The October 24, 2026 Lighthouse Beer & Wine Festival date has passed. The organizer advertised Live Oak Bank Pavilion in Wilmington, with general admission scheduled for 1 p.m., VIP for noon and an end time of 5 p.m. This guide preserves the published ticket comparison and venue information for that edition.
The prices below are historical checkout examples recorded Oct. 5, 2026. They do not establish availability, pricing or a date for the next festival. Before planning another visit, start with a new dated announcement from the organizer.
Archived 2026 ticket totals
The organizer’s ticket page linked to the 2026 Universe listing. The ticket-selection screen recorded on Oct. 5 showed these totals, with displayed fees including taxes. These are past-edition figures:
| Ticket | Base + displayed fees | Displayed total | Scheduled 2026 entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| General admission, beer or wine | $70 + $15.66 | $85.66 | 1 p.m. |
| VIP, beer or wine | $90 + $20.12 | $110.12 | Noon |
| Designated driver | $45 + $12.64 | $57.64 | Not established in recorded screen |
| VIP weekend pass, Friday and Saturday | $135 + $25.14 | $160.14 | Friday 6 p.m.; Saturday noon |
Archived October 5, 2026 checkout totals
Shared scale: 0 to $160.14
The $57.64 starting price belonged to the designated-driver tier, which excluded alcoholic drinks. The drinking general-admission ticket had a higher recorded total.
For one Saturday visitor, VIP cost $24.46 more than general admission for one extra scheduled hour. That difference illustrates the cost of earlier entry in the archived comparison. A smaller VIP allocation does not guarantee no queues. For two general-admission visitors and one designated driver, the displayed ticket total was $228.96, before transport, food or optional purchases. The calculation uses the recorded checkout figures and excludes the rest of the outing.
2026 example: two general tickets and a designated driver
- Two general-admission tickets$171.3274.8%
- One designated-driver ticket$57.6425.2%
The advertised sampling and admission rules
The festival page advertised responsible unlimited samples and a tasting cup. Its FAQ limits beer tickets to beer and wine tickets to wine, with purchased tokens for the other category. A future edition needs its own ticket-scope check.
The recorded designated-driver ticket excluded alcoholic drinks. The 2026 listing required attendees, including drivers, to be 21 or older with valid age ID. For any future tasting visit, arrange a sober return before drinking.
Festival policies to check for another edition
The organizer’s FAQ, checked Oct. 26, specifies bags under 12 by 12 inches, encourages clear bags, prohibits pets and outside drink containers, and lists no re-entry. It lists water stations, non-refundable transferable tickets and a rain-or-shine policy. Recheck those terms for a newly announced edition.
These are festival rules. Do not substitute the pavilion’s ordinary concert allowances for bottles or chairs. Ask the organizer about chairs, service-animal access, medical items or an accommodation before buying if it affects attendance. A rain-or-shine statement does not establish what happens during every severe-weather emergency; follow any dated cancellation or safety notice.
Venue mailing address and entrance are different
The pavilion’s visitor guidance, checked Oct. 26, identifies 10 Cowan Street as its mailing address. That is the venue address retained in this guide’s archived event record. The same guidance directs ordinary concert visitors to the fan entrance beside the parking deck at 41 Harnett Street. A venue mailing address and an entrance reference serve different purposes.
The festival organizer confirms the pavilion as the venue, but its current festival page does not identify a numbered festival gate. Use any future festival’s own arrival instructions for the entrance and accessible drop-off; the pavilion’s normal concert entrance does not establish the festival’s exact arrangement. The festival FAQ says there is no parking at Riverfront Park.
For a future visit, choose legal parking through the city’s parking information, then check the walk and return pickup against that edition’s access directions. A map pin for the venue alone does not establish a step-free route or drop-off point.
Before planning a future festival visit
Wilmington Riverfest’s 2026 edition is canceled; our Riverfest guide is not an alternative October 3-4 event invitation. The archived weekend pass included a separate Friday event; a Saturday-only ticket did not establish admission to both.
Wait for the next dated festival announcement before booking around it. Then compare the new ticket’s entry time, sampling scope and total price, with food and return transport budgeted separately. Contact the organizer at 910-256-8622 about festival-specific entry or access questions.
