Raegan Labat
The St. Francisville Food & Wine Festival, 2021
The Sunday afternoon of November 17, 2019 seemed as though it were made just for us—a small cultural publication collaborating with The Myrtles to throw the grandest “darty” ("day party," that is) of the season. We made the obligatory jokes that our publisher James had paid the gods to save the most beautiful day that fall for the inaugural St. Francisville Food & Wine Festival.
Even we staff, who had each had some small or large part in the organization and/or publicity of the festival in the previous months, were giddy with wonder at it all: Seven Three Distilling was serving up Moscow Mules on one side of the courtyard. On the other, 3Tails Wine and Cheese displayed a charcuterie board of legends. In the gazebo at the center of the pond, the award-winning oyster shucker Duke Landry was doling out a dozen fresh bivalves a minute. And in the back, beneath the Louisiana cypress and moss-strewn oaks, five of the region’s most creative and fascinating chefs presented artfully-plated works of delicious art. Shrimp tostadas, crab cakes, pork belly dice, braised beef rib in grits, bourbon chocolate pecan pie. Each paired with a carefully-curated slate of fine wines, to be enjoyed in the signature festival glass. And in the background: local musicians Ship of Fools and Steve Riley and the Playboys completed the cultural tribute to our region. In gathering so many like-minded, creative, culturally-attuned folks and businesses in one place, we had somehow personified so much about the mission of our magazine—brought it to vibrant, physical life. We all looked to each other, grins plastered on our faces for the day. We had done it.
It was difficult to imagine how such a day could be improved upon, but—as we at this magazine know all too well—the possibilities are boundless when it comes to celebrations of Louisiana food, music, wine, and culture. Each year, the St. Francisville Food & Wine Festival has grown larger: more chefs, more wine, more guests. In 2020, we added a bloody Mary bar, a beer & brats garden, and a chefs demonstration stage. In 2021, a Saturday Winemaker Dinner and VIP tent—and the beer & brats garden expanded to a festival almost entirely its own. This year’s festival, to once again be held at The Myrtles on November 13, has expanded to feature over twenty chefs and restaurants, a selection of over forty wines and eleven locally-crafted beers and ales, craft cocktails, whiskey tastings, and so, so much more. This year, we’ve also made the event more friendly to those who celebrate sober—featuring an exciting pop-up by Dream House Lounge, who will add specially-crafted zero-proof cocktails and an oxygen bar to the mix.
We think we’re on to something here—an annual tradition of gathering around the most indulgent parts of our Southern culture. We can’t wait to see you there. Don’t wait to buy your tickets—they’re going fast. stfrancisvillefoodandwine.com.
