CELEBRATING: Southern Food Writing & Biscuits

The south is home to some fabulous folks as well as some amazing events. I can’t wait to kick off the month of May with the Southern Coterie Summit, but right on its heels comes another of my favorite southern happenings and I wanted to share it here with y’all!

I’m talking about the Southern Food Writing Conference, taking place May 16^th & 17^th in Knoxville, Tennessee. This wonderful event, in its second year, brings together food writers, bloggers, authors, and food enthusiasts from all walks of life. Here’s what one blogger (whose photo I used above) had to say about last year’s event.

Some of the speakers for this year’s SFWC include Julia Reed (who needs no introduction), chef & author Hugh Acheson, and the writing/cooking team of Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart, whose latest book Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking is a must-have for any southerner and/or chef.

In addition to each day’s educational/networking sessions there are special evening events, including a private dinner at Blackberry Farm. There’s also a separate event with a special mystery guest….last year’s was Alton Brown and this year is going to be someone just as amazing.

Registration info for SFWC is available here and I hope you’ll consider attending!

We can all hang out at The Southern C Summit and then turn around and spend another few days together at SFWC…sounds like a good plan, huh?

The other exciting thing coming up in May is the International Biscuit Festival. Also in Knoxville, this event is a companion to the Southern Food Writing Conference and takes place the following Saturday, May 18^th.

Biscuit Fest is a whole jam packed day that’s a celebration of all things biscuit. From biscuit bake-offs to a biscuit singing competition, tastings, vendors and more, attendees are sure to have a blast.

I have to tell y’all that I’m helping with the planning of these events, so that’s partly why I’m so excited. But even if I weren’t, I’d still attend.

What other fun southern events are you looking forward to around the region? I’m also a huge fan of the Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburgh, TN. What’s your favorite food festival or event? I’d love to add some new ones to my calendar!