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Disney’s @TheLionKing is back @DPAC 5/16 – 6/9/24 ! #TheLionKingMusical #OnlyAtDPAC #TruistBroadway

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Disney’s THE LION KING has returned to The Triangle on Thursday, May 16 And Play for Four Weeks Through Sunday, June 9th at DPAC !

I attended the media night of the long-awaited return engagement of Disney’s THE LION KING on Thursday, May 17th at 7:30 p.m. The show’s four-week premiere engagement in 2011 & five-week in 2016 played a sold-out run at DPAC, so I was excited to experience this beloved Broadway Hit again but this time with our 12 year old daughter!

The movie is a family fave, and to see the story of Simba, Mufasa’s noble son come to life is quite amazing! The music, the costumes, the creativity used to make the audience apart of the circle of life is why THE LION KING remains ascendant as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. See a preview and get a peek of the show below:

https://youtu.be/Dx8Rfpc8Sqk?si=WjI1ZNDPwVBeIB1R

The Show of a Lifetime

ABOUT THE LION KING

Since its Broadway premiere on November 13, 1997, more than 100 million people have experienced the phenomenon of Disney’s THE LION KING ane now you can too! Tony Award winning director Julie Taymor brings THE LION KING story to life with an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals with one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway

THE LION KING is the winner of six Tony Awards®:  Best Musical, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical.   The Broadway score features Elton John and Tim Rice’s music from The Lion King animated film along with new songs and additional musical material. The resulting sound of THE LION KING is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, ranging from the Academy Award®-winning song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” to the haunting ballad “Shadowland.” 

DPAC is such a wonderful venue to watch THE LION KING musical. You will leave feeling like you’ve just visited an African savanah! So get your passport, I mean tickets to experience this musical. With so much authenticity and appeal, this show is a sight to see!

For Ticket Information, go Online at DPACnc.com

· DPAC Ticket Center: 919.680.2787

123 Vivian Street, Durham, NC

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**GREAT NEWS !! The digital lottery is now open for Disney’s The Lion King.
On stage, May 15 thru June 9.
A limited number of tickets for $30 + Tax & Fees will be sold to the winners of DPAC’s official lottery.
The lottery will be open from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM the day prior to each performance. Winners will be notified via email within minutes after closing if they have won and have one hour to purchase their tickets. Winning seat locations vary per performance and may be filled as single seats. This offer is online only.
To enter, visit DPACnc.com or https://bit.ly/3UXoEUx

REVIEW | @Godsmack #VibezTour Rocks Durham, NC @DPAC @LiveNationNCSC

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If you enjoy live music that rocks and rolls, thrills and sends chills to your soul, then you must experience Godsmack • Vibez Tour, an intimate evening of acoustic/electric performances + untold stories from Godsmack with special guest Bastian da Cruz!

On Friday, March 08, 2024, fans came to see the band perform at Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC), located in Durham, NC for a memorable, magical and miraculous night of music. For almost 30 years, Godsmack has an amazing way of connecting with fans on what they are going through in life and how we all can have our spirits lifted up with their songs. This is a very unique concert experience unlike I’ve experienced from the moment you step in the venue, the “Vibez” were set:

How Godsmack sets the mood on Vibez Tour

In continued support of their latest studio album Lighting Up The Sky, multi-platinum Grammy-nominated hard rock band GODSMACK is transforming their thunderous pyro-filled amphitheater rock show into a more intimate experience. The band is set to deliver a series of intimate evenings featuring acoustic/electric performances and untold stories in theatres across North America.

With over 20 years of chart-topping success, GODSMACK have cemented themselves as 21st-century hard rock titans. To date, they’ve accomplished a staggering 11 #1 singles at mainstream rock radio and have achieved 20 Top 10 hits at the format (the most of any act since February 1999). Additionally, they’ve enjoyed four Grammy nominations and were named Billboard Music Award’s Rock Artist of the Year in 2001. Selling over 20 million records worldwide, the band has released eight studio albums; Godsmack (1998), Awake (2000), Faceless(2003), IV (2006), The Oracle (2010), 1000hp(2014), When Legends Rise (2018), and Lighting Up the Sky (2023).

