Savor Blowing Rock Gets Underway Today; Four Full Days of Events Scheduled

By Nathan ham

The 2018 edition of Savor Blowing Rock officially started at 10 a.m. Thursday morning with a round of morning tea and treats and will continue throughout the day with seminars from noon until 5:30 p.m. and the TASTE! Restaurant Showcase from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. 

“This year, Savor will offer a very interactive experience for guests. Events will offer the opportunity to not only sample the latest food trends and beverages from the Carolinas, but to also learn about the process, from cultivation and creation to the table. Our goal is for attendees to walk away from the events being entertained, educated, and inspired to create small magic in their own kitchens,” said Loni Miller of the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce.

This year’s event will surely be another wonderful celebration in the High Country, featuring local restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries. There will be tastings, cooking classes, seminars and music that will all highlight the regional culture in Blowing Rock.

Savor Blowing Rock’s new tag line, “Eat, Drink and Savor Blowing Rock” highlights the inclusion of several events, including a 5K road race and a 47-mile gravel bike race for outdoor enthusiasts. Most of the products presented during Savor Blowing Rock are made, grown and created in the Carolinas as befits the region’s prominence in the culinary world.

As with every event, a few tweaks are made each year to provide something new for attendees. This year, Savor Blowing Rock has revamped its main showcase on Saturday.

“We have really changed some things up. One of the big things we have changed is the grand tasting. It has been renamed the Culinary Village is always the biggest event on Saturday,” said Charles Hardin, the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. “The event is a tasting culinary showcase event with less focus on consuming alcohol and more focus on the culinary parts and pairing foods.”

Other changes include the addition of a fashion show and brunch on Friday morning as well a Kentucky Derby-themed cocktail and viewing party on Saturday afternoon.

Savor Blowing Rock is produced by the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce and is sponsored this year by Blowing Rock Market and Blue Ridge Mountain Club.

Tickets for this year’s event are still available and can be purchased at the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, located at 132 Park Avenue, or online. All of the details for purchasing tickets online as well as a complete schedule of events and event locations are available at the event website, savorblowingrock.com.

Event Schedule

Thursday, May 3

Morning Tea & Treats, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Seminar – Lodi: Wine Region of the Year, 12-1 p.m.

Seminar – South Africa: Old World or New World, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Seminar – Wine & Chocolate, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Seminar – Wine and Cupcake Pairing, 3-4 p.m.

Seminar – Cabernet Sauvignon Challenge, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

TASTE! A Restaurant Showcase, 6-8 p.m.

Friday, May 4

All You Can Eat Pancakes at Sunny Rock, 7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Savor Fashion Show & Brunch, 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Morning Tea & Treats, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Seminar – Columbia Valley: The Heart of Washington State, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Seminar – Wine & Spice, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Seminar – Riedel Challenge, 12-1:30 p.m.

Wine Tastings at Sunset & Vine, 12-6 p.m.

Seminar – The South of France… for Under $20, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Seminar – Beer & Spice, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Seminar – Sub-Appellation Showdown in Willamette Valley, 2-3 p.m.

Tea is Wellness, 2-3 p.m.

Cooking Kindly with Caleb – First Session, 2-3 p.m.

Creative Mix-Tea-Ology – First Session, 2-3 p.m.

Grilling Class, 3-5 p.m.

Crude Bitters & Key City Spirits: NC Bitters and Old Fashioned Seminar, 3-5 p.m.

Seminar – Best New Wines Under $20, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Cooking Kindly with Caleb – Second Session, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Creative Mix-Tea-Ology – Second Session, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Sip & Shop Downtown, 4-7 p.m.

Seminar – Campania: Italy’s Best Kept Secret, 5-6 p.m.

Class – Sip & Sew, 5-7 p.m.

Wildflower Walk, 5-7 p.m.

Music on the Lawn, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Cork & Canvas, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Black & Gold Night, 6-8 p.m.

Pairing Dinner at Gideon Ridge Restaurant, 6-9 p.m.

Seminar – 90 Point Wines, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

An Evening with Trent Moffett of Moffett Vineyards, 6:30-9 p.m.

Winemaker’s Dinner at Crestwood, 6:30-9 p.m.

Pairing Dinner Featuring Chateau Montelena Vineyards, 6:30-10 p.m.

Saturday, May 5

Globe Gravel Challenge, 7:30-11:30 a.m.

All You Can Eat Pancakes at Sunny Rock, 7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Chetola Resort’s Corkscrew and Brew 5K, 8:30-10:30 a.m.

Cork & Canvas, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Morning Tea & Treats, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Grilling Class, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Gaines Kiker Blacksmithing Demo, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Culinary Village, A Centerpiece Event, 12-4 p.m.

Reserve Wine Tasting – First seating, 12-2 p.m.

Seminar – Wine in the Andes, 12-1 p.m.

Wine Tastings at Sunset & Vine, 12-6 p.m.

Food Trucks at Tanger Outlet, 12-4 p.m.

BR Bites & Brews – Live Music, 12-3 p.m.

Music and Makers at Savor, 1-7 p.m.

Seminar – ZIN-posium, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Reserve Wine Tasting – Second seating, 3-5 p.m.

Seminar – French Winemakers of California, 3-4 p.m.

Cocktail Seminar at The Speckled Trout Restaurant & Bottle Shop, 3-5 p.m.

Horses, Hats & Hooch, 4-7 p.m.

Cork & Canvas, 4-6 p.m.

Seminar – Italy: North vs. South, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Hill Family Estate Wine Dinner at Westglow, 6:30-9 p.m.

Cinco de Mayo Pairing Dinner at the Chestnut Grille, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 6

Gospel, Grits & Gravy featuring Jim Avett, 9-11:30 a.m.

Morning Tea & Treats, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Jazz and Bubbles at Crestwood, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Wildflower Walks, 2-5:30 p.m.