Savor Blowing Rock Wine and Food Festival
What do you get when you combine wine, fine cuisine with music, fun, outdoor activities and beautiful North Carolina weather? The answer is simple – SAVOR Blowing Rock, formerly known as the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival. This annual Blowing Rock event is one of the top wine and food festivals serving North Carolina mountain communities.
The four-day festival takes place Thursday, April 14-Sunday April 17th. That time is filled with activities for foodies and wine lovers alike. Attendees can participate in seminars, workshops, pairings, dinners and wine tastings. If one course satisfies your appetite, then you can dig in to the local bands performing at the Blue Ridge Mountain Club tent.
This year’s festival will feature all of the popular events and programs that folks across the southeast have come to know and love including shopping, the annual Corkscrew 5K at Chetola Resort and the popular ‘TASTE!’ restaurant showcase.
There’s even more to see and do, and there’s even more food. New this year is also an expanded Sip and Stroll event, two additional downtown satellite tents, an additional grilling seminar and a brand new cooking class focused on Caribbean cuisine. Here are a few of the event highlights near The Coves Mountain River Club, a gated mountain community with four miles of frontage on the Johns River.
Thursday, April 14th
Thursday kicks off with several wine seminars held throughout the day. At 6pm, there’s a Winemaker’s Dinner at Westglow Resort and Spa. Dinner consists of three courses paired with their own wine flight. Later in the day the TASTE! restaurant showcase takes place at the main tent. The night is capped by a performance by the Adam Church Band.
Friday, April 15th
The weekend kicks off right after some champagne at the sparkling wine seminar ‘Break Out the Bubbly’ starting at 11am. Throughout the day, seminar topics include choosing the right wine glass and pairing the right wine with the right spice. The highlight of the day is the Sip, Shop and Stroll event, formerly known as the Downtown Wine Down. Later in the evening is Cork and Canvas – a fun program combines painting and drinking wine. Friday night is highlighted by a pairing dinner at Rustique, with Cordon Bleu-trained chef Shayne Lewis. The menu features entrees from Northern Italy including seared whitefish with parmesan and braised short-rib ravioli with asparagus and tomato jam. The night ends with a 10pm performance by the Harris Brothers at Town Tavern.
Saturday, April 16th
Saturday starts bright and early at 8:30am with the third annual Chetola Resort’s Corkscrew 5K. This combines road racing and wine (or, if you prefer, walking and wine). At 10am, is Cork and Canvas part two featuring a morning of mimosas and painting in a relaxed atmosphere led by a trained instructor. Each participant goes home with a finished work of art. At 10am, there’s also a grilling class with the Grill Masters – attendees will learn to grill everything from appetizers to desserts in this class put on by Appalachian Energy. At 1pm, the Grand Tasting offers food, wine, beer and distilled spirits. The tasting is a single session that runs until 5pm so you have more time to taste. At 7pm, your presence is requested at a Downton Abbey Style Dinner.
Music is performed by The Steve Frank Orchestra. (Period attire welcomed but not required.) This five course meal features crab stuffed mushrooms and herb roasted quail.
Sunday, April 17th
A seminar on Bloody Marys is held at Rustique beginning at noon. Attendees will learn how to make this decadent drink with a variety of vodkas, homemade spicy or mild mix and a fixins bar featuring shrimp, bacon and homemade pickled vegetables. Rustique is located at 349 Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock, NC. Tickets are $25.
Blowing Rock events like SAVOR are great for people living in the high country. But it’s one of many elements that make living in North Carolina mountain communities so wonderful. For full and part-time residents of the area, there are many Blowing Rock events which are part of the many reasons for returning year after year. That long list of reasons to live in North Carolina mountain communities begins with the sheer natural beauty of the place, and end with the genuine warmth and kindness of the people.
In between, are all the experiences unique to life in a small mountain town: window-shopping down Main Street, summer festivals in the park, wine and food festivals, farmer’s markets and much more. There’s also the view of the Blue Ridge Parkway snaking its way around the Grandfather Mountain. The panoramic scenes from the top are simply majestic.
Blowing Rock is well-known for its foodie scene and indulgence-worthy dining. Throughout April there’s a month-long celebration of North Carolina beers. It takes that long to sample the locally made craft beers and food to go with it.
Spring is in the air and the flowers are blooming. April is a great time to plan a trip to explore North Carolina mountain communities. Come for Blowing Rock events like wine and food festivals to see why it’s called the Crown of the Blue Ridge.
If you’re learning about the area for the first time, ask for our free Blowing Rock relocation information for a list of fun things to do and more help info.
