The second annual Coastal Uncorked Food and Wine Festival hits the streets of the Myrtle Beach area May 8-15, this year with a major food celebrity on board. Paula Deen will do a cooking demonstration and appear at a VIP event on Saturday, May 14, at the Alabama Theatre. Last year’s most popular event, the Tasting Trolley, returns again with many of the same stops, plus a few new twists, including the new Coastal Untapped beer tasting event at the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk.

The festival organizers hope to attract more than 5,000 visitors to the event. A portion of the proceeds is given to two local hospitality programs: the Horry Georgetown Technical College Culinary School and the Clay Brittain Hospitality Program at Coastal Carolina University.

RESTAURANT WEEK
May 8-15
Restaurant Week features local cuisine from many participating restaurants along the Grand Strand. There will be wine and beer dinners and $20.11 three-course chef’s tasting menus. Some of the participating restaurants include Aspen Grille, Greg Norman’s Australian Grille, Tommy Bahama’s, WaterScapes at the Marina Inn and The Melting Pot.

TASTING TROLLEY
Friday and Saturday, May 13-14, noon-5p.m.
The Tasting Trolley Tour participants will enjoy food, wine and brewer events at 10 different trolley stops. There will be eight themed hotel stops, a beer garden event on the Boardwalk, and a winery event at The Market Common. The inclusive trolley pass is $75 for unlimited access on both Friday and Saturday. The one-day pass that was offered last year is not available this year.

Thursday, May 12
Myrtle Beach National’s South and West courses will host this year’s tournament on Thursday. Entry fees are $150 per player or $400 per foursome, with 64 teams total. The winning team will receive a grand prize package worth $1,000. Several Myrtle Beach restaurants will be providing food and beverage tastings throughout the courses. Last year the event sold out, so interested players are encouraged to register early.

PAULA DEEN COOKING DEMONSTRATION
Saturday, May 14, 5:30 p.m.
Guests unveil sizzling Southern secrets from the chef herself at the Paula Deen cooking demonstration on Saturday at the Alabama Theatre. During the hour-long demonstration, guests will taste dishes and witness Deen’s fine Southern cuisine cooking. Tickets range from $50-$100.

FOOD CHALLENGE
Sunday, May 15, 6 p.m.
The Food Challenge is the final event of the week and will be held at the Marina Inn. The Grand Strand community will watch seven top chefs battle each other in an iron chef competition. Coastal Uncorked’s founder Heidi Vukov’s favorite aspect of the week’s events is the Food Challenge, “It puts the chefs in the spotlight and allows them to showcase their talents in a fun and entertaining competition.” Tickets are $75.