BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival

I always look forward to the first weekend in March when the white tents pop up in Marion Square in downtown historic Charleston. Without question, BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival is my favorite foodie event to attend. I have gone the past three years and each time I have partaken in a different event. This year I finally went to the Grand Tasting tents, and it was AMAZING!! The tasting tents and the culinary village are the quintessential event of the weekend.  They do a fabulous job and you really do get bang for your buck! The tasting tents are a casual, savvy way to check out the local eats and sips. I will say the name really does apply, BB&T Charleston Wine (plus) Food Festival. I would speculate the ratio of sips to bites tasting was 60/40.


The tents are a great way to check out some of the top Charleston restaurant like Peninsula Grill, Anson, and Middleton Place, but the real star of the event is the wine. I tried wines from Chile, France, Argentina, local, California, etc...as well as a variety of different grapes and blends. You will find at least one wine to enjoy and if you don’t, we'll you didn’t try enough! And for non wine lovers, such as Rick, plenty of breweries, cocktails and MOONSHINE!! I did not try the moonshine straight, but had a lovely refreshing mixed blueberry moonshine cocktail. This was my first time trying any form of moonshine. It’s not bad, but definitely strong.


The festival last from Thursday till Sunday, you can pick and choose from a vast variety of events to attend. The prices range from $10 to $1000 for the intimate dinner party with the guest chefs. There really is a festival festivity for everyone. Gospel brunches, wine tastings, dinners with beer pairings, shopping and sipping, blues and BBQ, five course tastings with top notch local chefs at their restaurants, book signings with favorite celebrate chefs, cook offs, luncheons, and this year a kick off night at the aquarium! It takes over downtown Charleston and more.


I think the best part of the day was the quality of time I spent with my love and friends. We just relaxed and enjoyed the day. We had fun talking about what we tried, liked, and learned from each venue about their art of cooking or mixing. Nothing says astounding time like delicious food, sweet wine, and fun people. Bon Appétit!