Come celebrate Charlotte’s food scene at the first-ever Charlotte StrEATs Festival this April! The two-day festival will take place at Gateway Village in the heart of Uptown and will serve as the finale of the Charlotte SHOUT! Festival.
Kristen Wile of Unpretentious Palate and Casey Wilson of Carben Events + Marketing have partnered to produce the event. Through Charlotte SHOUT! and presenting sponsors Atrium Health and Bank of America, the two received a grant to be able to bring the food pillar back to the Charlotte SHOUT! Festival.
“We are excited to highlight the restaurants that give the city its personality,” says Wile. “Attendees both from Charlotte and from out of town will get to experience our city’s amazing culinary talents.”
Charlotte StrEATs will kick off Friday with a free family night that will feature cooking demonstrations from local culinary students, food trucks, vendors, and kid-friendly activities.
On Saturday festival-goers will walk through a mini-map of the city organized by neighborhoods. Those who purchase Tasting Tickets will be able to taste their way through Charlotte’s most iconic neighborhoods. There will be plenty of free entertainment for those who attend Saturday’s festival without a tasting ticket. Attendees will be able to watch multiple cooking demonstrations on the main stage, shop small businesses, enjoy live music, sip on beverages from NoDa Brewing and Summit Seltzer, and can purchase food from our participating food trucks.
At 3 p.m., StrEATs will host the first Neighborhood Cook-off, where chefs representing different neighborhoods will each be tasked with preparing a dish that best represents their neighborhood.
The festival is free and open to the public; however, tickets are required to participate in the restaurant tasting portion of the event on Saturday.
“Unpretentious Palate’s motto begins with ‘Celebrate the good,’” shares Wile. “That’s precisely what this festival is all about: celebrating the diverse restaurants that make Charlotte’s culinary scene so impressive.”
PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS:
Representing NoDa – The Goodyear House and Salud Cervecería
Representing Plaza Midwood – Dish and Supperland
Representing South Park – Dogwood
Representing Dilworth – 300 East
Representing East Charlotte – Manolo’s Bakery
Representing Camp North End – Leah & Louise and Plant Joy
Representing South End – Bardo
Representing Uptown – The Asbury and Sea Level
Representing West Charlotte – Counter- Biblio and Toucan Louie’s Cafe and Roastery
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