COLUMBIA, S.C. — Thousands gathered today for Columbia's Food and Wine Festival, soaking up the good weather and trying local cuisine.
Jason Bruner, the head chef at the Spring Valley Country Club, was one of over 90 vendors at the food and wine festival's grand tasting on Saturday. He said the festival provides food and drinks for attendees and boosts business exposure.
"When we're with the whole community, we're feeding them, we're drinking them, everybody's happy," he said. "they have a little bite from your tent, and then all of the sudden, they're eating at your restaurant on Saturday night."
Chase Heatherly, a co-founder of the festival, said it continues to grow. Close to 2,000 people came this year, making it the most attended in its seven-year history.
"We've grown in sponsor support, we've had a lot of generous sponsors. The restaurants, the hospitality, and beverage partners have all stepped up in a big way, we see more and more restaurants here every year, we've seen great support from volunteer organizations and nonprofit partners," he says.
Throughout the afternoon, we saw thousands of dishes served. According to the festival, around 50% of attendees don't actually live in Columbia. City councilwoman Aditi Bussells says that gives the city's tourism industry a huge boost.
"That's incredible, the economic impact, that cultural impact, and then again, putting us on the map as a place that you can live, work and play, is incredibly important to the city," she said.
She said diversity also plays a huge role in promoting some of the city's minority-owned businesses and giving them a platform.
"The amount that we've been able to elevate minority-owned businesses, and first-time business owners, through these events, is incredible," Bussells said.
For Shivani Patel, who attended the festival with friends, it was about spending time with family and trying new things.
"I didn't even know half of these restaurants were in Columbia, I like to explore a little bit, taste a little bit, and then realize, hey, I need to go try that restaurant," she said.
