Charleston Wine & Food Festival Prepares For The 2014 Launch

In preparation for the launch of their 2014 ticket sales, the BB&T Charleston Wine & Food Festival will host their popular end-of-the-summer fete on Wednesday, Sept. 18 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This year they have moved the event back a few weeks and changed up the location to the newly opened Mixson Bath & Racquet Club in North Charleston. 

Those are not the only changes the festival has made. Aside from moving the date of the four-day celebration a week later in March, they are also planning to make some upgrades and event venue changes. The Culinary Village, which is located inside Marion Square and refered to as the "hub" of the event, will get an upgrade as they scale back the scope of the tasting tents and feature more of Charleston's most celebrated chefs and tastemakers. Initial plans also call for an open-air retail center and potential beer garden.

For the launch party, guests will get a taste of these changes from some of those that may be featured in the Village, including Jeremiah Bacon of The Macintosh, Todd Garrigan of Craftsmen Kitchen & Tap House, Drew Hedlund of Fleet Landing, Kevin Johnson of The Grocery, Leila Schardt and Italo Marino of Básico, Frank McMahon of Hank's Seafood and Nico Romo of Fish. There will also be tastings by companies like Callie's Charleston Biscuits, BlackJack Barbecue, Slather Brand Foods, and Charleston Gourmet Burger Company. Drinks stations will feature Fat & Juicy, High Wire Distilling, Bittermilk and New Belgium Brewing. 

The party is sponsored by Limehouse Produce; tickets costs $40 per person and can be purchased on their website. Tickets to the actual festival will be available for purchase the same day. Both the launch party and the actual festival tickets are hot items, so you are encouraged to purchase them quickly before they sell out!