GODSMACK is Sully Erna (vocals, guitar), Tony Rombola (guitar), Robbie Merrill (bass), and Shannon Larkin (drums). Sully Erna’s voice is as fantastic as ever and leaves an impact on the souls of the audience. Equally, Shannon, Tony and Robbie pour their hearts into their performances creating powerful music!

Here’s the setlist (and playlist of their hits!

1. Time

2. Love-Hate-Sex-Pain

3. Voodoo

4. Turning to Stone

5. Spiral

6. One Rainy Day

7. No Quarter

8. Nothing Else Matters

9. Serenity

10. Touché

11. Truth

12. Growing Old

13. Lighting Up the Sky

14. Under Your Scars

15. Bulletproof

16. Long Train Runnin’

SobeSavvy.com Recap Highlights #VibezTour

Columbia, SC you’re up next on March 10th! Get ready for an exciting night of live music from Godsmack. Get Tickets from LiveNation >>For more Tour Info, visit Godsmack.com >> Donate to scarsfoundation.org to support those who suffer from depression, PTSD , mental illness,etc

Check out some of my favorite moments from the concert and of you were there I’d love to hear what you thought of the show (or your fave Godsmack song) in the comments below! ⬇️

Review | See why MJ The Musical is definitely a Thriller @DPAC Oct 10-22, 2023

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MJ The Musical, the four-time Tony Award winning new musical has arrived in Durham,NC as part of Truist Broadway at DPAC. Fanfare and excitement was in the air for this Broadway production show, which has been playing to sold out shows in New York since February 2022. It was easy to see why. Michael Jacksons career defies description. Winner of 15 Grammys and the holder of 39 Guiness Book Of World Records, Michael Jackson is widely regarded as the best all-around entertainer the world has ever known. This musical is definitely a celebration of his unique and unparalleled artistry.

This musical is centered around his rehearsal for his 1992 Dangerous World Tour. The choreography on stage was mind blowing and for some moments you actually THOUGHT you were witnessing Michael Jackson! The singing and dancing was so spot on that you felt like you were seeing him in concert. So many critics have called this a runaway hit for how brilliantly and gorgeously the choreography is executed.

Beyond MJ‘s signature moves and sounds, the musical gives the audience a look at his creative mind and collaborative spirit. The audience is taken on a journey of his early life, performing with his family, the sacrifices, and his success while featuring an ensemble of actors and dancers who do an excellent job at bringing the stories and memories to life!

Get your tickets via Ticketmaster.com>>>here This AMAZING show runs until Sunday OCT 22

For more info, go to DPACnc.com and www.mjthemusical.com

Diana Krall Thrills All @DPAC | Concert Review

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Grammy and Juno award winning jazz star Diana Krall performed at the DPAC last night during her North American Tour. Jazz lovers around the world have been enthralled with her unique delivery of jazz standards and original songs since the late 90’s.

Due to COVID, this is her first tour in almost 3 years. She performed to an almost sold out crowd as a quartet. Many singers these days need all sorts of bells and whistles so her stripped down set reinforced the fact that she is a jazz singer of the highest caliber. Her catalog of songs is so deep there was no way she could sing all of her hits. What she chose was more than satisfying. See Setlist here Diana Krall Average Setlists of year: 2022 | setlist.fm

She mentioned more than once how ecstatic she was to be back on stage and able to perform in front of audiences again. Every band member got a chance to highlight their instrument command to roaring audience approval!

TOUR INFORMATION

Diana Krall is more than a smoky voice and accomplished pianist. She is a force, a vibe and a mood. Below are the next couple of tour dates before she picks it up again on a European leg next spring.

