Charleston Wine + Food

Charleston Wine + Food is a festival of eating and drinking held in Charleston, South Carolina, over five days in 2027. It is run by a nonprofit organisation that, in its own words, strengthens Charleston’s food and beverage community. The festival sums itself up as “flavors, demos, classes, music, + mouthfuls”, and its FAQ says the annual festival is held the first full weekend in March.

Charleston Wine + Food 2027

The 2027 festival runs from Wednesday 3 to Sunday 7 March 2027 (“Save the Dates”, on the official site when checked on 29 September 2026). The 2026 festival ran from Wednesday 4 to Sunday 8 March. Events are not in one place: the FAQ says they take place all across Charleston, and that the festival has historically held events on the Charleston Peninsula and in North Charleston. The 2027 programme and ticket prices had not been published in the sources checked.

What to eat and drink

• Lowcountry cooking. Charleston’s kitchen is built on rice, shrimp and crab: shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, red rice and the Lowcountry boil of shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes.
• Benne wafers. Thin sesame cookies, a Charleston sweet with roots in West African cooking.
• Oysters. March falls in the oyster season on the South Carolina coast, the time of oyster roasts.
• Wine with it. As its name says, the festival pairs wine with the food. The programme, once out, lists the tastings.

When to come

Five days, from Wednesday to Sunday. March is spring in Charleston, but evenings can be cool.

Good to know

The legal drinking age in the United States is 21: bring a photo ID to any tasting. Between events, King Street, the main shopping street of the peninsula, is lined with restaurants and bars.

Getting there

Charleston International Airport is in North Charleston. The historic centre is walkable. A car or taxi helps for events in North Charleston and further out.

Where to stay and budget

The historic district, on the peninsula, puts you on foot from its restaurants. Mount Pleasant, across the Cooper River, and North Charleston, near the airport, are other bases. The budget is the sum of the events you choose, plus accommodation.

Combine with

In Florida, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival ends on 28 February 2027, three days before Charleston opens. Later in spring, Louisiana has the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans (8 to 11 April 2027) and the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival (30 April to 2 May 2027).