Maybe you're not big on planning, or you're doing the Zen thing, or your calendar has a really small space to write in.
That's understandable. But occasionally, a good party merits planning ahead.
Here are three reasons to mark your calendar, or update your iPhone, or adjust your sundial — whatever you do — for the Asheville Wine & Food Festival.
Tickets sell out: The Grand Tasting (samples galore) takes place on Saturday, Aug. 24, and several thousand tickets are available, but smaller events lead up to the big day, and you don't want to miss them.
Chefs battle it out for the title of Best Chef in WNC and a $5,000 cash prize in the final rounds of WNC Chefs Challenge. On Tuesday, Aug. 20, crews from Tomato Jam and Zambra face off. The following evening, Strada and Dough throw down. The winners take part in the final round at the Grand Tasting.
Many Asheville restaurants will celebrate the festival with their own food events. Dough invites diners to “Be a Commis” (chef's assistant) on Saturday, Aug. 17, and MG Road and Strada are also planning collaborative events with the festival. (Visit the “pairing dinners” tab of the ashevillewineandfoodfest.com for details
You make wine: The festival gives amateurs a chance to test their vintage. The French Broad Vignerons, a WNC-based group that enthuses over grapes, wine and the like, judges the entries (which must be submitted by Saturday, Aug. 10).
For more information, contact info@ashevillewineandfood.com.
You're a mixology master: This year, the festival includes a cocktail contest, Elixir. It's a bartenders' shakedown — or stir-down, as the case may be — using local and regional liquors. To enter, email kris@ashevillewineandfood.com.
For details about any of the above events, visit ashevillewineandfood.com. Tickets are available online through Eventbrite.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.