Cheers to Charleston!

There's more than food and wine happening during the BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival. This four-day event which kicks-off the last Thursday of February features an extraordinary combination of culinary experts, wine makers and authors in celebrating America's most historic city and its unique Lowcountry cuisine.

The festival offers many opportunities to sample Southern cuisine, including the regional variation known as Lowcountry cuisine. The Lowcountry, defined as the low-lying coastal region stretching from the festival host city of Charleston to Savannah, Ga., is known internationally for its regional cooking style that evolved from a multitude of influences.

Since its inception in 2005, the festival has showcased the regional cuisine, chefs, and architecture that make Charleston so famous. In addition to the many local stars featured during the event, the festival also highlights the arts and culinary tastes of food and wine from all over the world.

A number of events take place throughout the BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival weekend. They include the Celebration of Charleston Chefs Opening Night Party, Picnic Lunch with the Stars, the Culinary Village, King Street Sip & Stroll, Restaurant Dine-Around, Beermasters Beer Dinner, Winemaker Reception in Private Homes, Lowcountry Gospel Brunch, BBQ & Blues, and the ULTIMATE festival experience, Food + Wine with a View: A Night in California.

The four-day event also includes a number of Wine Seminars in which wine experts teach about a variety of topics, ranging from fresh white wines, champagne, proper aging and storing techniques, and pairing wine with cuisine. Beer School provides opportunities to learn first-hand about the brewing process and the amazing range of beer styles.

For more information about the BB&T Charleston Food + Wine Festival, please call (843) 722-5566 or email info@charlestonfoodandwine.com. To purchase tickets visit www.charlestonfoodandwine.com.

Get a complete list of Charleston's restaurants.

The Audubon Gallery Not just a gallery, but a Charleston destination since 1987. Located in the heart of the antique district The Audubon Gallery is the only local gallery to specialize in the finest Natural History and Sporting Art from the 17th - 20th centuries. A sportsmans paradise with a fantastic selection of paintings, etchings, limited edition fine art prints, antique wildfowl decoys and wood carvings by local artisans. Audubon's "Birds of America", Natural History Art by Besler, Redouté, Clark, Benson and many others. Contact Joel Oppenheimer Inc., The Natural History Art Gallery.

McCrady's Inventive cuisine. Fresh from the farm. Named one of the Top Ten Restaurants in North America by Opinionated About Dining. McCrady's Restaurant, located in an historic 1778 Georgian public house, offers an award-winning dining experience with the best of new Southern cuisine. Chef Sean Brock was awarded the 2010 James Beard Best Chef Southeast for his talented mix of modern skills and classic antebellum recipes. Sensationally presented dishes one of Charleston's most extensive wine lists. Private dining available in the spectacular Long Room, Gallery, Chef's Room or Cypress Room.

Bernie Horton Gallery A native of rural North Carolina now living at the edge of the marsh, Bernie Horton paints fine art originals reflecting the beauty of his surroundings --- most recognized for his light-filled lowcountry landscapes, marshes, beaches and people. Bernie captures the moods and emotions of all the different seasons and times of day. Each painting is approached from an impressionistic standpoint, yet to the eye, they have a realistic quality because of his concentration on perspective, proportion and attention to detail. Visit or find Bernie Horton Gallery on Facebook.