Culinary Village Found a New Home in Downtown Charleston, Staff Busy Preparing For 'Summer Sizzle' & 2026 Event

Jeff Walker,  Entertainment Writer / Food & Beverage Review

Although the 2021 festival was canceled due to the COVID pandemic, and last years event was cut short after severe flooding on the weekend, the 20th anniversary Charleston Wine & Food Festival (CHSWF) went off without a hitch. However, 2025 came with several changes, most notably relocating the much trafficked Culinary Village from Riverfront Park in North Charleston to the easily assessible Johnson Hagood Stadium in downtown Charleston.

With their mission to To celebrate, educate, enrich, and promote the Lowcountry’s diverse culinary, and hospitality community through world-class experiences, since 2005 the festival has made roughly a $170 million economic impact locally. With thousands of visitors, vendors, and journalists coming in from outside the region, the festival especially influences the greater Charleston hospitality and tourism business, with this year being no different.

While the five day (March 5-9) festival took place at various locations including many themed lunch and dinners at local restaurants, the three day Culinary Village remains the heartbeat of the festival, this year playing host to hundreds of guests during specific three and a half hour intervals Friday through Sunday.

Though the CHSWF has become a world class event, the beauty of the village is you don't necessarily have to be a wine connoisseur or an epicurean of food aka 'a foodie' to enjoy all the village has to offer.

Hosting 3600 attendees per day the Culinary Village offered something for everyone including local, regional, and international wineries, dozens of beer, booze, and beverage professionals, featuring Adam Goodwin from Charles Towne Fermentory, as well as self-proclaimed traveling-hoptista and Goose Creek resident April Dove founder of the Tha CommUNITY, a multi-brew initiative.

Without question one of the marquee events that took place this year was 'The World of 'Cue', a VIP experience focusing on the world of barbecue, featuring tastings, chef demos, and more. Overall the festival offered a wide array of tastings, sips, and activities, including Lowcountry-inspired bites, wine, cocktails, beer, and even a spirit-free garden.

Additionally the Culinary Village featured Snack Shacks and Foodie Kitchens offering a variety of tastes, Shucktown (diving into oysters), Duke's Mayo Demo Kitchen, where every chef creation was crafted with Duke's Mayo including a cake, and an always welcome Lowcountry Boil (no description needed).

To fully summarize or write about every aspect the annual CHSWF offered in 2025 would take hours. All total, some 400 plus participants from varied food and beverage backgrounds including a half dozen Carolina based oyster farmers took part. Two time festival attendee Christa Barfield founder of FarmerJawn, the largest Black-owned food producer in Pennsylvania, made the trip from her native Philadelphia to represent her sustainable food systems.

With Charleston being renowned as a food lovers paradise, it's not surprising that some 100 plus local chefs participated in the 2025 festival. Whether they hosted intimate dinners or applied their skills inside the village, their names are synonymous with some of the most noted restaurants in greater Charleston.

Chef Anthony DiBernardo, owner of Swig & Swine took part for a tenth year, with Culinary Institute of America graduate Anthony Marini with The Pass making his fourth appearance in 2025. Lowcountry ladies were front and center this year, with celebrated Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit owner Carrie Morey, and Heather Hutton Taft with Roxa Desserts showcasing their specialty baking skills.

Again, whether they be local or visiting it would be exhausting to list all chefs lending their talents to the CHSWF. Check out this list that include everyday comfort food to upscale dining destinations such as Minero Mexican Grill and Cantina, Renzo, Barnyard Chicken, The Obstinate Daughter, Cru Catering, Herd Provisions, Wild Common, Husk, Legend Deli, and a host of eateries in between. For a comprehensive run down of area chefs that have participated for the first time or several years running visit https://charlestonwineandfood.com/participants-2025/?participantcategories=charleston-chefs

Each and every year the CHSWF has grown exponentially, continually fine tuning the festival to best serve the needs of the vendors and the patrons. With regards to the Culinary Village in 2025 they limited the amount of guests in each session, allowing those attending to have more quality time enjoying exhibits, demonstrations, and more importantly sipping and sampling. Yum Yum!

Festivals that celebrate food & beverages have become all the rage from coast to coast in America. The annual Charleston Wine & Food Festival has become so popular, often many of the events scheduled a year out begin to sellout six to twelve months ahead of time. Let's face it, with all Charleston has to offer, who wouldn't want to come in early March, especially when wine and food are the centerpiece for their visit.

Maybe you missed the festival this year, or maybe you've never attended. Even better, perhaps you're interested in partnering or volunteering. No worries, you can get a jump start to the 2026 Charleston Wine & Food Festival which takes place March 4-8th 2026 by visiting https://charlestonwineandfood.com/

The festival's webpage offers up to date information on upcoming events such as their 'Summer Sizzle', details their impact locally, as well as providing information on all they do to grow the food and beverage industry through their 'People First' core value initiative, including their mantra 'the human connection is the most powerful ingredient in any recipe'. Amen & Bon Appetit!