Events staged beyond the city - Not just the peninsula: '09 fest on land and sea
food + wine fest poster
The 2009 BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival is capitalizing on its surroundings like never before.
The festival, March 5-8, is spreading its wings beyond the city's peninsula to Mount Pleasant and Wadmalaw Island. Events will be staged in settings that include a converted church and the Charleston Tea Plantation.
Also, "This is the first year we've done anything on boats. We've seemed to hit the nail on the head," says Erika McMillan, media/marketing manager.
Those events are the yacht-based "Cocktails and Conversation"sunset cruise, which is already sold out, and "Masters at Work Food and Wine Pairing."
By land, two new culinary excursions on opening day will take guests either to James Island or Johns and Wadmalaw islands. Depending on the trip, stops include the Charleston Cookie Co. factory, Fat Hen restaurant, Charleston Tea Plantation and Irvin-House Vineyards.
McMillan says she's particularly excited about two first-time events in Mount Pleasant.
One is the $500 "Legendary Evening in the Lowcountry." Local chefs Brett McKee, Bob Waggoner and Frank Lee, along with celebrity chef Rick Tramonto of Tru in Chicago, will turn out a five-course menu. The setting is in the Old Village, within a former church made into a private residence.
"It's a beautiful location and very, very unique," McMillan says.
Another East Cooper event is the "Pinot Envy Uncorked!" to be held on the waterfront at Bridgeside (former Zinc restaurant). McMillan says it's also unlike anything the festival has done before, describing it as "Charleston-style Oregon wine camp."
Fifteen different pinot noirs will be poured. Fresh seafood will be prepared, including hand-rolled sushi and a smoked swordfish. Two fire pits will evoke a camp atmosphere, and guests can take in views of the Ravenel Bridge and downtown Charleston.
Ticket sales have been strong for the festival, "above our sales goals at this point," says festival Executive Director Angel Passailaigue Postell. About 40 different events are scheduled, a few by invitation only.
The festival, now in its fourth year, has an operating budget of $1.29 million. The festival hopes to bring in $723,000 from ticket sales, $156,000 more than in 2008. More than 13,000 people are expected to attend.
The economy's slide hasn't had much of an impact so far, says McMillan. The exception could be the King Street Sip + Stroll, which features winemakers and tastings at various shops. With the retail sector struggling, demand has not been as strong this year, she says.
Overall, however, "People are participating in this event and supporting it. We're really thrilled because we haven't had the same effect as a lot of other organizations have."
As in the past, restaurant "dine-arounds" are one of the most popular draws. Chefs at 18 local restaurants will team with renowned guest chefs to prepare a five-course tasting dinner with wine for $150.
"Several of them are sold out already and a couple are right behind. I'm guessing in the next week or two" tickets will be gone, McMillan says.
By the end of the month, she also expects sellouts of the Opening Night Party, celebrity chef Bobby Flay's Down South Charity Luncheon and Winemaker Receptions in Private Homes.
The festival's most expensive ticket also has had little trouble going quickly. Nearly 60 people have forked over $750 for the formal dinner in a private penthouse, hosted this year by four of the nation's most prominent female chefs. As of Monday, two tickets remained.
Meanwhile, the tented Culinary Village at Marion Square remains the heart of the festival. Cook-offs, demonstrations and book signings are planned there but a main attraction is the two mammoth Grand Tasting Tents filled with food and wine vendors, about 80 in all. Tickets are $45 (Friday or Sunday) $55 (Saturday), or $35 for locals on Sunday afternoon only.
McMillan says one of the biggest changes to the festival this year is making outside areas between the tents more lively and interactive.
To that end, a bluegrass band will play Saturday and Lowcountry sweetgrass basketmakers will be making and selling their art over the weekend. Whole Foods will have an outdoor wine garden, in addition to a market inside a tent where all the festival's winemakers will be represented.
This has been the festival's best year financially, Postell says.
Despite the loss of more than $32,000 in grants from the city of Charleston and the state, sponsorship revenue is within $10,000 of the festival's $438,500 target. Organizers are pleased.
"Every year we've missed that by about $100,000, so this is beyond anything we've ever done," Postell says.
The festival, a nonprofit organization, hopes to break even and raise $50,000 for charity, Postell says.
Teresa Taylor is the food editor. Reach her at food@postandcourier.com or 937-4886.
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