Asheville Wine & Food Festival: A Real Palate-Pleaser

Asheville, North Carolina often garners a lot of attention and recognition in many aspects of travel and leisure. 

It is not surprising that Asheville was chosen as a Travelers’ Choice Food and Wine U.S. Destinations award winner last year by the world's largest travel site, TripAdvisor. (These winners were determined based on the most highly rated food and wine destinations by travelers in TripAdvisor reviews.) Also of no surprise is that Asheville was recently recognized by The Huffington Post as a one of the Top 10 Undiscovered Local Food Cities.

It only takes one visit to Asheville to discover that great local fare and spirits abound throughout the city's farm-to-table eateries and watering holes. However, visit us this weekend and you'll find a perfect combination of food and wine (along with so much more) all in one place.

Premiering in 2009 and continuing to be a local favorite, the Asheville Wine & Food Festival pleasantly pairs fine local, regional, national, and international wines (as well as craft beer and other spirits) with the extraordinary local fare of area restaurants resulting in three days of tickled taste buds. The Asheville Wine & Food Festival runs from Thursday, August 23 through Saturday, August 25. This event, recognized by the New York Post as one of the best of its kind, is held in the heart of the downtown Asheville.

Here are the highlights of each of the festival days:

Thursday, August 23

• WNC Final Chefs' Challenge runs from 6:30-10:00p.m. where the Lexington Avenue Brewery's team of chefs vs the Inn at Biltmore Estate's group compete for top honors.
• Ticketing information can be found here. Don't wait too long; there are only 100 seats available. Price includes a six-course meal (three from each of the teams), two adult beverages, as well as tax and gratuity.

Friday, August 24

• SWEET presents desserts first at the festival from 7:30-10:00p.m. at the Grove Arcade. Indulge your sweet tooth as you sample locally made decadent desserts and confections as well as champagnes, specialty cocktails, and dessert wines. Enjoy elegant live music and peruse the shops of the Grove Arcade, too.
• Ticketing information and further details can be found here.

Saturday, August 25

• The Grand Tasting offers VIP admission from noon-5:00p.m. and general admission from 1:30-5:00p.m. This event showcases the area chefs, wineries, farmers, and artisan food producers and allows guests to sip, sample, and shop their way through its culinary delights. (It's also a great time to plan ahead for the holiday season and take advantage of the opportunity to purchase some unique gifts.)
• Ticketing information and varying admission costs can be found here.

We hope you'll be here with us this weekend! We'd love to see you. Don't forget, there are always convenient places to stay right in downtown Asheville to make your trip even more enjoyable.

If you're planning to go to the Asheville Wine & Food Festival or have gone in the past, tell us about in our comment section. Bon Appétit!