USA Travel Guide

You know, I could really go on about Charleston. This unassuming city is South Carolina surprises me time and again with its profound history, unpretentious friendliness, approachably upscale sensibility and its graceful prosperity. It caters equally well to comfort-seekers and highlife enthusiasts. It’s laidback, but never without an insatiable zest for life and experience. This, understand, is no small feat.

Take, for instance, the 2009 BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival, coming to Marion Square this upcoming March 5-8. This immense food festival combines the reasonably priced smorgasbord of local goodies you’d expect from any “Taste of…” festival with a prestigious selection of ultra-high-end extravagances catered by chefs of regional, national and even global acclaim. The event is welcoming, and affordable, to food lovers of any age, yet also provides a luxury experience to those who, ahem, put their money where their mouth is.

Central to the Festival is the Culinary Village where chef demonstrations, book signings, various meet-and-greets, competitions and, of course, lots and lots of eating come together in a glorious celebration of all things food. Within two massive tasting tents, ticket-holders may sample the bold, diverse cuisines of the Lowcountry’s most respected restaurants, always with a flare for presentation and style that you don’t often find at similar food festivals.

Those with more to spend, or simply a tongue for the very best, may splurge on any of a number of luxury events, including the “Ultimate Cheese + Wine Pairing with Caviar” seminar, the “Masters at Work” food and wine pairing and at the very high end, the “Legendary Evening in the Lowcountry”, an unforgettable meal prepared by four of the area’s top chefs and hosted in an elegant private residence. Wow!

With big food comes big personality, and the festival’s got them. You can meet former Top Chef contestant (or at they say, cheftestant) Richard Blaise, Atlanta’s Kevin Rathbun, and even the Food Network’s Bobby Flay. Celebrity chef superstar Flay will host a book signing as well a burger demonstration, if that’s your thing (I’m more of an Alton Brown man myself).

Again, the 2009 Charleston Food + Wine Festival will be held March 5-8, 2009, with the Grand Tasting Tent (Culinary Village) open every day. Learn more here.

For Charleston, SC hotels, I’m always drawn to the Mills House. Admittedly this is not the least expensive choice, but it’s always a rewarding stay, and they appear to be offering packages for this very event to help take the edge off.