Each September the wine flows, music fills the air, and a seemingly endless smorgasbord of food awaits guests at Euphoria in Greenville, South Carolina. This year from September 22nd through September 25th, the food, wine and music festival enters its 11th year with some big changes. Here are 10 ways to Achieve Euphoria this time around.
10. Relax and enjoy the music.
The TD stage at the Peace Center Amphitheater is one of many venues where music reigns at Euphoria Greenville. The festival, which benefits local charities, was started by singer Edwin McCain and local restaurateur Carl Sobocinski. While there are many food & wine festivals across the country, Euphoria adds a big helping of music into the mix at nearly every one of the big events throughout the weekend.
9. Learning a thing or two about wine (and more)
Whether it's a sommelier explaining the components of a great wine or a mixologist teaching you how to make an amazing cocktail, there is a lot to learn during Euphoria. And since food is a big part of it all, there are plenty of cooking demonstrations and a few cooking competitions where top chefs often work their magic in just minutes.
8. Food, food and more food
During Euphoria, local restaurants dish out their best giving you a true taste of the city. Chefs from all over the country also add to the scrumptious smorgasbord of items all included in your event tickets.
7.Beverages to lift your spirit
While wine was the main focus of Euphoria in the beginning, the festival has gone way past the grape. Over the years, an impressive list of breweries and distilleries have joined the mix and when you buy a ticket you can taste them all!
6. Guest Chef Dinners
One of the hottest tickets in town is the guest chef dinners. Held at restaurants throughout town, these intimate gatherings show off the talents of Greenville's best chefs as well as those invited from all across the country. Most of the dinners have themes and throughout the years there have been champagne dinners, beer dinners and ones focused on certain types of cuisine.
5. Get caught in a traffic jam (and like it)!
What started with a few food trucks and a band called Seven Handle Circus at the city's historic Cigar Warehouse has now moved to the city's baseball stadium, Fluor Field. This traffic jam mixes music with great food and a whole lot of beverage selections, so why wouldn't you want to get stuck in traffic here.
4. Get a real taste of the South
Held on the banks of the Reedy River the Taste of the South is one of the most popular events at Euphoria. While music fills the air, , chefs from all across the South will serve up true tastes of the region inside the Wyche Pavillion. There will also be plenty of wine and beer as well as cocktails from South Carolina's own Firefly distillery.
3. Fired up over Sunday brunch
Smooth jazz music, gospel choirs and plenty of food have been a staple of this Euphoria event every year. This time around, the heat gets turned up a bit as the focus turns toward barbecue creations from 10 pitmasters. Brunch staples from local restaurants are also on the menu.
2. A feast at the field
For years, the Tasting Showcase drew hundreds of people to the white tents set up on Main Street near the Westin Poinsett Hotel. Now after thousands of glasses of wine have been poured and a bevy of beer bottles have been emptied, the event moves out to Fluor Field where Euphoria organizers say it will be bigger and better than ever.
1. Yeah, it's that Greenville!
Just being in the city provides a little Euphoria on its own. From a thriving street market on Main Street on Saturdays, to a collection of more than a hundred restaurants in the downtown area, Greenville is quickly becoming a top destination for folks wanting to go on a culinary adventure. And yeah, there's an amazing waterfall and suspension bridge there too!
For more on the events and to buy tickets visit euphoriagreenville.com.
