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The Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival Kicks off in Blowing Rock with Wine, Food and Friends; Photos Included

by Madison V. Fisler

April 11, 2014. Blowing Rock is gearing up for the rest of the annual Blue Ridge Wine and Food Festival, and it really shows! All throughout town, tents are up and ready to be filled with line lovers tasting exciting vintages, stages are being prepared for shows and Blowing Rock businesses are at the ready to serve their customers.

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.

Check out the remaining schedule of events:

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. 

Check out photos from this afternoon:

Photos by Ken Ketchie

Timberlake's Restaurant at Chetola. Chetola will be host to the wine dinners, Corkscrew 5K, cooking classes, Murder Mystery and more!
Timberlake’s Restaurant at Chetola. Chetola will be host to the wine dinners, Corkscrew 5K, cooking classes, Murder Mystery and more!

 

The big tasting tent outside of Blowing Rock Market is ready for wines and tasters
The big tasting tent outside of Blowing Rock Market is ready for wines and tasters

 

A beautiful car from sponsor Hendrick Northlake Luxury Auto Mall sits outside of the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce
A beautiful car from sponsor Hendrick Northlake Luxury Auto Mall sits outside of the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce

 

The giant tasting tent will soon be full of wine and wine lovers
The giant tasting tent will soon be full of wine and wine lovers

 

A look inside: the grand tasting tent will soon be stuffed to the brim with wine lovers tasting wines
A look inside: the grand tasting tent will soon be stuffed to the brim with wine lovers tasting wines

 

Another view of the wine tasting tent. Stop by and taste something you've never tasted before.
Another view of the wine tasting tent. Stop by and taste something you’ve never tasted before.

 

The giant tasting tent in Blowing Rock is ready to go!
The giant tasting tent in Blowing Rock is ready to go!

 

Twigs Restaurant will host wine flights, live music and more for the festival
Twigs Restaurant will host wine flights, live music and more for the festival