stamp rally.

Year three moved across the river to the Ecotrust Building and grew into a full culture festival: nearly 100 sake, a dedicated breakaway classroom for limited tastings and classes, a live calligraphy performance, a manga lounge, and sake nail art. Okome Kitchen launched their local amazake company on the floor.

Year two doubled down on exploration: more room to spread out, more sake, and a published schedule of demos and classes guests could pre-register for, with a portion of each held open first-come, first-served. Takasaki Jo of Tokyo's Takasaki no Okan came to teach kanzake, and the day added cocktail demos, a written exploratory experience, and a winter salmon breakdown.

The inaugural Fuyu Fest, started after SakeFest PDX (2010–2019) wound down. Nina Murphy hand-selected every pour herself, prioritising a curated lineup over sheer volume, and built the day around a balance of sake and non-alcoholic activities: a kanzake demo, talks, food, and a commemorative cup from a local ceramicist. Guests could buy anything they tasted at 15% off, that day only.