Tag Archives: festival

AZALEA FESTIVAL CELEBRATES SPRING

Posted on April 9, 2013 by | Leave a comment

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66th ANNUAL NORTH CAROLINA AZALEA FESTIVAL ANNOUNCED

A springtime tradition since 1948, the 66th Annual North Carolina Azalea Festival (April 10-14, 2013) celebrates the rich history, arts, and culture of Wilmington, North Carolina’s historic river district and the island beaches of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Wrightsville Beach. Each year in April when the landscape is dominated by thousands of brilliant pink, white, and purple azaleas, Wilmington pays homage to these dazzling flowers during the annual North Carolina Azalea Festival, a five-day celebration that ushers in spring with Southern hospitality and fanfare.

Highlights of the N.C. Azalea Festival include the Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Belles dressed in period hoop skirts and an elaborate Southern-style parade on Saturday morning, complete with azalea-adorned floats, marching bands, clowns, show animals, local pageant winners and visiting celebrity guests, including Queen Azalea (TBA).There’s also a juried arts and craft shows, a traveling circus, concerts, fireworks, and a street fair with exhibits, vendors, live entertainment, and kids’ activities.

Azalea Festival signature events include the Cape Fear Garden Club’s Azalea Garden Tour (April 12-14), one of the South’s longest-running and most popular garden tours. The 60th annual Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Garden Tour theme is “Our Diamond Jubilee: Celebrating 60 Years of Beautiful Gardens.” This year’s tour showcases 13 public and private gardens that include a mix of established and new landscapes. Garden tour price includes free admission to Airlie Gardens on Saturday. For details and tickets: www.capefeargardenclub.org/azalea-garden-tour. The 2013 Azalea Home Tour (April 13-14), organized by the Historic Wilmington Foundation, showcases nine private homes and a church of historical and architectural interest. For home tour tickets: www.historicwilmington.org.

Music plays a major role in every N.C. Azalea Festival. This year’s headline acts include Rock and Roll Hall of Fame classic Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd and North Carolina’s own indie folk-pop darlings The Avett Brothers. This year a third concert will feature country music artists Colt Ford and The LACS. And on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., a free beach music concert will take place on the main stage, featuring local favorites The Mark Roberts Band, The Craig Wollard Band, and Jim Quick and the Coastline Band.

Scott and Seth Avett have come a long way from their neo-punk band days in Concord, North Carolina. Their careers took an acoustic turn when they teamed up with standup bass player Bob Crawford and formed The Avett Brothers. They debuted in 2001 with a self-titled six-song EP, followed by several albums, including 2009’s “I and Love and You.” Their latest release, “The Carpenter,” is described as “poetry from the soul.” The Avett Brothers’ musical evolution from a hard-working indie band to their performance with Bob Dylan at the 2010 Grammy Awards bears witness to a huge fan base. Back by popular demand, The Avett Brothers will perform during the N.C. Azalea Festival on Friday, April 12th at 7:00 p.m.

With a catalog of over 60 albums, sales beyond 30 million worldwide, and their beloved classic American rock anthems “Freebird” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” the legendary band Lynyrd Skynyrd continues to bring fiery Southern-style rock and roll to their audiences. During a memorable performance on Thursday, April 11th at 7:00 p.m., Lynyrd Skynyrd will perform their classic hits, as well as music from more recent albums, including “Last of a Dyin’ Breed” (2012).

This year a Saturday night concert has been added to the musical lineup. The hick-hop and Southern rock sound of The LACS will kick off Saturday night festivities when they open for Colt Ford, the walking, talking celebration of country music and country living. Colt Ford will bring his “rural rap” and country music chops to festival audiences on Saturday, April 13th when The LACS open at 7:00 p.m.

