by Madison V. Fisler
April 2, 2014. The annual Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival will be here before you know it. The highly anticipated annual event is slated for April 10-13, and will include three full days of wine, food and fun in beautiful Blowing Rock.
The festival, like every year, will feature many events that are sure to please wine and food lovers alike.
Perfect your wine-tasting skills with events like How to Taste Wine Like a Pro. Learn how to find the best buy in wines with Hidden Treasures – Best Values. Learn about common and unorthodox wine pairings with cheeses and chocolates and expand your knowledge with a wine dinner courtesy of Casa Rustica and Grandfather Vineyard. And all of that is just on the first day!
New this year is the Reserved Tasting, which is a higher-end tasting event held at the Inn at Ragged Gardens sponsored by the Blue Ridge Mountain Club.
“When you buy a ticket to this event, you are purchasing a seat at a table,” said Billie Rogers, Events Coordinator at the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce.
“Rather than going around tasting wines, you sit in your chair and the wines are brought to you!”
The festival is projected to bring in more than 1,500 wine lovers from all over, bringing in folks from Raleigh, Charlotte, Winston-Salem and more. Though most who come to the event are return patrons who make a point to come every year, newcomers are sure to have a great time as well.
“If you are coming for your first time, you should expect great hospitality from everyone you meet,” Rogers said. “Everyone will experience lots of smiles, a great time and lots of great southern hospitality.”
The event will be showcasing many new exciting features this year, including displays and fundraisers.
“The Blowing Rock PTO is trying to raise money for a new playground,” Rogers said. “Someone gave them a 1931 convertible sportster to raffle off, and it is beautiful! Raffle tickets will be $100 and at the end of May there will be a drawing for it. During the festival, it will be on display so people can purchase their raffle tickets.”
In addition, Hendrick Northlake Luxury Auto Mall will also be displaying three high-end automobiles valued at more than $100,000!
Check out all these exciting things and more at the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival. Whether you are a seasoned veteran of the festival or a newcomer trying it out for the first time, you are sure to find something for everyone at this highly anticipated event.
Check out the schedule of events to plan your trip:
Thursday, April 10
- 11 a.m. – How to Taste Wine Like a Pro
- 2 p.m. – Hidden Treasures, Best Value
- 3 p.m. – Wine & Cheese
- 4 p.m. – Wine & Chocolate
- 5 p.m. – Corks & Canvas
- 6 p.m. – Casa Rustica and Grandfather Vineyards Wine Dinner
- 6:30 p.m. – Taste!
- 7:30 p.m. – Rowland’s at Westglow Resort and Spa Wine Dinner featuring Signorello Estate Vineyards
- 8 p.m. – Town Tavern Blowing Rock – Wine to Water Fundraiser
- 8 p.m. – Twigs’ Taste After Party
Friday, April 11
- 11 a.m. – Pinot Noir Challenge
- 11:30 a.m. – Fun with Bubbles
- 12 p.m. – Riedel Challenge
- 12:30 p.m. – Pair Like a Pro
- 1 p.m. – Wine & Chocolate
- 1:30 p.m. – Wine & Cheese
- 2 p.m. – Discovering Spanish Treasure
- 2 p.m. – Southern Gourmet Cooking Class
- 3 p.m. – Hidden Treasures, Best Values
- 3 p.m. – Wine & Food/Spices
- 5 p.m. – Childress Wine Dinner at Timberland’s at Chetola Resort
- 6:30 p.m. – Moffett Winery and Trent Moffett at Gideon Ridge Inn
- 6:30 p.m. – Vision Cellars and Owner, Mac McDonald at the New Public House
- 6:30 p.m. – Around the World Wine Dinner at Twigs
- 6:30 p.m. – Vidalia Restaurant and Hanover Park Vineyard Winemaker Dinner
- 7 p.m. – “Mi Amore” Italian Wine Dinner at The Table at Crestwood Resort and Spa
- 8 p.m. – Live Acoustic Concert by Jonny Kaplan
- 9 p.m. – Mountain Jam and Moonshine Tasting at Twigs Restaurant
- 9:30 p.m. – Luke Combs Concert at the Town Tavern
Saturday, April 12
- 8 a.m. – Foggy Rock’s Pancake/French Toast Breakfast
- 8 a.m. – Coffee Cupping by Bald Guy Brew at Foggy Rock
- 8:30 a.m. – Chetola Resort’s Corkscrew 5K
- 9 a.m. – Blowing Rock Market Events
- 11:30 a.m. – Satellite Tent Tastings
- 12:30 p.m. – Grand Reserve Wine Tasting – SOLD OUT
- 1:30 p.m. – Grand Tasting at the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival
- 3 p.m. – Grand Reserve Wine Tasting
- 4 p.m. – Grand Tasting at the Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival
- 5 p.m. – Victus World Imports Wine Dinner at Timberlake’s Restaurant
- 5 p.m. – Twigs Restaurant and Bar Wine Flights and Live Music
- 6:30 p.m. – Whiskey Tasting and Harris Brothers Concert at the Town Tavern
- 10 p.m. – Resort to Murder – A Musical Murder Mystery
Sunday, April 13
- Jazz and Bubbles Brunch at Crestwood Resort and Spa
Participating wineries this year include the following:
- Shadow Springs Vineyard
- Jones von Drehle
- Hanover Park Vineyard
- Grandfather Vineyard and Winery
- Ginger Creek
- Duplin Winery
- Childress Vineyard and Winery
- Banner Elk Winery
The festival also features many lodging packages for guests. For details on lodging partners and lodging packages for the event, click here.
Tickets can be purchased by calling the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce at 828-295-7851 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Tickets may also be purchased online here.
This year’s sponsors are the Town of Blowing Rock, Hendrick Northlake Luxury Auto Mall, The Blue Ridge Mountain Club, Blowing Rock Tourism Development Authority and the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce.