Digital buyer journeys
What digital buyer journeys means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Event overview
Overview
Charlotte Wine & Food Week is a premier fundraising event that showcases the best of culinary and wine experiences. Taking place from April 14 to April 18, 2027, at SouthPark in Charlotte, this event features a series of unique dining experiences, auctions, and tastings.
Attendees can expect to enjoy exquisite dishes prepared by top chefs paired with exceptional wines, all while supporting local children's charities. Charlotte Wine & Food Week takes place in Charlotte, United States.
TL;DR
- 1Dates and Venue: Charlotte Wine & Food Week runs from April 14 to April 18, 2027, at SouthPark in Charlotte, NC.
- 2Scale and Focus: This signature fundraising celebration features acclaimed chefs and renowned wineries.
- 3Organiser: Hosted by Charlotte Wine + Food, known for its charitable contributions to local children's organizations.
- 4Buyer Authority: Attendees include foodies, wine enthusiasts, and community supporters.
- 5Entry: Tickets will be available for purchase starting in early March 2027.
Why visit
Charlotte Wine & Food 2027 is a five-day spring programme built for people who plan travel around what they eat and drink: walk-around tastings, seated chef dinners and guided wine seminars spread across Charlotte's SouthPark district, 14-18 April 2027. Attendees include foodies, wine enthusiasts, and community supporters.
Why exhibit
Exhibitors gain visibility among a targeted audience of food and wine lovers, enhance brand recognition, and contribute to a meaningful cause by supporting local children's charities. Meet qualified buyers and partners including Wineries showcasing their finest selections, Restaurants offering unique culinary experiences, Catering companies providing event services. Position your offer across fine wines from renowned vineyards, gourmet food products and artisanal goods,.
Attendees, exhibitors & solutions
Who this event is for
Visitor profile
Typical attendee groups you can expect to meet.
Food and wine enthusiasts looking for unique experiences
Local residents interested in community events
Charity supporters wanting to make a difference
Culinary professionals seeking networking opportunities
Wine collectors and connoisseurs
Families looking for fun and engaging activities
Exhibitor profile
Main supplier and exhibitor segments present at the show.
Wineries showcasing their finest selections
Restaurants offering unique culinary experiences
Catering companies providing event services
Food producers and artisans presenting local products
Non-profit organizations focused on community support
Event planners and coordinators in the food and beverage sector
Product categories
Key solution areas showcased across the event.
Fine wines from renowned vineyards
Gourmet food products and artisanal goods
Culinary experiences and tasting events
Charitable auction items and experiences
Local restaurant offerings and specialties
Wine and food pairing events
Location & Facilities
Venue
SouthPark
Charlotte, United States
Facilities
Parking
SouthPark in Charlotte typically provides on-site or adjacent visitor parking during major trade fairs; confirm daily rates, payment methods and hall access on the organiser or venue website before travel.
Food options
On-site catering
On-site diningParking: SouthPark in Charlotte typically provides on-site or adjacent visitor parking during major trade fairs; confirm daily rates, payment methods and hall access on the organiser or venue website before travel.
Gate: Follow organiser signage to the main visitor entrance at SouthPark for badge collection; allow extra time for security screening during peak morning arrival.
Attend
Entry & tickets
Who runs the show
Organisers
Charlotte Wine + Food
Intelligence
Market context
Key market insights, trends, news and related events to help you understand the bigger picture.
Charlotte, United States
Why it matters
On 2027-04-14 to 2027-04-18, Charlotte Wine & Food Week in Charlotte covering Fine wines from renowned vineyards, Gourmet food products and artisanal goods, Culinary experiences and tasting events, gives food buyers a single calendar window to compare suppliers, validate specs on the stand, and book follow-ups before the next buying cycle - especially when your roadmap matches the published exhibitor profile.
Industry trends
Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.
Sustainability in procurement
What sustainability in procurement means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Automation and labour efficiency
What automation and labour efficiency means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Regional supply-chain resilience
What regional supply-chain resilience means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Hybrid engagement models
What hybrid engagement models means for buyers and exhibitors in this sector.
