Only one event combines the varied, rich and unique taste of Wrightsville Beach’s more than 15 restaurants and hotels–the second annual Taste of Wrightsville Beach.
Slated to unfold 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, the second annual Taste of Wrightsville Beach will be on the waterfront at MarineMax’s Harbor Island marina.
Event cofounder Lisa Weeks estimates about 500 people will attend this year’s event. The event is a fundraiser for the Wrightsville Beach Foundation.
Taste of Wrightsville Beach has something for everyone, Weeks said.
On the competitive side, this year’s judges for the “best in show” award will be Eric Gephardt, lead instructor for the Chef’s Academy of North Carolina; Competition Dining N.C. founder Jimmy Crippen; Cape Fear Community College Hospitality Management faculty member Diane Withrow; WWAY Good Morning Carolina anchor Randy Aldridge; and Wrightsville Beach Mayor David Cignotti.
Participating restaurants from last year’s event–Holiday Inn Resort, Bluewater Grill, 22 North, Mellow Mushroom, the Blockade Runner Beach Resort’s East Oceanfront Restaurant, Tower 7, King Neptune, and Dockside–will return with a few new additions, including Shell Island Resort and Jerry’s Food Wine and Spirits.
On the social side, guests will be able to mingle in the MarineMax showroom and around the marina where college football action will be displayed on TVs onboard the boats. Larry Snider and guests will entertain patrons as they arrive in the showroom and Wilmington-based Rock, Reggae and R&B band, The Blue Tang Bandits, will set the soundtrack for the evening with its lively, up-tempo sound.
South Beach Grill owner and event cofounder John Andrews said the event not only serves patrons with samplings of each restaurant, but that the restaurants benefit from the exposure leading into the beach’s offseason.
Hosted by the nonprofit Wrightsville Beach Foundation, the second annual Taste of Wrightsville Beach will benefit the Weekend Meals on Wheels program and the downtown Wrightsville Beach beautification project.
Tickets are available online at $50 for general admission over 21 years old and $25 for guests younger than 21. Ticket purchase covers tastings of all food, wine and beer. If available, event tickets at the door will be on sale for $75.
For more ticket and event information, visit wrightsvillebeachfoundation.org, email wrightsvillebeachfoundation@gmail.com or call 910.262.5998.
