Charlotte StrEATs Festival

Don’t miss the 5th annual Charlotte StrEATs Festival, held in partnership with Charlotte SHOUT! The FREE festival will feature the area’s top local food and beverage vendors, food trucks, cooking demos, and more. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest.

What to Expect:

🍴 Neighborhood Cook-off Battles
Watch as chefs go head-to-head in an exciting culinary showdown to claim the title of StrEATs Neighborhood Champion.

🛍️ Artisan Market
Shop a carefully curated selection of the city’s top culinary vendors.

👨‍🍳 Cocktail Demonstrations + Tastings
Our popular Cocktail Tasting Wristbands are on sale now! Taste 5 craft cocktails created by Charlotte’s top mixologists. Wristbands are on sale now for $25 online and $30 at the door. Price includes 5 tasting coins – each redeemable for one 5 oz cocktail. Pre-sale ends Friday, April 10 at 11:30 p.m. Must be over 21 to participate. See this year’s brands and mixologists below!

🧺 Picnic Baskets
Pre-order a picnic basket curated by Charlotte’s best caterers. Baskets are on sale now here! Benefiting the Charlotte StrEATs Foundation.

🚚 Food Trucks
Enjoy Charlotte’s top food trucks!

Sunday, April 12th from 12-5 p.m.

12-5 p.m. at First Ward Park, 301 E. 7th St.

We’re thrilled to announce that Chef Jamie Lynch of Church & Union and La Belle Helene will be joining us at the StrEATs Festival on Sunday, April 12, to host a cooking demonstration and emcee our Neighborhood Cook-off Finals.

Chef Jamie gained national attention as a competitor on Top Chef Season 14 and later returned to the Bravo series as part of Top Chef All-Stars. As the show hits the Carolinas this season, Lynch is on the screen again, joining the show’s season premiere as a guest judge.

SCHEDULE
12:00 p.m. – Welcome from festival co-hosts Kristen Wile and Casey Wilson
12:10 p.m. – Kill Devil Rum Cocktail Demo with Kendon Corbett of Chapter 6
12:30 p.m. – Muddy River Cocktail Demo with Luiggi Campoverde of Fiamma Ristorante
12:40 p.m. –Neighborhood Cook-off Semi-Final Battle 1
1:40 p.m. – Oaklore Distilling Cocktail Demo with Tyler Dacaret of The Crunkleton
2:00 p.m. – Neighborhood Cook-off Semi-Final Battle 2
3:00 p.m. – Slate Belt Spirits Cocktail Demo with Justin Hazelton of Lorem Ipsum
3:20 p.m. – Special Guest! Cooking Demo with Jamie Lynch of Church & Union and La Belle Helene
3:50 p.m. – Neighborhood Cook-off Final Battle
4:40 p.m. – Sutler’s Spirits Cocktail Demo with Sean Teague of Symposia
5:00 p.m. – Farewell

Cocktail Tasting

Each year, we task local mixologists to create a craft cocktail that represents their neighborhood with our liquor brand partners. These cocktails will be sampled at the event. Meet this year’s brands! Wristbands are on sale now for $25 online and $30 at the door. Price includes 5 tasting coins – each redeemable for one 5 oz cocktail. Pre-sale ends Friday, April 10 at 11:30 p.m. Must be over 21 to participate.

Artisan Market Vendors

Interested in being a vendor? Fill out our application here.

Picnic Baskets

Introducing the Charlotte StrEATs Picnic Basket Program!

Our chef-curated picnic baskets are now for sale! Each basket features an elevated meal for two created by Charlotte’s top caterers. Proceeds support the new Charlotte StrEATs Foundation — allowing you to picnic with purpose. Baskets are by pre-order only and sales close April 9th.

Baskets will be available for pick up on Sunday, April 12th from 12-3 p.m.

Meet the caterers, see their menus and pre-purchase your picnic basket here.

2026 Food Trucks

Food Trucks will be provided by Charlotte SHOUT! this year.