Plan your trip
Travel & logistics
Local currency · USD
Arrival airports
Choose from the following airports, with convenient access to the event and venue.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
The primary airport for the festival and an American Airlines hub, so nonstop options from most major U.S. cities are common. Rideshare pickup is at the designated airport area rather than the terminal curb. Confirm the exact 2027 session venues before booking a transfer, because SouthPark venues sit at more than one address
TBA
to venue
Approx. 20-30 minutes by car depending on traffic
by car
Hotel tiers
A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.
Canopy by Hilton Charlotte Southpark
midscale-upper
SouthParkUSD 175–220 / night
The closest practical base for a SouthPark tasting programme: same district as the retail and dining core, so most sessions are a walk or a very short rideshare. Ask about overnight parking charges, which are usually separate from the room rate.
Hyatt Centric Charlotte SouthPark
upscale
SouthParkUSD 175–236 / night
Upscale SouthPark option at the top of the local band. Worth booking early for a five-night stay: the district has limited room stock and mid-April demand from the festival concentrates in the same few blocks.
Sonesta Charlotte Lower South End
midscale
Lower South EndUSD 175–220 / night
One district south of SouthPark. Good value if SouthPark itself is sold out, but factor in a short drive or rideshare each evening and a pricier return after late dinners.
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Charlotte Airport South
economy
Airport SouthUSD 115–145 / night
Airport-corridor budget base. Best if you land late into CLT and plan to rent a car or rideshare in; the trade-off is a 20-30 minute trip to SouthPark for every session.
Local transport
Get around the city with these convenient transport options.
Airport shuttle
Estimated costCost TBA
Best forCLT Airport to SouthPark
Prime Time Shuttle publishes a dedicated CLT to SouthPark service. Reserve ahead for a festival week, since shared shuttles run on demand rather than on a fixed timetable.
CATS bus
Estimated costCost TBA
Best forCharlotte city routes to SouthPark (Route 19 and Route 57 referenced)
Cheapest way in from the wider city, with timetables and a trip planner on the city site. Evening frequency drops, so plan the return leg before a late dinner.
Rideshare (Uber / Lyft)
Estimated costCost TBA
Best forCLT Airport to SouthPark
Both Uber and Lyft publish CLT to SouthPark route pages. Festival evenings and rainy April afternoons are when surge pricing hits, so leave a buffer before a timed session.
Taxi
Estimated costCost TBA
Best forCharlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to SouthPark
Metered taxis are usually a similar price to a non-surged rideshare and can be easier when the app is surging. Confirm the fare estimate before you get in, and carry a card for payment.
Parking
Estimated costCost TBA
Best forSouthPark district garages and surface lots
ParkMobile lists Charlotte parking from around USD 4 and garage deals around USD 26 for two hours, so rates swing widely by lot. Event-weekend demand fills the closest decks first.
Light rail plus bus
Estimated costCost TBA
Best forLYNX Blue Line southern end, then a CATS bus connection toward SouthPark
The Blue Line does not run into SouthPark itself, so this is a two-leg trip. Useful for daytime sessions if you are staying near the line; slower and less convenient after evening tastings.
Walking
Estimated costFree
Best forWithin the SouthPark district between hotels and tasting venues
The reason to pay SouthPark hotel rates: most sessions sit within the same district. Confirm each venue address once the 2027 schedule is published, since the programme uses more than one site.
Weather
Mid-April is spring in Charlotte and generally kind to a wine and food programme: typical daytime highs around 21-24 C (70-75 F), evenings dropping to roughly 9-12 C (48-54 F), and April averaging in the region of eight or nine rain days. Showers tend to arrive as short spring bands rather than all-day rain, but thunderstorms are possible. Verify an actual forecast in the week before travel; these are climatological bands, not a forecast for 14-18 April 2027. Air quality in the region is usually good in spring, and any AQI figure published near the event window should be treated as a forecast snapshot, not a measurement at the venue. Sensitive travellers should check local advisories before the trip. Because several SouthPark sessions may use outdoor or semi-outdoor space, a compact rain layer and shoes that survive wet pavement matter more than an umbrella.
