About
Founded in 2022 by Kristen Wile and Casey Wilson, the Charlotte StrEATs Festival is a one-of-a-kind celebration of the city’s rich culinary identity. As one of the few women-owned and operated food festivals in the nation, it serves as a platform to promote and financially support local culinary talent while creating unforgettable experiences for event attendees.
Wile, a culinary storyteller and owner of the digital publication Unpretentious Palate, is one of the city’s most trusted voices in food and local restaurants. Wilson is the owner of Carben Events + Marketing and has been producing large-scale events in Charlotte for almost two decades. Together, with the support of Charlotte SHOUT!, they have created an event that’s all about celebrating local talent, flavors, and community.
UNPRETENTIOUS PALATE is a digital publication covering food and drink in Charlotte. Kristen Wile, our editor and lead writer, became one of the city’s most trusted voices in food and local restaurants as the food editor of Charlotte’s city magazine before leaving to start Unpretentious Palate.
At UP, you’ll find ethical food journalism that isn’t based on free meals. We’ll be your taste testers around the city, letting you know where you can’t miss and where to skip. And we’ll ban any condescending food-writer speak. We’ll tell you the dishes we love, where to go on date night, and the best places for cocktails. You can trust us.
CARBEN EVENTS + MARKETING is a boutique event planning and marketing company led by owner Casey Wilson. Carben Events has been planning Charlotte’s favorite community events for 17 years.
We proudly serve the Queen City and surrounding.
About Charlotte SHOUT!
Charlotte SHOUT! is an aspirational multi-week festival designed to showcase our community by celebrating Charlotte’s creativity and innovation through art, music, food, and ideas. Located primarily in Uptown Charlotte, SHOUT! will feature exceptionally curated programming from around the corner and around the world.