Charlotte’s StrEATs Festival Coming in April 2025, Expected To Draw Over 10,000 People
The biggest food party in North Carolina is back as the Charlotte StrEATs festival takes over the streets from April 4-13. Visitors can try local foods, enjoy wines, and see chefs show off their skills across Charlotte.
During the wine tasting, local winemakers share their finest while students prepare complementary dishes. Sustainable practices and locally sourced ingredients remain key features of every event.
In 2022, Wile and Wilson noticed something missing in Charlotte’s food scene. They started this festival, drawing inspiration from other popular southern food events.
“While Charlotte’s food scene has grown to rival any other southeastern city’s, we felt there wasn’t an event focused solely on highlighting the incredible local and independent restaurants here. Our hope when dreaming up this event was to fill that gap with the Charlotte StrEATs festival. We’re proud to help give Charlotte a food festival worthy of the chefs and mixologists who are part of it and are excited to show off our culinary scene for a fourth year,” said Kristen Wile to the Charlotte Post.
StrEATs Uncorked kicks off on April 4. For $65, guests can try wines matched with local foods. Student chefs from Johnson and Wales University will create dishes blending mountain tastes with seafood from the coast.
On April 13, the streets come alive with free activities. Food trucks gather while chefs demonstrate their cooking. Locals compete in a cooking contest for the top prize. The 2024 festival had 50 vendors and drew 10,000 food fans.
A food and drink tour runs through town on April 12. Watch cooking demos and learn cocktail making for $85, or upgrade to VIP for $125. The tour is open to adults 21 and older.
The city supports the event, recognizing how it helps local businesses. Students get hands-on experience through their involvement with food preparation and event organization.
