Ticket sales window for the Food and Wine Festival opens
Published 13:44 Thursday, August 22, 2024
Tickets for the second annual Louisiana Food and Wine Festival are now on sale.
The “top-class culinary and beverage festival” will last four days in September.
The festival was launched last year to bring specialty foods and wines to the region at affordable prices. Founder and festival director Jan Gourley said last year’s festival was “very successful” and people came to Lake Charles from across the country and Canada.
The success of the first year attracted attention and the festival was given a Louey Award as Festival/Event of the Year by the Louisiana Travel Association, she said.
The Louey Award was created to honor “individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the Louisiana tourism industry.”
The Louisiana’s Celebrity Chefs Wine Dinner begins with a reception on Thursday, September 19th at 6 p.m. Students and faculty from Sowela Technical Community College will serve their “culinary creations.”
A six-course Louisiana-inspired dinner, beginning at 7 p.m., will be created by local and international chefs. This year’s event will feature chefs such as Leonair Dorsey, Executive Pastry Chef, Gracious Bakery, New Orleans, Paul Fehribach, Executive Chef, Big Jones, Chicago, Kevin McCarthy, Executive Chef, L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles, Huy Pham, Sushi Chef, Yakuza House, Metairie, and Jernard Wells, Celebrity Chef and Television Host.
The event is hosted by L’Auberge.
On Friday, September 20, Sowlea will present the “Louisiana Inspired Master Classes” at Sowela in conjunction with Rouses Markets and Louisiana Seafood from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Throughout the day, guests will participate in interactive sessions with celebrity chefs, cookbook authors and sommeliers.
“Fire on the Lake” will take place later in the day from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Bord du Lac Park. During this “quintessential Louisiana celebration of cooking over an open fire,” guests can sample a variety of slow-cooked, grilled and smoked meats and Louisiana seafood prepared by chefs, grill masters and grill masters.
Vegetarian options are also available.
New this year: The BBQ People’s Choice Awards will be presented at “Fire on the Lake”.
Live Cajun and Zydeco music will be played all night long by Horace Trahan and the Ossun Express.
The Louisiana Food & Wine Festival, Grand Tasting will be held on Saturday, September 21st from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Bord du Lac Park in Lake Charles, LA.
The event features a range of food and drink tastings, live music and a souvenir glass for unlimited drinks from various exhibitors. Highlights include the “Taste of Louisiana Alley” featuring dishes from top Louisiana chefs and “Louisiana’s Craft Brews Alley” showcasing local breweries, all complemented by music from the Flamethrowers.
The peer-judged Best Taste Awards and the People’s Choice Best Taste Awards will be announced at the grand tasting.
The Sunday Jazz Brunch concludes the festival. Two brunch events will be held at Sowela on September 22nd from 11am to 2pm. The event will feature unlimited drink samples with a souvenir glass, live jazz music and a sumptuous brunch. The brunch will include carving stations, salad bars, Louisiana seafood, made-to-order omelets and a selection of desserts.
During the festival, guests can look forward to new features and areas, including the Rosé Love Garden – with rosé wine tastings – and several chilled lounges. The “So Fly” charging lounge will also be available to guests throughout the weekend.
Tickets can be purchased at louisinafoodandwinefestival.com.
Save $10 on Friday and Saturday tickets with The American Press Code “AP10”.
