Austin Food & Wine Festival facts for kids

The Austin Food & Wine Festival is a fun event held every year in Austin, Texas. It started in 2012. This festival helps a special group called the Austin Food & Wine Alliance, which is a nonprofit organization. Before 2012, there was a similar festival called the Texas Hill Country Food & Wine Festival.

The Austin Food & Wine Festival

How the Festival Started

The Austin Food & Wine Festival first opened its doors from April 27 to 29, 2012. It took over from the Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival. That festival had been a popular event in Austin for 26 years! It then changed into the Austin Food & Wine Alliance, which is a group that helps the community.

The 2012 festival was put together by Food & Wine magazine and C3 Presents. Many famous chefs were there, like Masaharu Morimoto, Marcus Samuelsson, Michelle Bernstein, Gail Simmons, and Tyson Cole. Music was provided by talented singers like Lucinda Williams and Mayer Hawthorne.

Visitors could enjoy 35 different cooking shows and learn about wine and cocktails. There was also a big tasting area with 80 different booths. These booths featured wine, spirits, and food from local and regional restaurants. The events took place at Auditorium Shores and Republic Square Park in Austin.

What's Next for the Festival?

In November 2012, the festival announced its plans for 2013. The next festival was set for April 26 to 28, 2013. It was going to feature more amazing chefs and wine experts. Some of the names included Andrew Zimmern, Aaron Franklin, Paul Qui, Marcus Samuelsson, Adam Richman, Christina Tosi, Laura Sawicki, and Jack Gilmore.

Who Helps Make the Festival Happen?

Many partners work together to create the festival. These include chefs Tim Love and Tyson Cole, along with Jesse Herman. The C3 Presents organization is also a key partner. C3 Presents is an Austin-based company that organizes concerts, produces events, and manages artists.

The Austin Food & Wine Alliance

The Austin Food & Wine Festival helps support the Austin Food & Wine Alliance. This group is a nonprofit organization. Its main goal is to help the food and drink community in Central Texas. They do this by offering grants, educational programs, and special events.

The Alliance plans to give out three grants. These grants will total $20,000. They are for people who make drinks, grow food, or work as chefs in Central Texas. They can also go to groups that focus on food and are nonprofit. These grants were set to be given out on December 12, 2012. The ceremony was held at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center at the McCombs School of Business in Austin.