What To Expect At A Music City Food + Wine Festival
The time has come to get your tickets for the sixth annual Music City Food + Wine Festival!
If you enjoy live music, eating and drinking al fresco with a bunch of other people who do too, #MCFW is for you. September 14-16, celebrate Friday, Saturday, Sunday – or all weekend long with the best of 'em. There's no better time than Music City Food + Wine to take a weekend off from the grind, kick back, and enjoy the greatness Nashville has to offer. Plus, intermingling with some of the most talented chefs in the country. That's pretty neat, too.
This year, the festival has expanded programming unlike anything seen before with a special Friday Night Throwdown pairing celeb chefs with pro athletes, an Official Drink of Nashville competition showcasing Nashville's most talented bartenders and intoxicologists, and so much more. Relatively speaking, Music City Food + Wine is better than any Netflix & Chill.
From Friday to Sunday, here's what is set to go down:
The new Friday Night Throwdown pairs celebrity chefs with professional athletes and is set to be the ultimate Happy Hour. Who would you want to be in the kitchen with from the Tennessee Titans or Nashville Predators? Emceed by Jessie James Decker, chefs Anne Burrell and Tim Love will go head-to-head in a cooking demo captaining teams featuring sous chefs from the Nashville Predators and Tennessee Titans. But here's the catch, each team will be challenged to create the ultimate meal from a surprise ingredient box. Guest sous chefs from Titans/Preds announced this summer.
To highlight Nashville's bar scene is the launch of the Official Drink of Nashville competition. Nashville's bars and 'tenders have always been a-bustling. As the city has been growing in population, so have the number of palates, thus the complexities of the craft cocktails and their makers. What would an "essential Nashville cocktail" have looked like even less than 5 years ago? What will it look like this coming September? We shall find out.
There will be two days of the Grand Taste on Friday evening from 6 – 10 p.m. and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Bicentennial Capital State Mall Park. The grand taste is jam packed with Panel Discussions, Tasting Sessions and Cooking Demonstrations and more that you can hit as you so please between grazing on bites and mingling with chefs. At the Grand Taste, expect bites from chefs Deb Paquette (Etch), Jess Lambert (Etc.), Porter Road Butcher's Chris Carter & James Peisker, Crystal De Luna-Bogan (The Grilled Cheeserie), Jason Zygmont (The Treehouse), Kyle Patterson (Sinema), Carey Bringle (Peg Leg Porker), Gerard Craft (Pastaria), and oh so many more.
For cooking demonstrations, get up close and personal with chefs while they do what they do best. Lineup includes chefs Anne Burrell, Carla Hall, Tim Love, Aarón Sánchez, Jonathan Waxman and Andrew Zimmern.
Also on Saturday, Pappy Hour is back! Preston Van Winkle of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery AKA the great-grandson of iconic bourbon maker Julian P. "Pappy" Van Winkle leads this back-by-popular-demand bourbon tasting.
Masters of fire, Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint and Friends will be back both days of the Grand Taste for another epic live-fire barbecue. It big, and it meaty... Vegans beware. Grab some 'que and be sure to take some time to mingle with the grill masters, then cue the 'que again. Hosted by celebrated pitmaster Pat Martin, also in attendance will be renowned pitmaster Billy Durney of Hometown Bar-B-Que. "We're cooking in an archaic way. As far as technique in cooking, there are no trends. This [barbecue] isn't a trend, this is a lifestyle, community and culture and we're at the forefront of making sure that is preserved." Billy Durney, Music City Food + Wine.
Saturday night is Harvest Night, which is sort of like the wedding reception food & music never had, complete with a star-studded guest list. Food begins after the Grand Taste at 7 p.m. and the music at 9 p.m. Nashville native, chef Carla Hall of ABC's The Chew will be there joining in on the fun. "I'm looking forward to hot chicken, barbecue and great music in my hometown of Nashville," says Carla Hall. "I'll be feeling right at home with new and old chef friends." Expect chefs Maneet Chauhan, Matt Bolus, Tim Love, Margot McCormack, Jonathan Waxman, Tandy Wilson, Andrew Zimmern and more.
Kings of Leon and musical guests will anchor Harvest Night. They are set to perform iconic disco hits from the 70s & 80s. According to the press release, Festivalgoers are encouraged to dress up in their flashiest Studio 54-inspired garb for a fabulous dance party under the Nashville stars.
And on the third day, they hosted a brunch. On Sunday, get your brunch vibes on and grab your hair of the dog at Gospel Brunch. Sunday is the last day for food & fun. Enjoy a live gospel performance from beloved vocalist Gayle Mayes, brunch cocktails and of course wine & coffee. Expect in attendance: Blackberry Farm, Pastry chef Lisa Donovan, Brandon Frohne (Holler and Dash), chef John Lasater (Hattie B's), Andy Little (Josephine); Pat Martin (Hugh Baby's) and you guessed it, many more. For full festival lineups see musiccityfoodandwinefestival.com.
I said it once and I'll say it again, there's just something about Nashville now a days that you just have to eat to believe. My advice, check out what's happening all weekend and plan for what you are really going to want to see because even with an all-in ticket, you won't be able to do it all. But that's what makes MCFW so great, and #MCFW18 even greater. Get your tickets, they will sell out.