Plan for the climate
Check temperatures and pack accordingly
Venue connectivity
Mobile coverage across Charlotte is dense on the major U.S. networks (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile), including the SouthPark district. Visitors on non-U.S. SIMs should arrange roaming or an eSIM before departure: the United States has no EU-style roam-at-home rule, so a European plan can become expensive quickly. Wi-Fi is normally included in SouthPark and Lower South End hotel rates, but confirm at booking. Guest Wi-Fi at tasting venues should not be assumed, so download tickets, the session schedule and any tasting-note app before you arrive, and carry a power bank: a full day of mobile ticketing and photos drains a phone fast. Power: U.S. sockets are 120 V at 60 Hz with Type A and Type B plugs, so travellers from Europe or Asia need a plug adapter, and older or voltage-sensitive devices may also need a converter. Payment is almost entirely card and app based, including parking apps and rideshare, so keep at least one card working for contactless payments.
Ride-hailing
Taxis
Public transit
Car rentals
Cultural notes
Useful information to help you have a smooth and respectful visit.
Dress and the April swing
Smart casual carries you through walk-around tastings; chef dinners and any gala-style session skew dressier. Charlotte in mid-April can be warm at 2pm and cool by 8pm, so a light layer over a tasting outfit is more useful than formalwear.
Tipping and service norms
U.S. service expectations apply: 18-20 per cent at restaurants, 15-20 per cent for taxis and rideshare, and a dollar or two per drink at a bar. Pours included in your tasting ticket do not require tipping, though a tip jar may sit on the table.
Age checks and ID
All alcohol service is 21-and-over and venues check photo ID, sometimes including for guests who look well past the threshold. Carry a passport or state-issued ID; a foreign driver's licence is not accepted everywhere.
Drinking in public and getting home
Open containers are not permitted on Charlotte streets, and service stops when a session ends. Decide your ride before the last pour: a SouthPark hotel within walking distance, or a rideshare booked from the venue lobby.
Talking to winemakers and chefs
A producer may pour for hundreds of guests in a single session. Opening with a question about the wine in your glass gets a better conversation than a business card, and a follow-up email the following week is the norm rather than a pushy move.
Local manners
Charlotte is a Southern city where small talk and please and thank you carry weight. A short greeting before a request, whether to a server, a rideshare driver or a tasting table host, is expected rather than optional.
Dietary needs and fixed menus
Chef dinners and pairing menus are usually set in advance. Tell the organiser about allergies, no red meat or non-alcoholic preferences when you book. Flagging it at the table on the night usually produces an improvised plate rather than a designed one.
Practical guides
Visitor & Exhibitor Essentials
Everything needed to arrive prepared, navigate the event, and make the visit productive.
Flights
Destination: CLT
CLT is an American Airlines hub, so nonstop service from most major U.S. cities is common and one-stop routings are usually unnecessary. The captured fare for this edition, Chicago ORD to Charlotte round trip 14-18 April 2027 at USD 391 including taxes and fees for one adult, is a useful anchor rather than a live quote, and the same search flagged the April 2027 window as high across DFW, JFK, LAX and ORD while showing cheaper booking windows earlier in the year. Practical approach: set a fare alert on your route, book six to ten weeks out for a mid-April departure, and keep bag fees in mind because the captured fare excludes checked luggage. If you are flying in for an evening dinner on 14 April, avoid a tight connection into CLT; the airport is close to SouthPark at roughly 20-30 minutes by car, but afternoon traffic and April storms can stretch that.
Transport
Get to the venue and around the city with these options.
Airport → venue: Primary gateways: Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT): Approx. 20-30 minutes by car depending on traffic. Allow road or rail time to SouthPark; on-site parking is usually available at major exhibition venues.
Hotel → venue: Precinct hotels near SouthPark: SouthPark: Canopy by Hilton Charlotte Southpark; SouthPark: Hyatt Centric Charlotte SouthPark; Lower South End: Sonesta Charlotte Lower South End.
