| Wilmington,
NC � September 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / As summer transitions
to autumn, it�s easy to �fall� for coastal flavors with an appetizing roundup
of seasonal food, brew and wine happenings in Wilmington,
North Carolina and its island beaches. From tastings, wine walks and
craft beer tours to oyster roasts, food tours and festivals, there are
nearly two dozen flavorful happenings during the fall months that feature
local cuisine and regional spirits.
Coastal chefs face off in
a friendly competition when the Fire on the Dock Competition Dining Series
returns to Bluewater Grille (Sept. 19-22). October brings several signature
food events, including: the 23rd Annual Pleasure Island Seafood, Blues
& Jazz Festival (Oct. 8-9) near Kure Beach and the 5th Annual Taste
of Wrightsville Beach festival (Oct. 8). Encore�s Fall Wilmington Restaurant
Week (Oct. 19-26) features great menus at great prices from 40+ restaurants.
On October 19, five Wilmington Chefs will join celebrity chef Vivian Howard,
star of PBS series �A Chef�s Life,� for a Chef�s Feast on the River. The
second annual Wilmington Seafood Festival will be held Oct. 22-23 at Watermark
Marina and the inaugural Wilmington Beer Week (Oct. 22-29) includes 7 days
of beer-theme events, including the Lighthouse Beer Festival (Oct. 29).
Weekly farmer�s markets and food and brewery tours provide even more opportunities
to savor coastal flavors.
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Local restaurants and chefs
are putting Wilmington and the beaches on the foodie map with recent culinary
accolades. SouthernLiving.com
named PinPoint Restaurant, located in Wilmington�s River District, among
their picks for Best New Restaurants of 2016. Earlier this year manna restaurant
received its second consecutive AAA 4-diamond rating. CATCH Restaurant�s
chef/owner Keith Rhodes was chosen to participate in the 2016 James Beard
Foundation Boot Camp. Rhodes is the only N.C. chef participating in this
year�s event. Pine Valley Market recently took the Copper Kettle Best in
Show award at Wilmington�s Epicurean Evening competition. These chefs and
others committed to using local produce, seafood, meats and cheese have
formed a new 40Eats initiative to raise awareness of Wilmington�s dynamic
food scene and to give back to the community where they live and work.
From farm-to-fork signature
Southern dishes to fresh seafood specialties and international creations,
there are restaurants to suit every budget and palate. Mild fall temperatures
are ideal for dining outdoors. Historic Wilmington still reigns as the
#1
�Best Al Fresco Dining Neighborhood� according to USA TODAY 10Best Readers�
Choice. The beaches also claim many fine restaurants that delight with
fresh seafood and vista views of the ocean and waterways. Go with the flow
and see where the water�and your appetite�take you when you visit Wilmington,
North Carolina and the island beaches of Carolina
Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville
Beach.
Here�s a roundup of seasonal
food, brew and wine happenings:
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Sept. 24: Wilmington Wine
& Beer Walk. Downtown Wilmington. Tickets: www.wineandbeerwalk.com
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Oct. 8: Annual Taste of Wrightsville
Beach. 5pm-8pm. Showcase of 30+ Wrightsville Beach eateries + beer/wine
vendors. Marine Max, 130 Short St., Wrightsville Beach. 910-262-5998; Tickets:
www.wrightsvillebeachfoundation.org
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Oct. 8-9: Annual Pleasure
Island Seafood, Blues & Jazz Festival. Seafood vendors provide
tasty eats. This year�s blues headline artists are Jonny Lang and Samantha
Fish. Ft. Fisher Air Force Rec Area, 118 Riverfront Rd, Kure Beach. 910-458-8434;
Tickets: www.pleasureislandnc.org/events-details.php?id=201
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Oct. 15: Back Door Kitchen
Tour. 11am-5pm. Various historic homes, Wilmington. 9 kitchens + a
garden in Downtown Wilmington. Tickets: www.rowilmington.org/info.php?pnum=5
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Oct. 15-16: Festival Latino.
A celebration of Latino food, music, dance and arts. Ogden Park, Wilmington.
910-341-0007; www.amigosinternacional.org/home-page/festival-latino
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Oct. 17: Fall Harvest Tea.
11am-3pm. An elegant Southern tea. Bellamy Mansion, 503 Market St, Wilmington.
