All posts by matthewsimpso

wine festival

Hilton Head Island Wine + Food Festival Turns 30

It’s never too early to start talking about food & wine festivals and the season kicks off in the Carolinas in just three months. We’ve already given you a heads up about the 10th Anniversary celebration of the Charleston Food + Festival coming March 4-8. And now there is even more reason to keep the celebration going further at the 30th Anniversary of the Hilton Head Island Wine + Food Festival at Sea Pines Resort March 9-14.

wine festival

Noted as the oldest-running food and wine festival on the East Coast and paralleling the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, the Hilton Head Island Wine + Food Festival celebrates the unique culinary culture on Hilton Head Island and features an international wine competition, culinary talent, local and regional cuisine, and island attractions that make Hilton Head Island a premier Southern destination. The festivities will take place at The Sea Pines Resort with the festival’s signature Grand Tasting to be held on the 18th lawn of the legendary Harbour Town Golf Links, while the popular Public Tasting will take place at the resort’s iconic Harbour Town Yacht Basin.

This year’s festival week offers a brand new schedule of events including the Par for the Cork golf outing, Sip and Stroll marina celebration, and themed vintner dinners at the resort’s newly renovated Plantation Golf Club. Spanning the week of March 9-14, 2015, the 30th anniversary celebration offers up an impressive line-up of world-class vineyards, local and regional celebrity chefs, live entertainment, and a variety of visual and performing artists. The highly-acclaimed International Wine Judging Competition precedes the 2015 festival on February 6-8.

Start your diet, dig out your fat pants, and make plans now for the 30th Anniversary of the Hilton Head Island Wine + Food Festival.

ArtFields Turns Lake City Into an Art Mecca

For nine days this Spring, the historic district of the small, Southern agriculture town of Lake City, South Carolina will be transformed into an art Mecca with the arrival of artists from 12 Southeastern states and art lovers from all over for ArtFields.

Now in its third year, the South’s biggest art competition will take over the town April 24-May 2, showcasing original works in 50-plus venues including historic buildings, shops, cafes, offices, and outdoor spaces. Named by CNN as a “don’t miss” festival in 2014, ArtFields includes a competition of over 400 pieces of art with over $100,000 in cash prizes (viewing the art competition is free), a 5K run through downtown, an artist market, a SC Barbeque Association cook-off, symphony concert, children’s art workshops, portrait contests, food, and craft brews. For the full calendar and ticketing information, check out the Artfields website. marvel unlimited promo code

Lake City is located approximately 90 minutes from Charleston and Columbia and within an hour’s drive of Myrtle Beach and has become a burgeoning creative community. The town has recently welcomed the new Inn at the Crossroads, a boutique hotel located in the heart of the ArtFields’ activity. Festival goers enjoy free parking and shuttle services all over town.

Have Dinner with Downton Abbey in Asheville

downton abbey
And speaking of Downton Abbey (see our post about the Dressing Downton exhibit coming to Biltmore)….Lex 18 in Asheville, North Carolina is hosting a Downton Abbey intimate interactive banquet dinner to celebrate Season 5 of the award-winning PBS series. The experience kicks off with the live broadcast of the first episode on Sunday, January 4 and runs every Sunday through March 1, 2015 and is limited to 16 exclusive guests.

Lex 18‘s historic 1920s dining room will be set in a resplendent post-Edwardian era style complete with all the finery from this popular historic era. Centered under its gold ceiling, a 16-foot long banquet table will be lavishly dressed with china and crystal. Footmen in tails and a head butler will serve guests a five-course wine and champagne dinner, along with an interactive cast personifying Downton Abbey’s Crawley family members and their lively servants.

Each dinner will begin with a Vintage Cocktail Hour of unlimited cocktails and socializing with members of the Asheville Crawley family and guests. The cocktail hour will also feature a brief historical perspective of Asheville and English music, arts, culture and fashion by a guest historian. Then the five-course dinner will be served along with three paired wines and a champagne pairing with dessert. The dinner service will include table-side butler service, beautiful china, silver platters, crystal, and the leisurely feast classic of a grand manor. The live broadcast of Downton Abbey‘s fifth season will then air, along with an intermission for post-dinner digestifs and coffee and tea.

Space is limited to 16 guests each Sunday for this extraordinary food and libations experience and interactive fun set in the grand style of one of the most watched and loved Masterpiece programs in the world. Reserve your seats now for the Downton Abbey Dinner Theatre Experience.