One of the most highly anticipated culinary events in Mississippi, the Natchez Food & Wine Festival attracts top chefs and restaurateurs from throughout the Gulf South. Each summer, they gather in Natchez to stage multiple-course dinners in historic mansions, progressive dining events, gourmet tastings, and casual social occasions that make the most of the city's spectacular riverside setting.

All along the Great River Road, renowned chefs, restaurateurs, vintners, and craft beer brewers descend on Natchez for the summer Food & Wine Festival. Friday night offers a huge taster's fair—"Tastings Along the Mississippi River"—with scores of regional chefs and restaurants participating (it always sells out); and top regional chefs stage elaborate feasts in grand Natchez mansions on Saturday night. It's a weekend-long chance to enjoy fine food, wine, and craft brews in Natchez—the oldest permanent settlement along the Mississippi River and home to more than five hundred antebellum structures. Details for individual events are as follow:

Friday, July 26^th

• 6:30 pm–9:30 pm: Visit Mississippi Tastings Along the River-Natchez Convention Center

211 Main Street

The popular Tastings Along the River fair offers delicious tidbits by scores of local and regional chefs, paired with premium wine and craft beer tastings and live music in a casual atmosphere, at the Natchez Convention Center. Grab a glass and taste dozens of wines alongside delicacies by restaurants and chefs from around the region.

9:30pm-11:30pm-VIP Chef’s After Party- $50 each-snacks, 2 drink tickets and live music at Smoot's

Saturday, July 27th

           11am and 1pm Mixology at Smoot’s 319 N Broadway

Enjoy 4 cocktails that are all Mississippi made by Mixologist-$40 per person-60 tickets

·      

  11 am–2 pm: Cookbook Author Progressive Luncheon: This is a self-walkng tour visiting several of Natchez's Downtown Businesses on Franklin Street. Each venue will have a Pairing from the Author’s Cookbook and Book of Cocktails prepared by a Chef and Mixologist. Tours begin at 11 am, 11:45 am, 12:30 pm, 1:15 pm. $70 per person includes a 4-course meal and cocktail pairing. Signed Cookbooks are available for purchase during the times. Please select the time that suits and book tickets accordingly. 35 per time slot

Nana's Creole Italian Table by Liz Williams-Appetizer at Natchez Olive Market-636 Franklin St prepared by Chef Liza Sharp of NOM

The Absinthe Frappe by Marielle Songy Cocktail Pairing

'Benourished' Cookbook by Katie Dixon-Salad Course at Nest-505 Franklin St prepared by Chef Katie Dixon

Cocktail Pairing

Southern and Smoked: Cajun Cooking through the Seasons. by Jarred Zeringue at Fete-612 Franklin St prepared by Chef Jarred Zeringue

Cocktail Pairing

Maddie Hayes The SoFAB Cookbook by Maddie Hayes-Dessert Course at Steampunk Coffee Roasters/Papi Y Papi- 706 Franklin St prepared by Chef Lexi Lehrman

Absinthe: The Exquisite Elixir-By Ted Breaux-Featured Beverages will be Granitas, Espresso, Watermelon, Lemon and Absinthe by Expert Dub Rogers

• 1:30 pm: Wine & Cheese Tasting at The Castle Restaurant on the grounds of Dunleith Historic Inn. 84 Homochitto St

Attendance 80

Hosted in a circa 1790's building that once served as the plantation's carriage house, this event brings experts from New Orleans' St. James Cheese Company to lead an international tour into the world of cheese. Castle manager and cocktail consultant Ricky Woolfolk will oversee wine pairings $65 per person

3-5pm Cooking demonstrations at Church Hill Variety-30 minute cooking demonstrations by 3 Chefs with samples and recipe card-$50 for 30 people Featured Chef’s Tori Loomis, Taylor Bowen Ricketts and Cory Bahr

5 pm–7 pm:  Brats, Beer and Bocce-Natchez Brewing Co-207 High St

 serving up lighthearted bocce competition, craft beer, and grub at the Brewery at sunset with live music- $40 per ticket

·        

6 pm: Summer Camp Dinner at Church Hill Variety- Casual Dinner

 4 course small plate dinner with wine or cocktail pairings $100 each

• 7:00 pm: Saturday night belongs to the festival's signature wine dinners. This year the Invitation to the Natchez Table dinners offer multi-course menus in 2 unique venues in Downtown Natchez with Winemakers presenting a pairing with each course

• 'Food is Art' Dinner at Conde Contemporary Art Gallery-Chefs will prepare exquisite courses as participants dine in real life art installation inside of the Gallery

 Chef’s Karen Carrier, Phillip Lopez, David Leathers and Molly Manning Robertston

Coquerel Wines Winemakers Dinner-Chef’s Cooper Miller, Mitch McCammey- Location TBD

• Tickets for each are $150 all-inclusive of winemaker and cocktail pairing and 4 course dinner