March 2006
March 2 - 5 Charleston, NC - Charleston Food & Wine Festival
Showcase of Southern chefs and Lowcountry cooking. Events include cooking demonstrations, food and wine seminars, author book signings, tastings, dinner parties, and a gospel brunch. Featured chefs include Joel Antunes, Ben Barker, Philippe Chin, Chris Hasting, Wally Joe, Claude Mann, Tory McPhail, Louis Osteen, Frank Stitt... Ticket prices vary according to events attended.
March 4 Healdsburg, CA - Crab & Fennel Fest
Third Annual Russian River Valley Winegrowers Crab & Fennel Fest, coincides with the Russian River Valley Wine Road 28th Annual Barrel Tasting Weekend. In early March the shoots of fennel appear everywhere from the vineyards to backyards. Local chefs will serve up culinary creations including fresh Dungeness crab, along with Russian River Valley wines.
March 11 & 12, 18 & 19 Highland County, VA - Highland Maple Festival
48th Annual Highland Maple Festival in "Virginia's Switzerland". This festival, held in the rural backcountry of Virginia, celebrates the opening of the maple season and syrup making.
March 18 & 19 Phoenix, AZ - West of Western Culinary Festiva
The 2nd Annual West of the Western Festival in Phoenix features over fifty chefs specializing in Western cuisine. Top celebrities include Janos Wilder, Douglas Rodriguez, Deborah Madison...more. Sample dishes from over 50 restaurants, wine tastings, and an expo of Arizona's food heritage are just some of the featured events.
March 23 - 25 Cincinnati, OH - Cincinnati Wine Festival
One of the largest annual wine festivals in the Midwest. The festival has raised more than $2 million to date. Events include Charity Auction and Dinner, Winery Dinners, the Grand Tastings and the Russ Wiles Memorial Golf Tournament. Winemakers from around the world join area chefs to create unsurpassed dining experiences. The Grand Tasting includes over 600 wines from 130 different wineries.
March 24 - 26 McMinnville, OR - McMinnville Wine & Food Classic
Art, food, and wine combine in this trade show atmosphere. Events to be announced later. Medals are awarded in various categories for best wines of Oregon. Admission is $10 at the door.
March 25 Kailua-Kona, HI - Kona Chocolate Festival
The Kona Chocolate Festival highlights local cacao farming and the creative talents of area chefs, and is also a fundraiser for the Kona Pacific Waldorf School. Events include the Chocolate Taste-off (a cooking competition with awards in professional and amateur categories), an Evening Gala, and a Chocolate Symposium composed of informative seminars.
March 25-26 Hermann, MO - Wurstfest
Self-proclaimed "Sausage Capital of Missouri," Hermann plays host to this unique event. Old-World delicacies, such as Bratwurst, Leberwurst, Schwartenmagen and Sommer Sausage, will be featured for sampling and purchase. Live German music and dancers, sausage-making demos and contest, tastings at local wineries, and a sausage breakfast are some of the events planned.
March 30 - April 1 Monterey, CA - Monterey Wine Festival
"America's Original Wine Festival" includes world-class wine seminars, cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, a live wine auction, and dinners. The event features over 120 California wineries and more than 800 wines. Featured chefs include Charlie Palmer of Aureole Restaurant, New York. Tickets are available for individual events, day passes, or special "Monk" packages.
March 31 - April 1 Newport, NC - Newport Pig Cooking Contest
28th Annual Pig Cooking Contest is three days of food, music, and fun for the whole family. This fair-like festival include concessions stands, rides, bake sales, and lots of good food. Over 80 cooks compete in the pig cooking contest. Money raised goes to local nonprofit charities.