Q: My wife and I got married in 2019 and planned a deferred honeymoon that was to include the 2020 Aspen Food & Wine Classic. The pandemic ended up delaying our honeymoon even longer than we imagined, so we are very excited to finally attend F&W in 2022. But with everything that has happened in the world since the pandemic, plus everything still going on, we feel a little self-conscious indulging in what we understand is a very hedonistic weekend. Is there a guilt-free way to enjoy the festivities?

A: That is so cute that you thought the pandemic put self-indulgence on hold in Aspen, a city with more marijuana dispensaries and liquor stores per capita than Bernedoodles and Teslas. To be sure, the annual gastronomic event is an esteemed professional platform for epicurean leaders, innovative wine and spirits experts, and culinary insiders. To many (many) others, though, it is a three-day-long excuse to behave like Fort Lauderdale spring breakers minus the wet T-shirt contests. To stay classy during Food & Wine, keep in mind that just because you are day (and night) drinking, not everyone else is also, so you should behave like an adult human being capable of walking, talking, tipping where appropriate, and using your manners at every turn. Also, don’t brandish your Food & Wine event credentials like an Olympic medal when you’re not actually at an F&W event, because neither gets you a free pass to cut to the front of the line at Carl’s Pharmacy.

Have an Aspen etiquette question for Meredith? Submit it to lette[email protected], and we’ll consider it for a future issue.