The lineup has been released for the 35th Annual Scottsdale Culinary Festival April 9 – April 14. Mark your calendars for a week of culinary satisfaction and new events for 2013 including a Cupcake Challenge at Bubbles & Bliss and the Take the Cake Decorating Competition at the Wine Country Brunch.

Since 2002, Scottsdale Culinary Festival has raised over $3.5 million to benefit arts and arts education charities. The event has been voted “Best Annual Event” By AZCentral.com and Arizona Foothills Magazine in 2012.

The 35th Annual Scottsdale Culinary Festival schedule is as follows:

Shaken and StirredTuesday, April 9 – Shaken & Stirred: Shake up your Tuesday night with flavor profiles that only a celebrity chef could create. Shaken & Stirred is a riveting celebration of cocktail culture with Chef Brian Malarkey and his latest addition to his culinary empire, Searsucker Scottsdale. In its second year, guests will be able to enjoy three signature Searsucker drinks and the perfect nibbles to match. $40 per person.

Chocolate and WineWednesday, April 10 – The Chocolate & Wine Experience: Imagine if Wonka’s Chocolate Factory was situated in Napa Valley and you were granted an exclusive tasting – a night worthy of a golden ticket that would bring together life’s sweetest indulgences and most robust flavors. Fantasy becomes reality at the Scottsdale Culinary Festival’s Chocolate & Wine Experience. The Valley’s finest pastry chefs and chocolatiers will unite with an incredible selection of wineries at Talking Stick Resort’s Fire Garden. $50 per person.

bubbles and blissThursday, April 11 – Bubbles & Bliss: Pop a bottle, take a sip and stroll around W Scottsdale’s glamorous rooftop WET pool deck. Take a break to say ‘ahhh’ with the Bliss Spa Squad who will be distributing spa-at-home samples and providing complimentary arm massages. Providing the “frosting on the cake” so to speak, will be the Cupcake Challenge. This sweet addition to the annual soiree will have cupcake creators going spatula-to-spatula, as they showcase the best of their wares and voted on by guests. $40 per person.

burger battleThursday, April 11 – Burger Battle: Sixteen of the Valley’s best chefs and restaurants will be grilling up burgers flavors you can’t even fathom. The battle will begin behind the grill, but it’s up to guests and the panel of judges to decide who will take home the trophy home along with unlimited bragging rights. With entry into Scottsdale Stadium, guests can indulge in all the burger samples they can eat, sip on ice cold Leinenkugel’s beer and enjoy live music by The Walkens. $55 per person.

EDBPFriday, April 12 – Eat Drink and Be Pretty: Guests can stay in vogue with Scottsdale’s culinary scene as twenty restaurants showcase their creations. Around 8:30pm, Caribe Devine of 12News will take the stage and introduce a high-energy runway fashion show by Caché, which will forecast the latest trends and must-haves of the season. Once your appetite for fashion is satisfied, there will be music from DJ P-Body inside the atrium and Las Vegas show band True to Life will perform outside the building. $75 per person.

Chef dinnersSaturday, April 13 – Chef Wine Dinners: One of Scottsdale Culinary Festival’s most exclusive and intimate culinary experiences, guests will join award-winning chefs at some of the Valley’s top restaurants for a series of exclusive four-course dinners paired with rich wines. Both the chef and winemaker will be on-hand to answer questions and talk about the pairings. Attendance will be limited to 24 attendees per restaurant. $125 per person.

Great AZ picnicSaturday, April 13 & Sunday April 14 – The Great Arizona Picnic: The “Great Arizona Picnic” is back and better than ever with over 50 restaurants, 200 types of beer, and over 16 hours of live music packed into two massive days! Samples, tastings, demonstrations and more await for 2013. Saturday’s lineup includes major culinary firepower, including Brian Malarkey, host of ABC’s breakout new reality show The Taste, plus Food Network’s Robin Miller and globally-awarded chef Jose Garces. New at the expo for 2013 is the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame, an annual event previously invite-only. Watch as awards are given to the Chef of the Year, Restaurateur of the Year, Beverage Master of the Year and a Lifetime Achievement. Southwest Festival of BeersTM provides samplings of over 200 frosty beers, delicious food and special musical entertainment

Also new for 2013 is the VIP Experience: Passport to the Picnic. Those looking for a premium experience will delight in this brand new offering situated on an exclusive perch overlooking the Barefoot Bubbly and Wine stage, providing shady comfort, inclusive unique food samplings and premium beer, wine and spirits.

GAP: $10 per person.

Children 12 and under, seniors 65 and over – free admission
Active US Military personnel: $5 (not available for pre-purchase)

SW Festival of Beers: $20 per person on Saturday, $15 per person on Sunday.

VIP Experience: $125 per person (21 and over)

Wine country brunchSunday, April 14 – Wine Country Brunch: Feast upon an array of the Valley’s most delightful brunches while sipping on Mimosas and Bloody Marys, perusing alluring silent auction items. Let Randall Hedden astound you as he creates large murals of rock legends, while painting to their own music; and admire 19 extravagant cakes designed and decorated by Valley pastry chefs and culinary students who will be participating in the first ever Take the Cake – Decorating Competition. $65 per person.

best of the festSunday, April 14 – Best of the Fest: A highlight for many of the town’s top culinarians, this year’s lineup at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa is sure to please. Chefs take charge of their own two tables to share their personality and flair with guests who selected to dine with them. A friendly competition of sorts, diners enter and take their seats, as curious eyes peer at opposing tables to see what over-the-top decadence other guests may be experiencing. $175 per person.