Ride-hail: Uber and Lyft both operate across Charlotte and publish a CLT to SouthPark route page. At Charlotte Douglas International, follow the signs to the designated rideshare pickup area instead of hailing at the terminal curb. Airport to SouthPark runs roughly USD 40-55 outside surge pricing, and festival evenings plus rainy April afternoons are exactly when surge appears, so leave a buffer before a timed dinner. Short hops within SouthPark are typically in the single digits to low teens, but walking is often faster than waiting for a car on a busy tasting night. Rideshare is also the practical way home from a late session if your hotel is outside the district: book from the venue lobby and check the pin against the actual entrance.
Public transit: Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) runs the local bus network, and Route 19 and Route 57 are the SouthPark-area routes referenced in local listings, with timetables and a trip planner on the city site. Approximate local single-ride fare is around USD 2.20, with transfers extra, so confirm the current fare and whether a day pass beats paying per ride. The LYNX Blue Line light rail does not serve SouthPark directly: you would ride to the southern end of the line and connect by bus, which makes transit a two-leg trip. Buses are the cheapest way into the district but slower and less frequent in the evening, so plan the return leg before an evening tasting rather than improvising at 10pm.
Parking: SouthPark is a retail district built around cars, with surface lots and multi-storey garages rather than one event car park. ParkMobile lists Charlotte parking from around USD 4 and garage deals around USD 26 for a two-hour stay, so rates vary widely by lot and by whether the garage is tied to a particular retailer. Festival-weekend demand fills the closest decks first, and evening sessions compete with restaurant traffic in the same blocks. Confirm whether your specific 2027 venue validates parking, and if you are staying in SouthPark ask the hotel about overnight charges, which are usually billed separately from the room rate. For a five-day programme, parking is the cost that most often makes a car not worth renting.
Weather
Plan and pack for the event climate.
Month: April 2027
Temperature: April daytime highs typically in the low to mid 20s Celsius (70s Fahrenheit) with cooler evenings; check a forecast closer to the festival dates.
Seasonality: April is a spring month in Charlotte with a moderate chance of showers; plan for brief rain on outdoor tasting areas.
Packing: Light layers, comfortable walking shoes and a compact rain jacket for spring showers; evening events may be cooler.
Plan your trip
Planning
Best day to visit: Day 2 (mid-show)
Mid-show days at Charlotte Wine & Food Week usually combine full exhibitor attendance with scheduled B2B meetings, before early pack-down on the final day.
Day 1
Book the hotel inside SouthPark if you can
Day 2
Set a flight fare alert for CLT
Day 3
Check ID and entry status
Day 4
Plan the arrival day realistically
Day 5
Decide how you will move each day
Day 6
Assemble a tasting-day kit; Plan spending and shipping
Day 7
Confirm dietary requirements
Day 8
Check the forecast and adjust
Day 9
Download tickets and set a daily route
Day 10
Rest, hydrate and stage the first day
Day 11
Lock the session list, not just the dates
Sample visitor itinerary
Route-optimised day
Day 1 · morning
Registration and hall orientation at SouthPark
Day 2 · core sessions
Supplier meetings and product demos
Day 3 · wrap-up
Final negotiations and follow-up
Networking spots
2Charlotte Wine & Food Week registration concourse
SouthPark
Central meeting point before and between hall appointments during show days.
Organiser B2B lounge (if offered)
SouthPark
Hosted matchmaking and buyer programmes when published by the organiser.
Budget
Costs & budget
Build your working budget
Adjust the inputs below to create a directional event budget.
Estimated budget
Live estimate
- Hotel × 2 nights$230.00
- Per diem × 2$150.00
Estimated total$380.00
This is a directional estimate. Please verify live rates before booking.
Decision
Visit, exhibit, or skip?
Should you go?
Use this quick check to decide whether Charlotte Wine & Food Week fits your visit, exhibit or skip plan.