All three concerts will take place outdoors on the main stage at Cape Fear Community College Campus in Downtown Wilmington (411 N. Front Street). Concerts are rain or shine; standing room only. Tickets for all concerts are available online at www.ncazaleafestival.org and at the N.C. Azalea Festival Office (5724 Oleander Drive, Ste. B7; Mon.-Fri., 9am-5pm). Chairs, backpacks, umbrellas, coolers are not permitted inside the venue. Chairs, food and beverage will be available for cash purchase.

Attending festivals and events, such as the North Carolina Azalea Festival, is a fun and affordable way to experience a region’s history and culture. For a N.C. Azalea Festival schedule and concert tickets, visit www.ncazaleafestival.org or call 910-794-4650, or stop by the Festival ticket office (5725 Oleander Dr., Unit B7, Wilmington). For a free 2013 Official Visitors Guide to Wilmington, North Carolina and the island beaches of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Wrightsville Beach, call 1-866-266-9690, email visit@wilmingtonandbeaches.com, or visit www.GoWilmingtonAndBeaches.com.

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Peaches for New Orleans

Posted on June 8, 2012 by | Leave a comment

If you can cook some peaches to win the cookery contest in the Peach Festival, you can win a trip to New Orleans. This is the upcoming Squire Creek Louisiana Peach Fest in Ruston.

The adult division grand prize winner will receive a two-night stay at New Orleans’s historic Roosevelt Hotel.

The cookery contest is June 22 at 10 a.m. at the Presbyterian Church of Ruston. Categories include cobblers, other desserts, and other peach dishes.

Entry fee is $6 per category if paid by 3 p.m. June 16. After June 16, the fee jumps to $10. Entry deadline is 9:45 a.m. on June 22. Judging begins at 10 a.m. on June 22 with winners announced at noon.

The Roosevelt, now part of the luxury Waldorf Astoria hotel chain, originally opened in 1893. The hotel is located near the French Quarter. A $145 million restoration has returned the hotel to its 1930s heyday opulence. The massive lobby, with its ornate trim, glittering Italian crystal chandeliers and mosaic floors, again looks much as it did when Louisiana’s Kingfish, Gov. Huey P. Long last strolled through.

Cookery contest entry forms are available  by visiting www.louisianapeachfestival.org.

 

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Posted in Flavors

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In A Stew

Posted on March 27, 2012 by | Leave a comment

What do you get when you put chicken, pork, beef, squirrel, rabbit, tomatoes, lima beans, corn, okra and a few more vegetables to cook in a big pot for a few hours over an outdoor open fire? It’s Brunswick Stew!

Well, not all of these items are needed. Maybe you don’t have any squirrel or rabbit, and maybe not all of those other ingredients either. The outdoor fire is not even required.

Brunswick stew has more unique recipes and special ingredients than can be counted. The main secrets to this famed dish are the lengthy cooking time and the thickness of the rich stew, which differentiates it from soup.

Brunswick, GA and Brunswick County, VA both claim to have originated this stew, but anyone can claim it really, and there are as many different recipes as there are chefs creating it.

Brunswick County, NC celebrates this stew with its fourth annual Brunswick Stew Cook-off on April 21 in Shallotte. Arts, crafts, entertainment and kids’ activities are included with this popular event.

Here’s more info. Will we see you at the sampling table?

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Tasting Wine and Chocolate

Posted on January 23, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Toni Incorvaia, owner of Noni Bacca Winery

Wilmington Wine and Chocolate Festival welcomes tasters to NC Feb. 3-5 at the Coastline Event Center.

Connoisseurs can sip, nibble and sigh as they sample delectable delights from more than 60 superb regional wineries, chocolatiers and artisans. A Friday night Grand Tasting gala kicks off the event with live music and heavy hors d’oeuvres by Lawler Catering. Charlotte-based recording artists The Brubakers will entertain with contemporary jazz while wine and chocolate purveyors tantalize with tastings and samples.

On Saturday and Sunday, the wine and chocolate showcase features fine vintners, chocolatiers and artists in a casual atmosphere. Products will be available for sampling and for sale.

Demonstrations by food and drink experts will educate as roaming musicians entertain in a marketplace setting.

