SALT LAKE CITY (June 18, 2015) — Salt Lake is experiencing a new urbanism that supports a thriving and vibrant culinary community. As the city changes, growing with City Creek Center redevelopment and a new performing arts center, its tastes are changing with it. The growth of chef-driven and owned restaurants and rise of craft beverages, urban wineries and distilleries are elevating the city’s palate.
On July 9th, Tracy Aviary will be the lush, verdant setting for Eat Drink SLC, a new food & libations event that celebrates Salt Lake’s coming of age as a culinary hotspot. Not just a food festival that happens to feature a few wineries, not just a wine festival with some food to nibble on — Eat Drink SLC is a true communion between food and drink, pairing a diverse group of independently owned local restaurants with complementary wineries, distilleries and breweries.
"It's exciting to see Salt Lake's burgeoning 'foodie culture' and all it brings to Salt Lake," commented Scott Beck, President/CEO of Visit Salt Lake, one of the event’s sponsors. "We're thrilled to be a part of Eat Drink SLC as it celebrates our community's flourishing food and drink scene and the purveyors that are making it all possible."
Eat Drink SLC invites food and libations lovers aged 21 and over to nibble and nosh, sip and swirl the evening away (from 6-9pm) while enjoying live music on the Aviary’s cool, green grounds Festival-goers will sample seasonal fare from many of Salt Lake’s leading restaurants and purveyors; sip from a selection of 80 wines from an international assortment of family-owned wineries; taste craft cocktails from small-batch distilleries, including several which are locally owned & operated; and enjoy local beers from award-winning Utah craft brewers. With tickets priced at $75 (all-inclusive), this summer evening social is an approachable, affable and appetizing way to support three local nonprofits that enhance Salt Lake’s community: Tracy Aviary, Comunidades Unidas and SB Dance.
"Salt Lake is culturally thriving like never before, and we’re thrilled to host Eat Drink SLC,” states Tracy Aviary Executive Director Tim Brown. “There is an increasing number of community-minded people who are interested in culinary experiences and are eager to explore new locally crafted products, including beer, wine and spirits, all in the name of a good cause – or in this case, three good causes. No doubt, Eat Drink SLC will be the event to attend on July 9th."
Eat Drink SLC was born from the desire to build recognition of Salt Lake’s status as a vibrant food and drink scene; foster appreciation of the unique union between food, wine, beer and spirits; and raise the visibility of local businesses in Utah's food and drink industry. Eat Drink SLC’s format promotes the marriage of food and libations in a way unduplicated by other Utah events, giving equal weight to food and drink by thoughtfully pairing restaurants with complementary wineries, distilleries and breweries.
Presenting food sponsor Nicholas & Company is joined by an impressive list of award-winning Salt Lake City restaurants and mobile food businesses that includes nationally acclaimed restaurants Forage (Chef/Owner Bowman Brown, four time James Beard semifinalist) and Copper Onion (Chef/Owner Ryan Lowder). Libations partners include Adelsheim and Gruet wineries, Epic and Wasatch breweries and Beehive and High West distilleries.
Visit www.eatdrinkslc.com for complete details and to order tickets.
About Eat Drink SLC
EatDrink SLC is hosted under a nonprofit partnership umbrella consisting of Tracy Aviary and SB Dance. These two organizations represent, respectively, a place and an arts-maker that contribute to the unique character of our community. A third nonprofit – Comunidades Unidas – represents an organization that sustains people who are essential members of our community. EatDrinkSLC recognizes that the food and beverage industry in Utah is large and encompasses many individuals including customers, business owners, managers, servers, culinary professionals, purveyors and agricultural workers. EatDrinkSLC honors this entire food chain.