QUESTION 1 OF 6
For Charlotte Wine & Food Week, what is your primary role on the show floor?
Decision matrix
Compare participation options side by side to choose the best fit for your objectives.
visit
Your category focus and target suppliers align with the official exhibitor profile.
Best for
Buyers, engineers, and delegates sourcing Fine wines from renowned vineyards and Gourmet food products and artisanal goods solutions and benchmarking suppliers at Charlotte Wine & Food Week in Charlotte.
Min. budget
$622.00
Timeline
4-8 weeks before opening day for registration, hotels, and travel.
Risks
Session times and ticket tiers may change - confirm the official agenda before booking.
exhibit
You have a defined lead-generation or distributor recruitment goal for this market.
Best for
Brands and manufacturers launching Fine wines from renowned vineyards and Gourmet food products and artisanal goods products who need qualified meetings with the event's trade audience.
Min. budget
$2,799.00
Timeline
3-6 months for stand booking, freight, staffing, and pre-show marketing.
Risks
Booth pricing and corner premiums vary by hall - confirm with the organiser sales team.
skip
Audience, geography, or commercial goals do not justify travel and stand costs this cycle.
Best for
Teams with weak category fit, budget constraints, or overlapping commitments during the Charlotte show week.
Timeline
N/A
Risks
Skipping may mean missing buyer meetings if competitors exhibit or attend the same week.
Gallery
Photos
FAQs & glossary
Answers
Frequently asked
When and where is Charlotte Wine & Food 2027?
The 2027 edition runs 14-18 April 2027 in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the programme concentrated in the SouthPark district. Individual session venues and start times are published per event on charlottewineandfood.org, so check the schedule page before you lock in flights, because a five-day programme can move between sites.
Is Charlotte Wine & Food a consumer festival or a trade event?
It is a consumer wine and food festival with a charity purpose, not a trade-only expo. Restaurants, sommeliers, retail buyers and wine trade visitors do attend, but the sessions are built for guests tasting for pleasure, so expect a social, glass-in-hand room rather than a badge-and-catalogue floor.
What is included in a tasting ticket?
Inclusions vary by session. Walk-around and grand tasting style events typically include a tasting glass and pours from the participating tables, while seated chef dinners include the menu and the paired wines. Confirm inclusions per event on the organiser's ticketing page, because a single weekend pass is not the usual model for this festival.
Do I need to be 21 to attend?
Yes. Alcohol service in North Carolina is 21-and-over and venues check photo identification, sometimes including for guests who look well past the threshold. Carry a passport or state-issued ID. Guests who are not drinking should check whether non-alcoholic or designated-driver options exist for the session they want.
What is the dress code for the tastings and dinners?
Smart casual works for walk-around tastings; evening dinners and any gala-style session skew dressier. Charlotte in mid-April swings between warm afternoons and cool evenings, so bring a light layer you can carry rather than committing to one outfit for a whole day.
Where does the money go?
Charlotte Wine & Food is run as a charity event, with proceeds directed to local charitable partners. The organiser names its beneficiaries on the official site; check the current beneficiary list there rather than assuming a fixed recipient from year to year.
How do I get to the event from Charlotte Douglas International Airport?
CLT is the airport serving the festival district. Rideshare and taxi into SouthPark take roughly 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic, a scheduled shuttle service also runs the route, and CATS local buses are the cheapest but slowest option with a transfer. A rental car is rarely worth it for a weekend in SouthPark because parking is paid and the district is walkable.
Where should I stay for Charlotte Wine & Food?
The two SouthPark hotels on this listing (Canopy by Hilton Charlotte Southpark and Hyatt Centric Charlotte SouthPark) are in the same district as the SouthPark venues, which is the lowest-friction base. Sonesta Charlotte Lower South End is one district south and needs a short rideshare. Airport-area hotels such as the La Quinta on this list suit late arrivals and budget-led trips.
Are seminars and chef dinners ticketed separately from tastings?
Expect separate ticketing per session, with seated dinners and guided seminars typically smaller and costlier than walk-around tastings. The organiser publishes each session with its own booking entry on the schedule page, and popular dinners sell out first, so plan the sessions you care about before booking flights.
