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Savor Blowing Rock Kicks Off on May 3 with Four Days of Food, Spirits and Fun

By Nathan Ham

Savor Blowing Rock promises to be the same great event, just at a different time of the year.

The 2018 event has moved from its usual landing spot on the April calendar to the first weekend in May. Savor Blowing Rock gets underway on Thursday, May 3 and lasts through Sunday, May 6.

“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.

The move was made in hopes of having a little more cooperative, spring-like weather and be able to incorporate more seasonal residents who start to return in May.

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.

There are a few changes and additions to the event calendar this year.

“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.”

Completely new to the schedule is the Savor Fashion Show and Brunch on Friday starting at 10 a.m. and lasting until 12:30 p.m.

“Our retail merchants in downtown Blowing Rock and some of the people over at Tanger came together to put on a spring fashion show at Green Park Inn,” Hardin said.

Another new event for 2018 is the Kentucky Derby-themed event, “Horses, Hats and Hooch.” People will show up for cocktail party dressed up in their favorite hats to watch the Kentucky Derby on the big screen.

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 are available at the event website, savorblowingrock.com.