UPDATED: New Food and Wine Festival is Coming to Providence this March
The multi-day event invites local food and wine connoisseurs to bespoke culinary experiences citywide.
Wine tasting. Stock image from Getty Images.
It’s a different kind of March Madness. This one is focused on food and wine. There’s plenty of time to gear up for the Providence Culinary Collective and the inaugural Rhode Island Wine Experience (Wine X), taking place on place Thursday, March 27, through Sunday, March 30, at locations throughout Providence. The food festival is the brainchild of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau (PWCVB), while Wine X is produced in partnership with RMO PR.
Community partners are coming together to produce the event, including Johnson & Wales University, Hope & Main, Food Trucks In, Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio’s Uncorking the Future, and national media partner SAVEUR.
It involves four days filled with food and wine, planned alongside one action-packed week of comedy events at the Lil Rhody Laugh Riot. “GoProvidence, with the help of our talented community partners, has curated a first-of-its-kind food and wine experience for Providence locals and visitors to enjoy,” said Kristen Adamo, President and CEO of the PWCVB. “The Providence Culinary Collective brings together seasoned and emerging talent to truly showcase our area’s culinary prowess in one delicious and diverse celebration. Throughout this four-day event, you will gather at the city’s picturesque rooftops, dine among celebrity chefs, learn from the country’s top culinary professors, and enjoy expertly-prepared meals inside some of Providence’s most historic buildings. Providence has long been a destination for authentic cuisine, supported by the talent of Johnson & Wales University alumni and a thriving dining culture. We are excited to continue sharing this with the world during the Providence Culinary Collective.”
Some of the participating restaurants include the Providence G Pub, the Rooftop at the Providence G, Sarto, Cafe Nuovo, Oberlin, Mill’s Tavern and the Capital Grille. The highlight of the wine festival is Wine X Grand Tasting Event on Saturday, March 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Providence G Ballroom. Presented by Track 15, the event will feature thirty-five wine vendors, plus three expert panels: ‘Women in Wine,’ ‘Sustainability in Wine,’ and ‘The New Era in Hospitality.” The festival is also tied into Rhode Island PBS and the Public’s Radio’s annual wine-filled fundraiser, Uncorking the Future, which will be held on Friday, March 28 from 5-9 p.m. (Tickets are now on sale here!) Guests will get to meet Mary Ann Esposito, cookbook author, chef and host of nationally televised PBS series “Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito.”
Events are being held in conjunction with Lil Rhody Laugh Riot, a new four-day comedy festival happening simultaneously in multiple venues in the city and featuring more than twenty comedians including Kevin Hart, Matt Rife, Aziz Ansari and Leslie Jones. Find more details at LilRhodyLaughRiot.com.
The Providence Culinary Collective schedule of events is as follows:
- A taste of Rhode Island’s local craft scene at the Culinary Collective Beer Garden, a beer hall pop-up featuring brews from Tilted Barn Brewery, Ravenous Brewing Company, Ragged Island Brewing Company, Trinity Brewhouse, and Narragansett Brewery. The team at Durk’s will be providing their award-winning barbecue. The beer hall will be set up outside of Trinity Brewhouse on Adrian Hall Way throughout the Providence Culinary Collective.
| Thursday, March 27 | |
| Time TBA |
The Providence Culinary Collective is partnering with anti-hunger non-profit Feed the Children and Price Rite Marketplace for a community program benefiting Rhode Islanders. |
| 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. |
Shop local and sample small bites at Foodcraft: An Evening of Global Flavors, Locally Made. Presented by Hope & Main and its diverse array of makers, this community marketplace at 100 Westminster St. features complimentary appetizers and one-of-a-kind specialty foods, a cash bar, and live music. |
| 4 p.m. – 1 a.m. |
Your favorite snack has found its perfect pair at “Trash Talk & Tipsy,” a one-of-a-kind junk food pairing at the Providence G Pub. |
| 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. |
Wine X hosts its VIP Opening Pour with Round Pond Estate Winery at the historic Providence Art Club. |
| 5:30 p.m. |
Enjoy a four-course dinner at the award-winning Oberlin Restaurant paired with exceptional wines from DuMOL’s 2022 vintage, providing a stunning taste of Sonoma and the Russian River Valley – a must for any California wine aficionado!
Join Mill’s Tavern for a five-course meal including exceptional wines from Frederick Wildman and an ambiance of warmth and sophistication. This exclusive culinary experience includes tastes from France, Italy and California.
Gracie’s Providence will offer an enhanced Journey Through The Vines Experience featuring a seated three-course dinner paired with a selection of recent vintages from Greenvale Vineyard. Billy Wilson, the winemaker at Greenvale Vineyards in Portsmouth, RI, will share insights about their farm, which produces small quantities of exceptional estate-grown wines along the Sakonnet River. |
| Friday, March 28 | |
| 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. | The Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales University is free and open to the public.
