Wine + Food festival expects record numbers

With weekend weather on their side, organizers with the fifth annual BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival expect this year's numbers to surpass the record turnout in 2009.

Executive director Angel Postell said she expects about 17,000 attendees, compared with last year's 15,000 -- which was a 2,000-person increase from 2008. Events sold out earlier this time around, and Postell projects the crowd to include half locals and half tourists, meaning about 6 percent more out-of-town visitors than in previous years.

"Every month we've beat our sales from the year before," Postell said. "It looks like we're going to have our best year yet."

A study by the College of Charleston's Office of Tourism Analysis found that the event's total economic impact reached nearly $2.4 million in 2009. Ticket sales came in about $83,000 higher than budgeted and more than $200,000 higher than in 2008.

Charity money soared from $20,000 in donations in 2008 to $70,000 in 2009. Its 2010 signature charities are Louie's Kids, which raises funds to treat childhood obesity, and Slow Food Charleston, which advocates for high-quality, environmentally-conscious and socially-responsible food.

Image conscious

The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce invited residents to an "imaging" forum last week as it moves toward developing a slogan for the area.

For example, there's "West Virginia: Wild and Wonderful." And there's Columbia's "Famously Hot."

Chamber officials say they want to convey the pro-business attitude, natural beauty and rich history of the area. They plan to use the "image" for the next five to 10 years to position the county as a destination for tourists, residents and industry.

The chamber plans to conduct focus groups with community members and business leaders as the image quest continues.

Reach Allyson Bird at 937-5594 or abird@postandcourier.com.