Festival proceeds benefit the New Hanover County Senior Center’s programs.

Showcase admission is $12 in advance/$15 at the door (tickets good for one-day admission). Grand Tasting tickets cost $40 in advance/$45 at the door, based on availability. For festival details and ticket information, visit www.wilmingtonwineandchocolatefestival.com, email wineandchocfest@gmail.com, or call 910-742.0120. Tickets are also available at Wilmington-area Harris Teeter stores. Discount coupons for visitors attending the Wilmington Wine & Chocolate Festival and the Wilmington Garden Show will be available at both events.

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Posted in Myrtle Beach's Best, Wine

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Artists, Chiliheads and Volunteers Wanted

Posted on March 18, 2011 by | 1 comment

FAME is set for April 30 in Myrtle Beach. It’s the second annual Food Art Music Entertainment festival.

The free street festival will occur on historic Broadway Street in downtown Myrtle Beach between 3rd and 6th Avenues North from 10 am until 10 pm.

Forty or more chili cooks are invited to participate in the Chili Appreciation Society International first Southeastern Regional Chili Competition.

Volunteers are needed for hospitality, media, graphics, judging and staffing the event.

The festival will embrace local artists with original works of art from all media including watercolor, oils, sculptures, metals, glass, jewelry and more.

For details:Myrtle Beach FAME Festival.

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Introducing Myrtle Beach’s Best

Posted on December 4, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Our new travel app Myrtle Beach’s Best is now available for download via iTunes for iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. It’s $1.99 with free updates forever. As you might expect, it’s written in our two strong and opinionated voices. You wouldn’t want any less than honest reviews and opinions of locals when planning your trip, right?

It includes more than 130 insightful entries, richly visual slide shows with 1120 views and a Google map for each entry; one-touch phone calling to that business; one-touch access to the establishment website; relevant hours and pricing information and immediate access to some YouTube or user reviews. You can add your own comments too.

These categories are offered: Attractions, Beaches, Best Dinners, Day Trips, Easy Lunches, Entertainment, Festivals, Golf, Shopping and Top Hotels. 

An alphabetical listing of everything is shown, and it can be sorted by city, by distance from wherever you are, by price or by category:

The introduction to the golf listings offers a slide show of some beautiful Myrtle Beach National courses:

Sutro Media is a new kind of app publishing company, one that bridges the gap between traditional print media and new media outlets. It’s amassing the world’s largest collection of indie travel writing voices to create new products on the exciting and versatile mobile platform.

If you travel, you will find it easy and fun to explore the world using a mobile phone.  You may be standing on a street corner surfing for a reliable restaurant or lying on the couch planning a tour, and the app will lead you by the hand. No need for a phone book, a map or even the Internet to find where to shop, dine or play in Myrtle Beach when you have the app on your mobile device.

Sutro Media currently has more than 60 apps for sale on iTunes and another 175 in the pipeline.

Let us know what you think.

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Tasting History and Health with Wine

Posted on October 8, 2010 by | Leave a comment

The first Bacchus Festival at Hyman Vineyards is scheduled for October 8 and 9, 2010, offering music, food, crafts, and tastings of handcrafted muscadine wine in a celebration of viticulture. Visitors can learn about the art of wine blending and see a winemaking demo. The adventurous can do some grape stomping and enter the Lucy-Look-Alike contest.

Our recent research visit to Hyman Vineyards turned out to be a lot of interesting tasting along with some education. It was before lunch, but we persevered! Greg Hyman’s vineyards, tasting room, country store, and vineyard homesites will soon be discovered by groups thirsty for a look at the land as well as the wine production.

Just five miles out of downtown Conway, Greg’s refurbished tobacco barn is the site of a good bit of history. He’s an exceptional and knowledgeable speaker on South Carolina agriculture and its changes over the years.

