The 23rd annual Wine Over Water Festival will take place Saturday, October 07. WUTC’s Will Davis spoke to two key players in this year’s festival: Amanda Carmichael and Ann Gray, Executive Director of Cornerstones.
Cornerstones, Inc. to Host the 23rd Annual Wine Over Water
Expansion of event leads to multi-day food and beverage festival
For 22 years, Wine Over Water has been taking place on the Walnut Street Bridge. The event has always been a premier wine and food tasting hosted by and benefitting Cornerstones, Inc. Taking place Oct. 5-8, 2017, this year marks the addition of multiple events that will take place off the bridge making the shift to a multi-day food and beverage festival highlighting Chattanooga’s culinary scene.
The main event, Wine Over Water, will take place on Saturday, Oct. 7, is presented by title sponsor Atlantic Capital, and will incorporate hundreds of wines as well as local food and music while celebrating passion for history and preservation of Chattanooga.
The festival will start with a five-course wine dinner at St. John’s on Thursday, Oct. 5 and wrap up with a yoga brunch on Sunday, Oct. 8 with other fun events in between.
“We’ve noticed over the years how much Chattanooga’s restaurant scene has changed and grown. When we started Wine Over Water in 1994 there were only three restaurants downtown!” said Ann Gray, executive director of Cornerstones, Inc. “Now is the time to grow this event and highlight all our wonderful chefs and restaurants in this town through other events off the bridge and we couldn’t be more excited.”
Tickets to all events can be purchased at wineoverwater.org and range in price from $75 - $150.
“Over the past 22 years we have been fortunate to raise close to $3 million that has been directly reinvested into the community for historical preservation,” said Gray. “Our organization started at the Waterfront and has played a vital role in making it the center of the city and preservation. We want to continue to maintain that by celebrating the event where the Chattanooga renaissance began so we will always be on the bridge. It also makes sense for us to bring people into the restaurants too though since so many of them are in historic buildings.”
Also new this year is a designated driver ticket to the Wine Over Water event. Tickets are available for $35 to those who wish to attend the wine tasting but not take part in the actual tasting of wine. Instead, ticket bearers will receive a free WOW t-shirt, be able to drink complimentary kombucha from The Local Juicery, still enjoy all the food available for purchase and the samples at no charge, and have a blast with their friends on the bridge.
Events
Thursday, Oct. 5, 6:30pm
Wine Dinner at St. John's Restaurant presented by Jackson Family Wines
Kick off the WOW weekend and enjoy an exquisite five course dinner prepared and paired by Executive Chef Rebecca Barron and Sommelier Michelle Richards. Guests from around the world come to take pleasure in the quality, ambiance, and attention to detail St. John's graciously offers.
Ticket price: $150 (only 46 available)
Friday, Oct. 6, 5-9pm
MLK Brewery and Bites Tour
Hop between Chattanooga Smoke House, Barley, Bitter Alibi, Oddstory Brewing Company, 2 Sons Kitchen, and Hutton & Smith for special beer and food offerings. Brewery tours at Oddstory will be offered every hour.
Ticket price: $75 (only 50 available)
Friday, Oct. 6, 5:30-8pm
Best Cellars and Silent Auction co-chaired by Dan and Amber Norton
The exclusive Best Cellars premium wine tasting event will be held at the Chattanoogan Hotel with more than 150 different premium wines as well as a silent auction and live jazz from Dr. B and the Ease.
Ticket price: $125 (only 300 available)
Friday, Oct. 6, 7:30-9:30pm
La Grande Dame - A Best Cellars after party at Easy Bistro & Bar presented by Veuve Clicquot
Keep the party going and the champagne flowing. Featuring exclusive champagnes from Edmund Amoye of Veuve Clicquot and heavy hors d’oeuvres by James Beard Semifinalist Chef Erik Niel, this festive party will keep everyone’s spirits up after the wine goes down at Best Cellars.
A progressive tasting of Veuve Clicquot’s finest offerings to include:
- Yellow Label Brut
- 2008 Vintage Rosé
- 2008 Vintage Brut
- La Grande Dame Rosé
Ticket price: $115 (only 50 available)
Saturday, Oct. 7
Afternoon historic architectural tour on the Chattanooga Hop
Hop on the trolley to learn more about Chattanooga’s historic architectural history before strolling the bridge at Wine Over Water.
Saturday Oct. 7, 5-8pm
23rd Annual Wine Over Water presented by Atlantic Capital on the Walnut Street Bridge
Hundreds of wines, more than a dozen local restaurants, and live music will fill the bridge on a beautiful fall evening over the Tennessee River. Full listing of participating restaurants and musicians is below.
Ticket price: $75
Sunday, Oct. 8, 10am - 12pm
Namaste Bubbly presented by Veuve Clicquot at Feed
The perfect cure to a libations-filled weekend is a yoga class - with more libations! Join Veuve Clicquot and Lululemon for a yoga class taught by Lululemon Ambassador Kyle House accompanied with beats from DJ Krystlz, for a Sunday Funday filled with bending, bubbles, and a delicious brunch from Chef Charlie Loomis of Feed with support from Springer Mountain Farms and Trent Brockie from The Local Juicery.
Ticket price: $75 (only 60 available)
Restaurants on the Bridge (to date)
2 Sons Kitchen
Beast & Barrel
Cafe on the Corner
Chatt Smoke House
Daily Ration
Easy Bistro & Bar
Embargo ‘62
Five
Foodworks
Mrs. B’s Reggae Cafe
St. John’s Meeting Place
Terra Mae
The Local Juicery
Walden Club
Publix will provide complimentary samples of charcuterie and Bluff View Bakery will provide complimentary bread.
Musicians on the Bridge
5-7 p.m. Stages
Courtney Holder
Magic Birds
Clare Donohue
6-8 p.m. Stages
Backwater Still
Monday Night Social
More information can also be found on the Wine Over Water website, Instagram, and Facebook Page.
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About Cornerstones, Inc.
Cornerstones, Inc. is Chattanooga’s only non-profit historic preservation organization and has continually worked with the community to help save and preserve important historical buildings located in Chattanooga. The challenge falls to Cornerstones to keep watch, champion the maintenance and profitable use of historic structures and streets, and when necessary, step in and participate in their preservation and revitalization. Additional information can be found online or by calling 423-265-2825.