Can I buy bottles to take home?
North Carolina regulates alcohol sales and shipping, and rules differ by state of destination. Ask at the producer's table whether bottles can be purchased on site and whether shipping is offered to your state. Many visitors ship or carry sealed bottles rather than assume the tasting room can sell retail.
What happens if it rains during the weekend?
April in Charlotte brings a real chance of showers, and some tasting sessions use outdoor or semi-outdoor space. Bring a compact rain layer and check the organiser's weather or venue notes for each session on the day. Indoor venues in SouthPark operate normally in wet weather; outdoor tastings may be moved or adjusted.
Is the festival accessible for guests with dietary needs or mobility requirements?
Chef dinners and pairing menus are usually fixed, so tell the organiser about allergies or dietary restrictions when you book rather than at the table. For step-free access, seating or other requirements, contact the organiser directly for the specific venue, since SouthPark sessions are held at more than one address.
Glossary
- Walk-around tasting
- Standing format where producers and chefs staff tables around a room and guests move between them. It is the backbone of a wine and food festival: broad choice, short conversations, and the format where knowing two or three questions to ask beats trying every table.
- Grand tasting
- A large-format session with many producers pouring at once, usually with a tasting glass included in the ticket. Broader but shallower than a seated seminar, and the session where you should decide on a route before you walk in.
- Vertical tasting
- The same wine across several vintages, used to show how a single site or blend changes year to year. The clearest way to understand a producer's style in one sitting.
- Horizontal tasting
- One vintage across several producers, appellations or grape varieties, holding the year fixed so that site and winemaking become the variables.
- Library vintage
- A bottle the producer held back and releases years after harvest. Often the most instructive pour at a seminar because it shows how the wine has aged rather than how it tasted in its youth.
- Allocation
- The quantity of a scarce wine a producer or distributor makes available to a given buyer. Allocation lists are how small-production bottles reach restaurant lists and private cellars.
- Blind tasting
- Wines served without labels so the room assesses variety, region and vintage from the glass. Common as a seminar exercise and a fairer way to compare price tiers.
- Sommelier
- Restaurant wine professional who builds the list, manages service and designs pairings. A core attendee type at a food-and-wine festival and the contact a restaurant sends when it is evaluating new listings.
- Food and wine pairing
- Matching a dish to a wine by weight, acidity, sweetness and texture. The tasting menus at chef dinners are built around this deliberately rather than assembled course by course.
- Terroir
- The combined effect of soil, slope, climate and local tradition on a wine's character. It is the vocabulary producers use to separate one vineyard site from another a few hundred metres away.
- Cuvée
- A specific blend or batch, often a producer's flagship bottling. The word appears on labels without a single legal definition across producing countries.
- Three-tier system
- The U.S. route from producer to importer or distributor to retailer or restaurant. It explains why a wine you loved at the festival may be hard to buy locally, and why producers ask which state you ship to.
- Corkage
- The fee a restaurant charges to open a bottle a guest brings in. Relevant if you buy bottles during the weekend and want to drink them with dinner instead of shipping them home.
- Spit bucket (dump bucket)
- The container on tasting tables for wine you do not swallow. Using it is normal and expected at a multi-hour tasting, not a judgement on the wine.
- Tasting pour
- A small measure, usually around 30 to 50 ml, intended for assessment rather than drinking. Pacing pours across a long session is the difference between tasting and simply drinking.
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Also known as
Alternate names and search phrases for this event.
- Charlotte Wine & Food Week 2027
- Charlotte Wine 2027
- Food Week Charlotte 2027
- Charlotte United States
- Food & Beverage Festival Charlotte 2027
- Fine wines from renowned vineyards
- Gourmet food products and artisanal goods
- Culinary experiences and tasting events
- Charitable auction items and experiences
- Food & Beverage Festival Festival Charlotte
Digital business cards for the show floor
Display a free company card at your booth, or share your professional card on the show floor.