The event will educate and celebrate the culture and food traditions of the Great Smoky Mountain region
On Sept. 28 and 29, 2018, Great Smoky Mountain Food Days returns with a two-day culinary and cultural experience at the University of Tennessee Visitors Center located at 2712 Neyland Drive in Knoxville.
In its inaugural year in 2017, the event featured demonstrations on preservation, fermentation, wild edibles and Smoky Mountain history. This year’s attendees can once again expect a memorable and educational experience.
On Friday, Sept. 28, the two-day event kicks-off with the Tennessee Beans and Cornbread Supper with Moonshine Cocktails, and three-time National Flatpicking Champion, Steve Kaufman will play during the evening.
The Saturday schedule, on Sept. 29, features panel discussions, demonstrations and the Dig In! Farmers Market Luncheon.
“We are thrilled to have this event return to East Tennessee and share the meaningful culinary traditions of our region,” says event co-organizer, Ann Fairhurst. “We have a great lineup of programs and presenters we look forward to sharing.”
Great Smoky Mountain Food Days aims to celebrate and preserve the cultural food customs that are practiced in the Smoky Mountain region. The cooking techniques and traditions were passed through a long line of ancestors and heritage and are invaluable to the region’s history.
“Without events like this, the traditions of our community would be lost,” said event co-organizer and Blackberry Farm Farmstead Educator Jeff Ross. “We want people to walk away with more understanding and appreciation for the traditions that were created for us to inherit.”
Great Smoky Mountain Food Days is pleased to announce that Ronni Lundy will be guest speaking during the event. Lundy’s book, Victuals, is the winner of the Book of the Year and Best Book of American Cooking at the 2017 James Beard Foundation Awards. Her book explores “the foodways, people and places of Appalachia.”
Great Smoky Mountain Food Days is co-presented by the University of Tennessee Department of Retail, Tourism and Hospitality and East Tennessee PBS. It is sponsored by Cowgirl Creamery, Whole Foods Market and Anson Mills. Cowgirl Creamery and Whole Foods are set to host panel discussions moderated by special guests.
Tickets for the two-day event include all programs and presentations, the Tennessee Beans and Cornbread Supper, the Dig In! Farmers Market Luncheon and a goodie bag. Tickets are $80 and can be purchased by visiting greatsmokymountainfooddays.com. Student tickets are available at a reduced price of $25 and can be purchased by contacting Ann Fairhurst at fairhurst@utk.edu.