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| 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
12:30 p.m. |
Sharpen your skills in Chef’s Choice Cooking Classes at Johnson & Wales University, offering a hands-on cooking experience learning directly from culinarians at one of the top culinary schools in the nation. Choose from three offerings: contemporary Italian cuisine, blitz dough breakfast pastries, and a wine tasting and pairing exercise.
Experience Sonoma’s prestigious Alexander Valley at Bellini Rooftop with an intimate three-course luncheon featuring Jordan Winery’s acclaimed Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon collections, bringing California wine country to Providence’s stunning rooftop venue.
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| 4 p.m. – 2 a.m. | Your favorite snack has found its perfect pair at “Trash Talk & Tipsy,” a one-of-a-kind junk food pairing at the Providence G Pub.
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| 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Meet Mary Ann Esposito, cookbook author, chef and host of nationally televised PBS series Ciao Italia with Mary Ann Esposito, at Uncorking the Future: A Culinary & Wine Experience to Benefit Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio.
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| 5:30 p.m. | Indulge in an unforgettable four-course wine dinner at Cafe Nuovo, overlooking the downtown riverways. Acclaimed Chef Russell Pauser’s carefully curated menu will complement the unique flavors of world-class wines from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.
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| 6 p.m. | Embark on a journey through Italy at the Giro D’italia wine dinner at Sarto, featuring five courses and live entertainment.
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| Saturday, March 29 | |
| 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. | Discover local cuisine at this gathering of food trucks outside of the historic Veterans Memorial Auditorium, brought to you by Food Trucks In. Food trucks will be offering their full menus along with a special tasting item, local beer and wine from Good Vibes Beverages and live music.
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| 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Experience the Wine X Grand Tasting Event presented by Track 15, taking place inside the elegant Ballroom at the Providence G. The fun-filled day of sipping and swirling will feature 35+ wine vendors, plus three expert panels: ‘Women in Wine,’ ‘Sustainability in Wine,’ and ‘The New Era in Hospitality’.
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| 12 p.m. – 2 a.m. | Your favorite snack has found its perfect pair at “Trash Talk & Tipsy,” a one-of-a-kind junk food pairing at the Providence G Pub.
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| 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. | Take a Sober Interlude at the Rooftop at the Providence G with mocktails and palate fresheners.
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| 5:30 p.m. | At this signature Wine X Vintners Dinner at The Reserve on Dorrance, Chef Kaitlyn Roberts will present a five-course dinner carefully paired with high-end domestic wines from the exclusive Spire Collection.
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| 6 p.m. | Honor a culinary legend at the Celebration of Jacques Pépin at CHOP, featuring canapés with Chef Beau Vestal of New Rivers, and Jacques’ favorite bourbon cocktails. CHOP chefs along with talented culinary students from the Genesis Center will present a globally-inspired multi-course menu highlighting coastal New England ingredients reimagined through Rhode Island’s rich global influences. A portion of proceeds will support the Jacques Pépin Foundation.
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| 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. | Sip with the Stars at the Rooftop at the Providence G for an out-of-this-world rooftop wine and astrology night in partnership with the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium.
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| 9:30 p.m. | Following the Vintners Dinner, ticketed guests will have exclusive access to the Vintners Dinner Nightcap at the Bellini Rooftop
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| Sunday, March 30 | |
| 9 a.m. | Recharge with a Rooftop Yoga and Rose Brunch overlooking downtown Providence at the Rooftop at the Providence G.
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| 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Food Trucks In presents the first-ever Providence Food Truck Drag Brunch Block Party outside of The Dark Lady and The Alley Cat PVD, two of the city’s lively downtown gay bars. Food trucks will offer their full menus alongside brunch specials, paired with brunch cocktails from The Dark Lady and Alley Cat. You’ll be joined by drag queens who will be performing throughout the afternoon.
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| 12 p.m. | Get a taste of luxury at the Wine X Luxury Component Sunday at The Capital Grille, a four-course tasting of gourmet pairings, including champagne, caviar, wagyu, truffles and more.
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| 12 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Your favorite snack has found its perfect pair at “Trash Talk & Tipsy,” a one-of-a-kind junk food pairing at the Providence G Pub.
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| 2 p.m. | Catch the game at the Providence G Pub’s Bartenders, Booze & Basketball event.
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| Time TBA | Celebrate with fellow hospitality pros at this exclusive Industry Party at Narragansett Brewery, hosted by national media partner SAVEUR magazine.
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Note: Venues and times are subject to change.
The event is supported by Rhode Island Commerce Corporation and the City of Providence. Updates will continue to be available at GoPVDEats.com.
