FEAST Wilmington is back for its second year March 29 and 30 in Wilmington, North Carolina. FEAST brings together local chefs, restaurants, breweries, and distilleries to showcase the city’s diverse food and beverage scene. The festival’s non-profit partners are the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, The Cape Beer Craft Beer Alliance and the Downtown Business Alliance of Wilmington.

FEAST Events

FEAST features three main events that all take place at Wilmington’s Riverfront Park.

• Craft + Cuisine takes place on Saturday March 29th from 11am-2pm. 23 local breweries partner with 20 local chefs to create delicious pairings. Musical Guests: The Blue Footed Boobies.
• Pier Party takes place on Saturday March 29th from 6pm-9pm. This evening is full of the area’s finest coastal cuisine alongside an array of drinks. Musical Guests: The Hatch Brothers
• Brunch Elevated takes place on Sunday March 30th from 11am-2pm. This event is full of delicious brunch bites, brunch cocktails and mocktails, and gourmet coffee. Musical Guest: Tracy Shedd

End of Days Distillery is the official spirits sponsor again, so there will certainly be delicious cocktail flowing all weekend long. See the full list of participating chefs and breweries here. Festival organizer Jessica Maurer said, “This year we opened applications in July and were excited to see them start rolling in almost immediately. We had a lot of past participants apply, as well as a lot of newcomers. Each restaurant is reviewed internally with occasional input from a small advisory board prior to being selected.”

Tickets can either be purchased for all three weekend events together ($260) or individually: Craft + Cuisine ($100), Pier Party ($125), and Brunch Elevated ($100). Tickets can be purchased here. The tickets to these events are all inclusive of food and drink and each feature live music. There are 20+ different restaurants at each event, so if you purchase a weekend pass or attend multiple events, there will be an entirely different lineup at each event.

FEAST Experiences

On top of the three main events, FEAST has curated six experiences leading up to the main weekend. Tickets for each of these experiences can be booked here. Additionally, several local hotels have created taste and stay packages that include discounts on the hotel stay and tickets and these can be found on their website.

“The reason we chose to call them FEAST Experiences is that they’re not just dinners – there’s a whole theme – some involve chef collaborations, cocktail pairings, a musical element or style of dress to really create an all-encompassing atmosphere with great food and drink at the heart of each event” Maurer shared.

• Ebb & Flow: Saturday, February 22nd at 6pm. FEAST Wilmington and The Commodore Club have dreamed up an unforgettable night on the water where guests will get a taste of Wrightsville Beach’s most exclusive private club while immersing themselves in an interactive feast for the senses. Featuring live music from Jay Killman Trio, breathtaking coastal vistas, and a mouthwatering array of dishes from Executive Chef Jordan Keen and Pastry Chef Madelyn Frank.
• The Muses Garden: Monday, March 24 at 6pm. It’s a reverie to dine like Demeter, Greek Goddess of food and harvest. Begin with cocktails and belly dancing in the garden and move on to a Greek Mezze Feast that will leave you feeling like royalty. Adorn yourself in blue, white, and gold for an indulgent mythical toga soirée.
• Home Grown: Tuesday March 25 at 6pm. We hate to overuse the phrase “Farm to Table” but it’s hard to describe the pure magic of food that comes out of the earth and swiftly to your plate any other way.  This six-course meal is designed to celebrate Eastern North Carolina’s local harvest while injecting multi-cultural culinary influences. Featuring a dynamic collaboration between Got To Be NC Ambassador Chefs Gerald Hawkins, Jr. and Mauricio Huarcaya, each course will be paired with expertly fashioned fusions from award-winning master mixologist Gustavo Bellavida using End of Days spirits. Local produce, rich heritage, and perfectly paired cocktails are sure to elevate this FEAST Experience to the next level.  
• Pies & Pints: Wednesday March 26 at 5:15pm and 7:45pm. Embark on an omakase-style culinary tour of pizzas from New York to Detroit to Chicago. Chef Evan Morton and Ben Knight of Benny’s will guide you through tasting notes as you savor each slice of inspired pie magic. Wash it all down with cold pints of Mad Mole Beer — a perfect pairing for every eclectic flavor
• Hollywood East: Thursday March 27 at 6pm. Prepare to be transported to an era of glamour, style, and stardom. Enjoy a champagne toast, exquisite passed hors d’oeuvres and live jazz upon arrival, followed by four inspiring courses from chef Taylor Trumbetti and prohibition-era cocktails. This immersion into old Hollywood luxury invites you to don your most fabulous black + white attire and join us as we turn back time, and indulge in the finer things.
• Tailgate Party: Friday March 28 at 6pm. Join us for an unforgettable evening of BBQ and Southern hospitality as we kick off Feast Fest 2025 with a Tailgate Party at The Starling Bar. Two of the South’s premier pitmasters, Matt Register of Southern Smoke BBQ and Jake Wood of Lawrence BBQ, along with special guests Brian Furman and Will Andrews are ready to fire up the pits and toast to Feast Fest 2025! Chef Allegra Grant of Salt + Charm will round out the menu with creative side dishes perfectly complementing the pitmasters’ creations. From farm to sea, there are plenty of feast-worthy surprises in store. Cold beer, handcrafted cocktails from The Starling, and beats from Professor Dub bring the full tailgate experience.

We can’t wait to experience the second year of FEAST Wilmington! See you there!

Feature image courtesy of FEAST Wilmington

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