The Charlotte StrEATs Festival is back. Here’s what to expect and where to park
After a two-week run, CharlotteSHOUT! is wrapping up with a tasting tour and food festival this weekend.
Celebrate Charlotte’s food and drink scene at the Charlotte StrEATs Festival. The two-day event kicks off Saturday at Gateway Village in uptown with a tasting tour featuring 20 local restaurants. The festival is scheduled for Sunday with local food and drink vendors, live music, and more.
“We are excited to highlight the restaurants that give this city its personality in an even bigger way this year,” organizer Kristen Wile of Unpretentious Palate said. “Attendees from Charlotte and out of town will experience our city’s amazing culinary talents through tasting events, cooking demonstrations, a live competition to crown the 2023 StrEATs Neighborhood Champion, and seminars.”
Event organizers are expecting about 500 people to attend Saturday’s tasting tour and more than 1,500 people at the festival. Both events will take place rain or shine.
Charlotte StrEATs Tasting Tour
Location: Gateway Village, 900 W. Trade St., Charlotte, NC 28202
Time: 12-3 p.m.
Price: $85-$140
Take in the city’s culinary scene firsthand with tastes from 20 local restaurants, cooking demonstrations, craft cocktails from Charlotte mixologists, and live music. This is a ticketed event for adults 21 and older. You can buy a VIP tasting ticket, which includes early entry to the tour, or a general admission ticket.
Charlotte StrEATs Festival
Location: Gateway Village, 900 W. Trade St., Charlotte, NC 28202
Time: 12-5 p.m.
Price: Free
The main event will feature a lineup of local food trucks and vendors, live music, a neighborhood cook-off competition, and an appearance by Food Network chef Alex Guarnashelli. The free festival is open to the public, but online registration is encouraged.
Road closures and parking
Cedar Street will be closed on both Saturday and Sunday. There will not be a designated parking area for the event, but organizers encourage attendees to check for parking at the Gateway Village parking deck at 700 West Trade Street. There, you can also look for city street meters with hourly rates.