10/16 TANGER CENTER GREENSBORO, NC

10/17 PEACE CENTER Greenvile, SC

As always, the DPAC is one of the best venues ever for seating and acoustics. It was a true pleasure to see a world class artist at a world class venue. To see who is coming to the DPAC next, check out their website at http://www.DPACNC.com

See the Magic of Broadway and Celebrate the Music, History and Journey of The Temptations @DPAC @AINTTOPROUD musical Now Showing Dec 7th – 12th in Durham NC

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Last night, I had a chance to witness the magic of Broadway at DPAC in Durham, NC. AIN’T TOO PROUD – THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS tells the unforgettable story of the legendary quintet that Billboard Magazine named the greatest R&B group of all time. The audience got to discover what it took for them to get to theat number one spot. It took talent, sacrifice, perseverance, love, some funk and a whole lot of soul!

From the music to the choreography, which won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, this musical depicts The Temptations’ extraordinary journey. Their brotherhood set the foundation for every musical group that has come after them. The original members may be gone but the music lasts forever. Ain’t Too Proud is a must see production that tells history like you’ve never seen before to an amazing musical score!

I was in awe of the actors as they sang, danced (I lost count of how many splits David Ruffin did) and relived some of the many highlights of The Temptations life and treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and so many more.

Every member of the original group played a role in their success. However, I left with a new found respect for Otis Williams, his ambition and his tenacity to keep the group stronger together. Like Aristotle said “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts“.

The show is here until Dec 12th, so get your tickets now at dpacnc.com

Looking for some hot stuff? Check out SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical @dpac @DonnaSummerBway #DonnaSummertheMusical #Durham

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Opening Night Review | SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical | Broadway’s Ultimate Disco Dance Party opens at DPAC on February 25th and runs through March 1st | SobeSavvy.com

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A must-see ELECTRIFYING TRIBUTE to a music diva who defined an era, broke barriers and inspired a generation! Leslie H., @SobeSavvy| SobeSavvy.com

The 1970’s gave the world a new music genre called Disco. This music gets a bad rap due to more than a few awful bands and singers. A few stand out. One singer came along in the late 70’s and instantly became ‘The Queen Of Disco”. Her name was LaDonna Adrian Gaines, better known as Donna Summer.

Production Photos courtesy of DPAC

See her story come to life in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, which opens at DPAC on February 25th through March 1, 2020. This production began a Broadway run in 2018. It received critical audience acclaim and the demand for Broadway’s Ultimate Disco Dance Party allowed for a North American Tour to begin on September 20, 2019.

The musical tells the story of the young girl from Boston with gospel roots who broke through all sorts of barriers to become the ultimate icon of disco and beyond! The score features over 20 of her classic hits to sing along to including “Hot Stuff”, “MacArthur Park” and “Bad Girls” to name a few. Her voice of a generation ended up being a voice for the ages and this musical does a great job in telling the story with 3 different Donna’s representing the stages in her life and musical career. Here’s a fun fact: Alex Hairston, an NC native plays Disco Donna! Each actress did a fantastic job in singing, dancing and portraying Donna in their own unique way!

Disco Donna (Alex Hairston), Diva Donna (Dan’yelle Williamson), Duckling Donna (Elease Hardy) | Production Photos courtesy of DPAC

Go and experience a disco party and musical tribute like no other in SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical. I made it a working date night and had so much fun!

For general event details, including the content advisory and age requirements, read here: https://www.dpacnc.com/events/detail/summer-the-donna-summer-musical
DPAC| Durham Performing Arts Center | 123 Vivian Street, Durham, North Carolina 27701|DPACnc.com

SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical opens at DPAC on February 25th and runs through March 1st

Event Recap | 7th Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience @BullCityEXP @DPAC #Durham #Food #Beer #Fun

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On March 24, 2019, 30+ of Durham’s Finest Restaurants Paired with 30+ Fantastic Breweries at the 7th Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience! This event was held at DPAC (Durham Performing Arts Center) in Durham, NC and presented by Tyler’s Restaurant & Taproom and Sam’s Quik Shop to benefit the ELLERBE CREEK WATERSHED ASSOCIATION.

