Memphis food lovers, consider this your official invitation to graze. The seventh annual Craft Food & Wine Festival returns to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art on September 6th, bringing together more than 35 local foodpreneurs, chefs, and artisans for an evening of bites, sips, music, and reasons to loosen your belt.
Presented by Feast and Graze, the festival grew from founder Cristina McCarter’s original Butcher Board Festival, inspired by her love of cheese boards. Since becoming the Craft Food & Wine Festival years ago, the event has expanded its focus beyond restaurants and chefs to celebrate the broader Memphis food ecosystem — including farmers, beekeepers, bakers, pickle makers, and other small producers.
“It’s more than just chefs and restaurants,” McCarter says. “It’s a whole ecosystem. Everyone deserves a chance to show that.”
This year’s festival will feature free tastings of artisanal foods, beer, wine, and cocktails, along with live entertainment by The Earnestine and Hazel’s Band and DJ Sledro. McCarter is especially excited about a dedicated mocktail area, reflecting what she sees as a growing interest in wellness, natural ingredients, and alcohol-free drinks.
Guests can also shop while they sample. Everyone receives a tray and glass to collect bites and beverages through the festival, with some vendors offering products to take home.
For those looking to make the evening extra special, the VIP ticket includes 4 p.m. early admission, a champagne toast, exclusive wine tastings, seating, and a special menu from Chef Joshua Mutchnick of JEM Dining. His menu will spotlight some of JEM’s signature flavors, including 24-hour braised short-rib adobo and vegan kimchi arancini, with wine pairings designed to enhance each dish.
Mutchnick says the VIP experience is meant to be more than a meal. Tucked into a secluded area of the Brooks, it offers guests a chance to settle in and enjoy a custom food-and-wine experience away from the bustle.
McCarter hopes first-timers leave thinking, “I don’t know why it took me so long to find out about this festival!” With full bellies, local discoveries, and a little art along the way, that seems like a pretty good outcome.
7TH ANNUAL CRAFT FOOD & WINE FESTVIAL, MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM 0f art, 1934 POPLAR AVE., SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 5-7 P.M.
