(Bizjournals) - Sacramento tourism officials on Wednesday canceled this year's Grape Escape, saying state alcohol regulators have frightened wineries away from the popular event.

What would have been the 14th annual edition of the popular downtown outdoor wine party was scheduled for June 6. Traditionally a big tourism boost for the city, the event for the past three years has sold out. Some 5,500 tickets are available for the food and wine festival at Cesar Chavez Park.

But after last year’s event, the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control warned wineries that they might be violating the law, said Mike Testa, chief operating officer with the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The bureau puts on the event, which is sponsored by Save Mart Supermarkets. But California liquor laws dating back to the prohibition era forbid wineries to donate wine to an event that includes a retailer’s name, Testa said.

The bureau tried to fix the issue by buying the wine, but wineries cannot afford to lose their licenses and they have pulled out, he said. Three weeks before the event, only four wineries were signed up. In the past the event had 40 wineries or more and a dozen breweries.

Other events set for that same weekend to coincide with Grape Escape -- a Winemaker Dinner on June 5 at The Sutter Club and the a Sunday brunch -- will still go on.