Also, his research begun 12 years ago with partner Dr. Bob Bibb has produced extensive information on the health effects of the grape — the muscadine — called the super fruit. Wow! Who knew? One of only two muscadine estate vineyards in South Carolina, this visit also delivers the perfect view of grape growing and the bottled product of these vines.

The wine can be purchased in Boulineau’ s in Cherry Grove or in 25 different Piggy Wiggly stores. The experience can only be found in the vineyard itself with tours and tastings offered Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12 Noon until 6 pm. Tasting is $5 per person and includes a souvenir glass. Tours are $5 per person with a group of five. Let us know if you need help finding this spot or planning a group tour which could even include lunch and an educational program.

Taste the experience at Hyman Vineyards, whether you love learning about the farming and winemaking or to get a look at typical South Carolina countryside just minutes from Myrtle Beach. Here’s a quick tour along with an introduction to Greg and his wife Rhonda with the new kittens who decided to live here:

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Quaint Little Drinking Town with Fishing Problem

Posted on October 7, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Little River Shrimp and Jazz Fest is an annual October event. Here’s a short documentary of a past festival.

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Pirates Plundering Tybee

Posted on October 6, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Cayman Island pirates are set to reunite at Tybee Island Pirate Festival.  Pirate friends EJ Bodden of Grand Cayman and Sharon and Capt. Don May of Beaufort, SC, will enjoy three days of piratical fun at the Tybee Island Pirate Festival.  EJ, Sharon and Don have been pirates since the mid 80’s and look forward to this reunion to pillage and plunder Tybee Island.

The 6th Annual festival is October 8-10 featuring Eddie Money and Drivin’ N’ Cryin’. We love you, Eddie! Two Tickets please!!!

Here’s the schedule if you want to have some swashbucklin’ fun too!

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Pancetta, Polenta and Panini in the Lowcountry

Posted on October 1, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Panini’s has been our favorite Beaufort, SC restaurant for years. There’s no better view of the sunset over Waterfront Park and no comparable pizza for sure. Always trying to top their own success, they’re serving new specialties this weekend for the Beaufort Shrimp Festival. The People’s Choice winner for so many years  we all lost count, and we’ll see some serious competition again.

The historic bank is a lovely building, easy to find downtown on the corner of Bay Street and within walking distance from any of the bed and breakfasts and a couple of  hotels. Or walk up from the park to the back  for casual outdoor dining during almost any season .

The pizza and pasta have been my favorites, although the big salad and crusty focaccia have kept me happy for about a hundred lunches. Of course the panini needs no explanation — plenty of varieties on the menu. Hoagies are on the new fall menu, and I’ll be tasting the blackened flounder hoagie with caper remoulade sauce on my next lunch visit.

The new menu features even more local seafoods with Nick’s special touches. His heritage is Italian, and his thinking is Italian albeit with South Carolina lowcountry accents.

My small plate order of peel and eat local shrimp, lager steamed with old bay, was a big meal for me. Nothing small about it. Plan on plenty of napkins and cold beverage too! It’s spicy and just right. As an experienced critic of all things shrimp, I can promise the shrimp bisque on the starter menu is some of the best ever. The Italian taste is pepperoni. What a great combination! Any of the seafood tapas are tasty too, with more variety and unique presentation that you will find anywhere in town. Our friends who eat calamari everywhere they go will be right at home with the almond crusted dish and spicy aioli plus fra diavolo sauce.

For dinner, everyone loves the Mediterranean Shrimp and Grits. It’s simply made with pancetta polenta which is an improvement over many traditional recipes. One of my personal favorites is the new Flounder Francaise with lemon butter and almonds, plus pancetta polenta.  If you crave paella, this is the right place — the only place to fall in love!

Know about my favorite dessert? Well, two or three actually, and they’re here! Creme brule, tiramisu or chocolate panini, just for me. Yummmmmm

Guess we’ll be here a lot to sample more new dishes, but never too far from a mac and cheese (5 imported cheeses) or a Mediterranean pizza fresh from this brick oven. Hope we’ll see you too!

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