It’s time to pose the question, “Which fest is the best?” Is it the return of the Nashville Cocktail Festival Saturday, Sept. 9, the new Sumner Food and Wine Festival Sept. 22-23, or the third edition of Touch of Brews in Sevier Park, now expanded to two days, Sept. 29-30? Read on to find out the details and choose which (or all) you want to make plans for.
Jon and Lindsay Yeager of Pour Taste continue to keep busy managing their restaurant Edit in Hendersonville, appearing on Kelly Clarkson’s television show and assisting bar programs as consultants. If that wasn’t enough, they’ve been hard at work planning for the return of an abbreviated version of their longtime Nashville Cocktail Festival and planning a brand-new series of events for their new home of Sumner County.
After several years of holding the Nashville Cocktail Festival in multiple venues across several nights, the Yeagers have consolidated the event for 2023 into a single afternoon/evening event in East Park. This year’s fest will run from 4 until 10 p.m. and feature local mixologists shaking up drinks made with a plethora of sponsor spirits along with available food from a few food trucks.
Tickets for the 21-and-up, rain-or-shine event are available at the Nashville Cocktail festival website.
The second big event that the Yeagers have been working on is the inaugural Sumner Food & Wine Festival showcasing the restaurants and bars of the area surrounding Hendersonville. The festival kicks off with a chef’s dinner on Friday night, Sept. 22, at Sanders Ferry Park at 6 p.m.
The limited-seating multicourse farm dinner will offer dishes from five local chefs, each presenting a signature creation. Tickets for the $150 dinner include a welcome cocktail, food, wine pairings and live music. The participating chefs will be Skylar Bush, Chris Crary, Erik Hohl, Joey Molteni and Jessica Collins.
The next day will feature a Grand Tasting at Sanders Ferry Park from 4 until 10 p.m., with complimentary tastes and sips from regional chefs, bartenders, wine and spirits producers and food artisans. A children’s area will provide entertainment for the kiddies and a Makers Market will highlight local authors and artisans.
Tickets for each event plus weekend packages and young adult tickets are available at the fest’s website, and kids 13 and under can attend the Grand Tasting for free. A portion of the event proceeds will benefit Holidayfest, a nonprofit community service organization whose purpose is an annual festival that brings together the entire Hendersonville and adjoining Sumner County community during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.
Finally, it’s time for some jam and liquid bread as Touch of Brews returns to Sevier Park for its third year of beer and music. Touch of Brews is a family-friendly event featuring live music all day long channeling the spirit and sounds of The Grateful Dead. In addition to two days of music, attendees can bring children 10 and under for free to enjoy a large kid zone, beer from Terrapin, drinks from Waterbird Spirits, vendors in the Shakedown Street market, a rotating roster of food trucks and in-and-out privileges over the course of both days, Sept. 29-30.
Here’s the performance schedule so that you can maximize your noodle dancing experience:
FRIDAY 5-10 P.M.: MIDNIGHT NORTH & DEADBEATS TIE DYE JAM
SATURDAY 10 A.M.-9 P.M.
ARTIST AT LARGE JEFF MATTSON (DARK STAR ORCHESTRA)
GRAHAME LESH & ELLIOTT PECK (MIDNIGHT NORTH, PHIL & FRIENDS)
THE ROCK N ROLL PLAYHOUSE "MUSIC OF THE JAM"
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF WATKINS GLEN SUMMER JAM FEATURING LADYCOUCH PERFORMING THE BAND
NASHVILLE IS DEAD FEATURING JEFF MATTSON, MIKE MIZ, MEMBERS OF MIDNIGHT NORTH AND MORE!
Tickets for the entire weekend are a bargain at $35 in advance or $40 day of, so get yours at the Touch of Brews website.