Last year, I had the opportunity to cover the 6th Annual Bull City Food and Beer Experience>>read recap here<< and can assure you it’s a great time for foodies and beer lovers alike!
The event features restaurants paired with breweries spread throughout all three DPAC floors featuring unlimited samplings and the Stella Artois Onstage Experience showcasing live music & local food trucks.

Admission into the Bull City Food & Beer Experience includes:

  • Souvenir Glass
  • Food Sampling from 30 of Durham’s finest restaurants in addition to local food trucks and food vendors
  • Beer Sampling from local and national breweries
  • A limited number of VIP Experience Ticket Holders will enjoy all elements of regular admission PLUS 30-minute early event access, a private entrance and restrooms, specialty food tastings, exclusive T-shirt, private access to VIP tasting lounge with specialty spirit, rare beer and wine tasting only available to VIP experience ticket holders.

Take a look at the 2019 List of Restaurant/Breweries:

Here are some of my Favorite Pairings and Highlights:

Harvest 18 – Tröegs Independent Brewing

Alley Twenty Six – Golden Road Brewing

The Pit – Bold Rock Hard Cider

Bleu Olive – Compass Rose Brewery

Qspresso – Stem Ciders

Stella Artois Onstage Experience featuring Live Music

Check out more of my favorite bites from the night:

This event was simply wonderful. The variety of food vendors on 3 floors allowed for our tastebuds to never get bored. Most dishes were presented in the perfect bite size so my beer samples never spilled! Some chefs chose to incorporate their beer pairing as an ingredient in whatever dish they created. I also loved how most beer vendors took the time to educate guests on various beer backstories and fermentation methods. It was simply the perfect way to spend a beautiful early spring afternoon!

👀Watch my YouTube Video event recap here>> https://youtu.be/XByGcmJptZo

For more information about participating Restaurants & Breweries, how to donate to Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association or if you want to sign up for details of their next event in 2020, please visit – BULLCITYEXPERIENCE.COM

@CarolinaBallet Presents The Nutcracker Review + Giveaway! Win 2 Tix 12/29 @DPAC #NC #FamilyFun #Arts

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On Sunday December 16, SobeSavvy.com celebrated the 18th annual performance of Carolina Ballet’s The Nutcracker presented by PNC with magic sponsored by WRAL-TV. This family friendly show, performed at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium has become a Mommy & Me tradition for us. We both love performing arts and enjoyed seeing magic combined with ballet in this wonderful show featuring Tchaikovsky’s incredible music. Choreographed by Robert Weiss, Carolina Ballet presents The Nutcracker is not only “Magical.Magnificent.Mysterious”, but Unique because it features grand illusions by world renowned magician Rick Thomas as well as a live music by the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle!

My daughter, fondly referred to as #outandaboutAva, first saw this perfomance in 2016 when she was 5 years old. Now that she is 7 and has read The Nutcracker story, seen the Disney movie: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, and learned the music in school, she was so excited to see this holiday classic! Carolina Ballet does an outstanding job working with the children from ballet schools across the Triangle as well as their own, The School of Carolina Ballet to perform this magical tale of holiday adventure based on a novel by E.T.A. Hoffman. The Nutcracker is one of the most recognizable scores in the ballet repertoire and definitely a performance the whole family should see because it appeals to the child in everyone!

What is The Nutcracker about?

This enchanting tale, in which toys come to life and treats dance with delight, follows young Clara and her prince as they journey to the Land Of Sweets. It begins when young Clara receives a nutcracker from her godfather, a wizardly toymaker named Drosselmeyer. Sneaking downstairs to see the toy after everyone else has gone to bed, she suddenly finds herself caught in the middle of a pitched battle between the toys and an army of mice. After saving the nutcracker with a well-thrown shoe to the Mouse King’s head, Clara and her now-living prince venture into the Land of Snow and the Land of Sweets to celebrate. Throughout their adventures, Tchaikovsky’s dazzling inventiveness propels the dances of nimble flowers and regal fairy queens. The “Waltz of the Snowflakes” floats weightlessly whereas the “Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy” tiptoes to the haunting, music-box chimes of a celesta. A medley of exotic national dances—including a Spanish bolero and Russian Trepak—add to the phantasmagoric celebration before the whole dream ends, as all dreams must.