Reservations required: 910-251-3700; www.bellamymansion.org/calendar
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Oct. 19: Chef�s Feast on
the River. 6pm-8pm. Five Wilmington chefs join celebrity chef Vivian
Howard (chef/star of PBS series �A Chef�s Life�) for a feast to benefit
Food Bank of Eastern NC. Howard will also sign her new cookbook Deep Run
Roots. Pier 33 at Port City Marina, Wilmington. Tickets: www.foodbankcenc.org/site/PageServer?pagename=getinvolved_ChefsFeastILM
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Oct. 19-26: Encore�s Wilmington
Restaurant Week. 40+ restaurants in Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach
serve delicious meals at fixed prices. Restaurants/ menus online at www.encorerestaurantweek.com
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Oct. 21: Airlie Oyster Roast.
6pm-10pm. Airlie Gardens, 300 Airlie Rd, Wilmington. Advance tickets required:
910-798-7700; www.airliegardens.org.
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Oct. 22-23: Wilmington Seafood
Festival. Sat. 11am-7pm; Sun 11am-6pm. Watermark Marina, 4114 River
Rd., Wilmington. Tickets: 910-794-5259; www.wilmingtonseafoodfestival.com
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Oct. 22-29: Wilmington Beer
Week. A week-long celebration of craft beer in Wilmington. Various
venues. Check website for schedule and ticket information: wilmington.beer.
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Oct. 28: Voracious Craft
Beer Tasting. 6pm-9pm. On the deck of the Battleship North Carolina,
Wilmington. Tickets required: www.lighthousebeerfestival.com
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Oct. 29: Lighthouse Beer
Festival. 1pm-5pm. North Waterfront Park (10 Harnett St., Downtown),
Wilmington. Tickets: www.lighthousebeerfestival.com
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Nov. 5: St. Stan�s Polish
Festival. 11am-5pm. A celebration of Polish food, music, dance and
arts. St. Stanislaus Church, 4849 Castle Hayne Rd, Castle Hayne. www.ststanspolishfestival.org
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Ongoing - Culinary Tours:
Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours (www.tastecarolina.net/wilmington)
& Tasting History Tours (www.tastinghistorytours.com).
Reservations required.
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Ongoing - Dinner Theatre:
TheatreNOW Dinner Theatre (weekends), 19 S. 10th St., Wilmington; Reservations
required: www.theatrewilmington.com
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Ongoing - Farmer�s Markets:
Wrightsville Beach Farmer�s Market, Wrightsville Beach Municipal Complex
(Mondays through September 26 www.townofwrightsvillebeach.com/183/Farmers-Market);
Carolina Beach Farmer�s Market, Carolina Beach Lake (Saturdays through
Oct. 1 www.carolinabeachfarmersmarket.com);
Riverfront Farmer�s Market, Downtown Wilmington (Saturdays through Nov.
19 www.wilmingtonfarmers.com);
Ogden Farmer�s Market, Ogden Park (Wednesdays through Nov. 16); Poplar
Grove Farmer�s Market, (Wednesdays through Oct. 26; Gourmet in the Grove,
Thursdays through Oct. 26 www.poplargrove.org).
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Ongoing � Brewery Tours:
Port City Brew Bus Tours. Tours include multiple breweries and bottle shops
in the Wilmington area. Reservations required: 910-679-6586; www.portcitybrewbus.com;
Front Street Brewery offers daily tours and tastings. Free, daily 3pm-4:30pm.
Must be 21+ years. 9 N. Front St., Wilmington: www.frontstreetbrewery.com;
Wilmington Ale Trail provides a self-guided tour of craft breweries and
bottle shops: www.wilmingtonaletrail.com.
City + Beaches: Outstanding
restaurants and chefs from the
historic city�s award-winning riverfront to the nearby island beaches
welcome guests year-round with fresh seafood and regional specialties.
Wilmington�s dynamic dining scene presents a full spectrum of restaurant
choices. Visitors can satisfy their palate and feed the soul in one destination
with four unique settings. Before traveling any distance for an event,
please contact event organizers to confirm details and secure tickets/reservations.
For a free official Visitors Guide, call 866-266-9690. For seasonal events
and special offers, visit www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com/season/2016-fall-highlights.
Media
Contact:
Wilmington
and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau
Connie
Nelson
Communications/PR
Director
910-332-8751
866-266-9690
ext. 120
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The
New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority d/b/a Wilmington and Beaches
Convention and Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization
of New Hanover County, North Carolina that stimulates economic development
through the promotion of travel and tourism.
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