Guests sample food and drink at the 2023 Craft Food & Wine Festival. (Credit: Alison Stukenborg)

Foodies (and others) alert: the 5th annual Craft Food and Wine Festival benefiting Church Health is Sunday,  June 23rd.

The annual festival will be held between 3 and 7 p.m. at The Columns at One Commerce Square. More than 20 food-related businesses, including JEM restaurant, Zio Matto Gelato, Biscuits and Jams, and Comeback Coffee, will be featured.

Event organizer Cristina McCarter, owner of Feast & Graze (which also will be included), says the event is special because it โ€œembodies the entire food industry, from the food makers to the chefs.โ€

According to the news release, โ€œThe all-inclusive event showcases local foodpreneurs and chefs who provide handcrafted dishes for hundreds of guests to enjoy. The indoor event is โ€ฆ packed with delicious bites and paired with high-quality tastings of wine, cocktails, and local brews, live music, and entertainment.โ€

There also will be a VIP Lounge. โ€œChef Kevin Sullivan of Kitchen Laurel will provide a beautiful grazing table for VIP guests โ€ฆ while they sip exclusive wines and spirits.โ€

And, according to the release, โ€œGuests will have an opportunity to connect with their local food makers and purchase their favorite food samples.

โ€œVIP will have an all-access pass with early entry at 3 p.m. followed by the general tasting at 4 p.m. Tickets are on sale now. Admission includes a small tasting tray and wine glass.โ€

Tickets may be purchased at citytastingexperiences.com. The CFWF10 discount code can be used for $10 off the ticket price.

Michael Donahue began his career in 1975 at the now-defunct Memphis Press-Scimitar and moved to The Commercial Appeal in 1984, where he wrote about food and dining, music, and covered social events until...