When and Where is it playing?

Dates: December 14, 2018 – December 23, 2018 at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Raleigh at 3401 Atlantic Ave., Raleigh, NC 27604

Dates: December 29, 2018 – December 30, 2018 at DPAC- Durham Performing Arts Center in Downtown Durham at 123 Vivian St., Durhan, NC 27701

*See website>> CarolinaBallet.com or call 919.719.0900 for dates/times/prices

SobeSavvy Tip: Before/After the show or during intermission, you can get some holiday shopping done at The Nutcracker Boutique. You’ll find a variety of things like ornaments, socks or even a nutcracker of your very home to take home to be apart of your family traditions for years to come!

Enter to WIN 2 Tickets !!

Carolina Ballet presents The Nutcracker and SobeSavvy.com have teamed up to share a #SobeSavvygiveaway with you and give one winner a holiday memory that you will never forget!

Enter for a chance to be awed by the magic and choreography of Carolina Ballet and win (2) tickets to Carolina Ballet: The Nutcracker at DPAC on Sat 12/29 at 7pm.

To Enter:

💥 Like this post

💥 Leave comment below why you’d like to go

💥💥 Bonus entry if you leave comment on the Instagram post below + Follow @SobeSavvy

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrLnEechNwa/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1woncstnowlax

Winner will be chosen by random.org on Dec.19, 2018 at noon.

Good Luck!

Update: Contest Closed. Congrats to Valerie Contreras, @hellominimama ! Have a wonderful time!

Event Recap | sip + savor A Wine, Food and Music Experience #sipsavor18

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On Sunday, October 14, 2018, SobeSavvy.com joined wine and food lovers for an experience known as Sip + Savor, which was held at DPAC in Durham, NC. Good Food, Good Wines, and Good Times is how I would summarize this event! It was quite the experience for foodies, wine lovers and anyone who enjoys learning and discovering more about culinary scene in the Triangle.

Last year I attended their inaugural event and was pleased to see this event return and sell out! This year in addition to food sampling from 30 of the area’s finest restaurants, paired with wine from around the world, guests could also attend a wine seminars.

Each year, Sip+Savor helps to raise funds and awareness for a local non-profit. The 2018 festival helped to raise funds for the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and Band Together partnership. Band Together is a Raleigh-based nonprofit that uses live music to raise $1 Million dollars for a different nonprofit each year. Their 2019 fundraising partner is Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. The Food Shuttle’s mission is to “pioneer innovative, transformative solutions designed to end hunger in our community”.

New this year was the Lexus Lounge, which included plush seating, cigar rolling station and a Mixology Bar with Sean Umstead. I tried the ‘Bee Amazing’ made with Durham Beeswax, honey roasted NC Squash, Svedka and local ginger soda! Very refreshing!

This event was well organized and gave guests the option of taking wine notes and placing an order from the Wine Feed to pick up and pay for it later. How convenient!

Many of the Chefs used locally sourced ingredients to create some delicious dishes to pair with some amazing wines. The following Restaurant and winery pairings were found on the Second /Third Floors:

18 Seaboard + Bear Flag/Sonoma

Acme Food & Beverage Co. + Orin Swift Cellars/Napa and Sonoma

La Residence + Louis Martini/Sonoma

City Kitchen + Votto Vines/Mediterranean

Clouds Restaurant + Napa Cellars/Napa Valley

COPA + Viña Pomal/Rioja

Counting House + Kim Crawford Wines/Marlborough

Crossroads Chapel Hill + Saint Clair Family Estate/Marlborough

Cuban Revolution Restaurant & Bar + Le Morette/Italy

Elements + Domaine Saint Landor/Loire Valley

The Fearrington House Restaurant + Jermann/Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Glasshalfull + J Vineyards/Russian River Valley

