When Joe Mantegna returns to Scottsdale on Saturday, March 21, he will not step onto a soundstage or slip into character. Instead, the beloved “Criminal Minds” star will pour samples of his Señor Río Tequila for a good cause.

With every bottle of Señor Rio Tequila sold, $1 is donated to We Care Crusade, a foundation dedicated to supporting families raising children with special needs. Mantegna has a daughter with special needs.

Events like the March 21 We‑Ko‑Pa Casino Resort Celebrity Wine & Spirits Festival allow him to meet and greet fans. 

“I’ve been doing this as a career for the last 60 years,” Mantegna said. “So, to be out in the public and have people come up to you and appreciate the enjoyment you may be giving them in their life — it’s nice.”

LEARN MORE: Palo District at former Fiesta Mall site in Mesa gets 2 new hotels

AZRE FORUM: Here’s how to get tickets to the AZRE Forum

That warmth is exactly what We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort’s Celebrity Wine & Spirits Festival is known for. Returning to the Scottsdale Civic Center, the event blends star power with small‑batch craftsmanship, offering fans a rare chance to sip, sample, and chat with celebrities who’ve entered the world of wine and spirits. Tickets start at $85.

More than 40 celebrity brands will be featured this year, from Michael Jordan’s Cincoro Tequila to Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s Gin & Juice, and Mark Wahlberg’s Flecha Azul. The festival has become a destination for fans, retail buyers, and beverage managers scouting the next big thing in the industry.

Mantegna’s partnership with Señor Río Tequila began with a story — one that resonated deeply with him. A friend introduced him to Debbie Medina, who inherited the tequila company after her father and husband died. She continued the business while raising grandchildren with special needs and donates a portion of every bottle sold to a foundation supporting individuals with special needs.

He laughs when he admits he’s not much of a drinker. “I don’t drink a lot of alcohol, but when I do, I drink tequila,” he said, recalling the Dos Equis commercials. 

“If I were going to have a little something, it would be a sip of tequila on the rocks.”

Still, he’s proud of the product — especially its purity. No additives. No sugars. No colorings. No gimmicks.

“Real tequila drinkers know,” he said. “They taste it and go, ‘Oh yeah, this is the real deal.’”

Mantegna’s affection for Arizona is genuine. He has friends in the area; he adores the state — and he loves that the Chicago Cubs play their spring training games here.

“I’ll be coming to see the Cubs myself while I’m there,” he said. “I’ll stick around an extra day and go see them.”

He laughs when asked about his favorite player.

“I’m old school. Ernie Banks will always be Mr. Cub for me,” he said. “Once they put on the uniform, that’s what it’s all about.”

Though he’s best known for his long‑running role as David Rossi on “Criminal Minds,” Mantegna’s career spans theater, film, radio, animation and audiobooks. He’s voiced Fat Tony on “The Simpsons” for years, directed and produced, and performed on stages across the country.

But it all began with a high school audition for “West Side Story” — an audition he didn’t even win.

“The process lit a spark in me,” he said. “That flame still burns the same way today.”

That passion is what keeps him saying yes to events like the Scottsdale festival — when his schedule allows.

“If I were in production for the show, it would be problematic,” he said. “But this festival comes at a time when I can do whatever I want. So, if it works out schedule‑wise and desire‑wise, great.”

Mantegna won’t be the only star pouring drinks.

Country singer Chuck Wicks and his wife, Kasi Rosa Wicks, will greet fans with their Melorosa Wines. Former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Archie Bradley will mingle with attendees. Ryan Bingham — of “Yellowstone” fame — will showcase his Bingham’s Bourbon from a booth designed by interior designer Stacie Graves of EDIT Design House.

The festival’s seminar series adds another layer of intimacy. Attendees can sit in on up‑close conversations with:

  • Joe Mantegna and his Señor Río Tequila
  • Erik Segelbaum, Food & Wine Magazine’s Sommelier of the Year
  • Tom Chambers, Phoenix Suns legend, with his Bajaribba Tequila
  • Cristie Kerr, LPGA champion and founder of Kerr Cellars

Stars who can’t attend in person will appear virtually, including former NFL quarterback Drew Bledsoe, representing his Bledsoe Family Winery, and actor Woody Harrelson, representing Holistic Spirits.

Adding levity to the day, the stand‑up comedy group Middle Aged Mayhem will serve as the official emcees.

A portion of the event’s proceeds supports Scottsdale Arts and its mission to bring traditional and contemporary arts to audiences worldwide.

For Mantegna, that sense of purpose mirrors his own motivation for joining the tequila venture.

“The older I get, the more I realize I want to occupy my time with things that are positive,” he said. “If this helps her out, helps the foundation, and gives people something they enjoy. — why not?”

The Saturday, March 21, We‑Ko‑Pa Casino Resort Celebrity Wine & Spirits Festival will be held at the Scottsdale Civic Center.