Saint Simons Hosts Its First-Ever Food Festival

James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Nathalie Dupree and her co-author Cynthia Graubart are hosting the inaugural Saint Simons Food & Spirits Festival Sept. 21 to 23 on Saint Simons Island, Ga.

The three-day event kicks off with the First Bite reception Sept. 20 in the courtyard of Halyards Restaurant. Other highlights of the festival include the Friday Night Festival Feast, where executive chef Jonathan Jerusalmy and guest chef Ford Fry of Atlanta restaurants No. 246, JCT. Kitchen, and The Optimist will present a five-course dinner featuring local foods, specialty cocktails, and wines.

The Saint Simons Food & Spirits Festival also includes The Market, a free event with farm stands and arts and crafts vendors; a Local Flavors Tasting Tent featuring 25 local chefs and restaurants, craft beers, and artisan spirits and wines; and a Southern Specialties Cooking Class led by Dupree and Graubart, at the Harbour Room at Coastal Kitchen.

The weekend festival, which benefits the Hospice of the Golden Isles culminates with the SPIRITual Sunday Brunch at Halyards Restaurant, where chef Dave Snyder will serve a multi-course meal featuring recipes from Dupree, Jerusalmy, and Fry, who will be seated among the guests for brunch.

Lauren Mack is the Travel Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @lmack.