Gocciolina + LaMarca/Prosecco DOCG, Italy

Guglhupf + DAOU Vineyards/Paso Robles

It’s A Southern Thing + Chalk Hill/Sonoma

Pickle Jar Cafe + Freemark Abbey/Sonoma

Kipos Greek Taverna + Pascual Toso / Argentina

Local 22 + Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard/Santa Barbara

Locals Seafood + The Hess Collection/Napa Valley

Lula & Sadie’s + Robert Hall Winery/Paso Robles

Mandolin + The Prisoner Wine Company/California

Mateo Bar de Tapas + Browne Family/Columbia Valley

Nanasteak + Banfi/Italy

Old North Meats & Provisions + Hope Family Wines/Paso Robles

Parizade + Elouan/Oregon

Pittsboro Roadhouse + B.R. Cohn Winery/Sonoma Valley

Saint James Seafood + Gérard Bertrand/Languedoc-Roussillon

Tylers Restaurant & Taproom + Biltmore Winery/North Carolina

Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe + Talbott Vineyards/Monterey

Washington Duke Inn & JB Duke Hotel + Franciscan Estates/Napa and Monterey

Live Music, cheese, desserts, bubbly and coffee were found at the On-stage experience, which featured the following vendors:

Carrboro Coffee Roasters (Official Coffee Sponsor)

Saladelia Café

The Mad Hatter’s Cafe & Bakeshop

Durham Toffee

Boxcarr Handmade Cheese

Afters

Rise Biscuits Donuts

Neomonde Mediterranean

👀WATCH my recap video of sip + savor and make sure to visit their website and follow on Facebook and Instagram. Here are some of my favorite moments from #SipSavor18! Hope to see you there next year!

Event Recap|6th Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience @BullCityEXP @DPAC #Durham #Food #Beer #Event

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Yesterday, SobeSavvy.com joined a few thousand others at DPAC for the 6th Annual Bull City Food & Beer Experience! The word, “experience” accurately depicts this now iconic annual event that I had the pleasure of attending last year and sharing with you again. Enjoying 30 restaurants paired with 30 beers sounds like a great way to spend a ‘Sunday Funday’ especially while raising money and awareness for the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association.

Pale Ale, Stout, IPA, and various ciders were all properly represented here. Small local breweries served their craft beer and stood side by side with international powerhouse breweries. They all coexisted perfectly. A few liquor brands, such as Social House Vodka, also served up some samples of their spirits. Durham has such an incredible food and beer culture and this event does an amazing job showcasing it! Check out my facebook photo album highlighting more from this event, here.

Taking up space on all 3 levels of the beautiful DPAC lobbies, this event is always a crowd pleaser and this year was no different. Inside the actual theatre, they had the Stella Artois Onstage Experience featuring County Fare. This year the food in this area was served by various food trucks based in the Triangle. These meals on wheels have now become a staple in the food scene not just here but nationwide. Guests mingled on stage and enjoyed some awesome live music by Big Fat Gap and beer garden games like bean toss. One of my favorites were the dumplings by the food truck Chirba Chirba. One dumpling was pork, the other offering were their veggie dumplings. Simply delicious.

Guess what else coexisted perfectly with all that beer? FOOD OF COURSE ! Over 30 restaurants of every imaginable genre/cuisine was there. From Italian to sushi and EVERYTHING in between. The restaurants participating gave unlimited samples of the dish they were serving. What also makes this event unique is that most tables paired a specific brew for the specific restaurant dish. Some foods pair better with a stout or pale ale and vice versa. Attendees didn’t have to wander far to find the perfect beer for their dish, it was right there alongside it! My favorite part was the opportunity to meet and talk with the Chefs from some of my favorite local restaurants.

If I had to use one word to describe this event, I would say ‘Incredible’! Where else can you experience local food, beer, beverage,craft artisians, all in one place?! The foodie in me appreciates organized events like this that I can partner with and celebrate what is offered here. Watch this video for recap of all the food + beer + fun!

Thanks for reading and hope to see you next year! Cheers 🍻

Do you have a favorite food and beer pairing? Let me know in the comments below!