The Food & Wine Classic in Charleston, hosted by Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure and Southern Living and presented by Explore Charleston, will return to the Holy City Nov. 14 through 16.
Early bird passes are $1,450 through July 31 when they will increase to $1,950.
The three-day foodie-focused weekend made its debut in Charleston last fall with seminars, cooking demos, ticketed experiences and, of course, the Grand Tasting Pavilion (GTP).
From Aspen to the Holy City
The festival’s original iteration is held annually in Aspen where it’s been taking place for over four decades.
Last year, Southern Living editor-in-chief Sid Evans explained why the Food & Wine Classic landed in Charleston: “No other place has a blend of hospitality, foodways, culture, architecture and history like the Holy City. Charleston is incredibly beloved by the readers and editors of Food & Wine, Southern Living, and Travel + Leisure, so bringing the Food & Wine Classic to Charleston was an exciting idea for all of us.”
Held during peak hurricane season last year, the festival narrowly avoided the impacts of Hurricane Helene, which devastated other parts of the Southeast. At the time, only one seminar was canceled and the GTP was delayed by an hour on the first day. This year, the food festival will take place near the end of what is expected to be a busy storm season.
The threat of natural disasters aside, the festival’s return speaks to its success last year. A different kind of food festival than the city is used to seeing, the Food & Wine Classic comes with a high price tag, sure, but it also offers quite a lot of information for food nerds seeking a unique experience.
What you get
This year’s festival will feature returning celebre-chef talent including Sean Brock, Andrew Zimmern and Maneet Chauhan, as well as new faces like Kwame Onwuachi, Emeril Lagasse and his son, E.J. Lagasse.
Attendees can choose the seminars, cooking demos, wine and spirits tastings and panel discussions they wish to attend. In addition to nationally celebrated food personalities, the festival welcomes local faces such as Mike Lata, James London, Carrie Morey, Rodney Scott, Femi Oyediran and Miles White.
Additional ticketed events (i.e., ones that come at an additional cost to your weekend pass price tag) include Pearls of the Coast: Oyster Roast; the all-star Southern Living Lowcountry Tailgate at The Dunlin; Sea to Table: Crabbing & Cooking in the Lowcountry with Tia Clark and several hands-on cooking classes, followed by private luncheons with local chefs.
These events are currently only available to passholders but may become available to the general public at a later date.
The Grand Tasting Pavilion, which is open in two-hour sessions four times throughout the weekend, will feature more than 100 winemakers, distillers and purveyors serving wine, spirits and bites. Last year’s GTP featured quite a few local restaurants and vendors with an emphasis on local seafood.
Learn more about the festival and buy your weekend passes now at foodandwineclassicincharleston.com.
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