Fort Worth’s Ultimate Foodie Holiday — Annual Food + Wine Festival Gets Bigger and Bolder

Editor’s note: This event has been postponed until October due to coronavirus concerns. Read the full PaperCity story on the change for all the new details.

Local Foodies look forward to The Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival, much like children awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus ― with giddy anticipation and excitement.

Now in its seventh year, the four-day feeding-frenzy, supporting the Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation, is back and it’s bigger than ever. Events will be held from April 2 through 5 this year.

The talent and event lineup for the 2020 Festival celebrates Fort Worth’s thriving food scene while raising funds for local grant programs and culinary scholarships for area students. The annual festival attracts thousands of foodies from all over to Cowtown each spring.

It will showcase the talents of dozens of chefs, craft brewers, distillers and a host of noteworthy vineyards and wineries. In addition to the six signature events, two more intimate celebrations are being introduced this year.

Kicking off the festival on Thursday night, April 2, From Houston to Ho Nai will offer unique Asian-Texan fusion dishes from guest chef (and James Beard Award winner) Chris Shepherd of Houston in collaboration with Fort Worth’s Tuan Pham of Four Sisters – A Taste of Vietnam.

On Sunday, April 5,  a special brunch will be held. The Hunt & Gather brunch, will debut in partnership with Visit Fort Worth and Garden & Gun magazine. This field-to-table dining experience will feature Blade and Bow Bourbon cocktails paired with wild game and local produce. The meal will be prepared by notable Southern chef David Bancroft of Acre restaurant in Auburn, Alabama and local chefs Jon Bonnell of Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine and Molly McCook of Ellerbe Fine Foods.

This year’s signature event lineup includes:

― Tacos + Tequila will be held Thursday, April 2, from 8 pm to 10 pm at the Heart of the Ranch at Clearfork. You’ll find both traditional tacos and some unique spins at this event. Stroll the grounds and sample some of the area’s best tacos, and wash it down with some stellar tasting tequilas, with brand reps on hand to introduce you to smooth and potent mezcals and tequilas.

― Main Event will be held Friday, April 3, from 6:30 pm to 9 pm at the Heart of the Ranch at Clearfork. Many notable chefs will be on hand, including John Tesar of Knife, and Matt Pittman of Meat Church BBQ. As the name denotes, this one has it all, featuring bites from fine dining restaurants, local flavors and a touch of ethnic cuisine. More than 100 exceptional wineries will be on hand for attendees to sample.

― Nite Bites will be held Friday, April 3, 9 pm to 11 pm at Firestone & Robertson’s Whiskey Ranch. Formerly a desserts only event, things are not too sweet this year with the addition of some savory samplings as well. Whiskey Ranch is the ideal venue and top mixologists will display their creativity on a unique stage.

― Culinary Corral will be held Saturday, April 4, 11 am to 3 pm at the Heart of the Ranch at Clearfork. This is the longest brunch ever, lasting a full four hours. It features a tasting tent, beer garden, artisan marketplace and live music.

― Burgers, Brews + Blues will be held Saturday, April 4, 6 pm to 9 pm at the Heart of the Ranch at Clearfork. A casual crowd will get to enjoy sliders, craft beer and blues music at this rockin’ party. Chefs will grill up their best mini-burgers and craft breweries will each pour two different beers.

― Ring of Fire: A Next-Level Cookout will be held Sunday, April 5, 2 pm to 4 pm at the Heart of the Ranch at Clearfork. Notable pitmasters will include Barrett Black of The Original Black’s Barbecue, Travis Heim of Heim Barbecue and Dayne Weaver of Dayne’s Craft Barbecue. But, it’s way more than just barbecue, with live fire creations of all kinds in play.

“The goal of the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival is to bring people together to enjoy great food and drinks while supporting and influencing the region’s next generation of culinary talent,” says Russell Kirkpatrick, co-founder of the festival. “And we couldn’t do that without the hundreds of industry professionals, volunteers and attendees who help make that happen each and every year.”

We are still a full month away from the start of Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival and already a few events are selling out, so it might be a good idea to start making your ticket plans now.