Hit the Island for the 2015 Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival

Martha’s Vineyard will soon host its eighth annual Food and Wine Festival, taking place Thursday, October 15 through Sunday, October 18, 2015. More than two dozen events are scheduled in various locations around the scenic seaport village of Edgartown over the four days. It’s all in the name of great food and drink, with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, products, and talent from the island’s food and beverage industry. A portion of the proceeds benefit Island Grown Schools, the Vineyard’s farm-to-school program, as well as the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society.

Unlike most festivals of this type, attendees can’t purchase one-day or multi-day passes, nor can they buy ticket bundles to particular events. Instead, tickets are only sold individually to single events, encouraging festival-goers to thoughtfully curate their own experiences.

Island chefs, vintners, brewers, spirits producers, farmers, fishermen, and other professionals lend their expertise (and sometimes their places of business) to the festival to make it a fresh, delicious, enlightening experience that celebrates the culinary heritage and culture of Martha’s Vineyard.

Here’s a quick look at the events offered at the 2015 Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival.

Thursday, October 15

There’s only one event on this day, “Fresh Off the Farm: A Celebration of Local Farms and Chefs.” Eat, drink, and mingle at this community gathering with local chefs, farmers, and vineyard operators from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.

Friday, October 16

• “Crudo, Fresh Off the Boat” from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm for raw fish and six accompanying Sauvignon blanc wines
• “Crispy and Salty” from 12:30 to 2:00 pm in honor of the island’s fried fish tradition
• “Chowder Run” from 1:00 to 2:30 pm, because what’s a New England culinary festival without an event featuring a wide variety of chowders?
• “Sweet Tooth” from 3:00 to 4:00 pm is a must for all who love fudge
• “Sommelier Throwdown” from 3:00 to 4:30 is as crazy as it sounds, with three wine professionals competitively pairing a total of 12 wines with 4 small plates
• “Meet the Artist: Traeger di Pietro” from 4:30 to 6:00 pm is a VIP champagne reception in honor of the artist who created an original work for the festival
• “Fisherman’s Widow Cocktails” from 5:00 to 6:30 pm is cheerier than it sounds, with cocktails and small bites
• “Cuts Both Ways: Meat and Wine” from 6:00 to 9:00 pm is a feast set to an amazing sunset view
• “Joseph Carr Winemaker Dinner” from 6:00 to 9:00 pm is a hyper-local wine dinner
• “Sea, Farm, and Vine with a Touch of City Grit” from 6:00 to 9:00 pm is the evening’s dinner option with the longest name, with plenty of great food and wines
• “Farm in a Skillet, Southern Style” from 6:00 to 9:00 pm brings together local ingredients and southern cooking traditions

Saturday, October 17

• “Breakfast with Mary Cleaver, Pioneer in Sustainable Food” from 9:00 to 10:30 am offers a tasty breakfast and delectable conversation about sustainability
• “Pilates for a Cause” from 10:00 to 11:00 am benefits Island Grown Schools (and your stress levels)
• “Artisan Cheese and Charcuterie” from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm promises to be a memorable experience for fans of cheese and cured meats
• “Brisket and Brown” from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm serves up locally sourced brisket sliders and American brown craft beers
• “Oh Shucks!” from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm is the event to attend for oyster lovers
• “Martha’s Vineyard Architecture Tour with Patrick Ahearn” from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm is a talk about the island’s notable architecture, followed by food and drink, of course
• “Get Bad with Martha” from 1:00 to 2:30 pm for eating and imbibing at Bad Martha Brewery
• “Grand Tasting on Mayhew” from 2:00 to 5:00 pm is a signature event with lots of food and beverage samples, including more than 250 wines from local producers and around the globe
• “Hojoko, Island Style” from 5:30 to 9:30 pm offers Japanese cuisine and sake pairings at The Beach Plum Restaurant
• “Diary of a Chef and Sommelier: Farm to World in 10 Pairings” from 7:00 to 10:00 pm is a dining experience based on 10 pairings of local ingredients and international wines
• “The Green Table with Mary Cleaver and Jan Buhrman” from 7:00 to 10:00 pm is an intimate farm-to-table dinner at The Farm Hub at Thimble Farm

Sunday, October 18

• “The Pleasure of Paris” from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm is a celebration of decadent, delicious Parisian fare
• “A Wood-Fired Feast, Up-Island Style” from 4:30 to 7:00 pm closes out the festival with a wood-fired meal featuring local ingredients

Additional Information

To find more details about the individual events at the 2015 Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival, visit mvfoodandwine.com/events. For information about traveling to and from the island (which is only accessible by water or by air), getting around on the island, and some places you can H”http://mvfoodandwine.com/getting-here”mvfoodandwine.com/getting-here.