The Arkansas Culinary Classic takes place on Tuesday, September 19 at the Statehouse Convention Center and features chefs competing in four categories for monetary prizes. The event opens to the public at 6:30 p.m. Ticket holders are welcome to taste the chefs’ creations and there will be local beer and wine vendors as well. For tickets, click here.
The Little Rock Turkish Food Festival is set for Saturday, September 16 at 1501 Market Street.
HarvestFest in Hillcrest is one of my absolute favorite events in Little Rock … there’s just so much to walk around and see, do, buy, drink, and eat. October 14 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. is when things go down. From the website: “HarvestFest in Hillcrest is a one-day event each fall in the historic Little Rock neighborhood of Hillcrest designed to bring friends and families together in celebration of the season. We have a wide array of activities for kids and adults alike, vendors selling their wares, food, fashion, music and much more. Come join the fun. We know you won’t be disappointed. A portion of the proceeds from this event goes to support The Allen School.”
The World Cheese Dip Championship is set for October 28 on the grounds of Clinton Presidential Center. Early-bird admission is $11.25 … a small price to pay to stuff your face with liquid gold.
The Arkansas State Fair is October 12-22. I leave it up to you to seek out the details … including concerts, food, drink, rides, etc. There’s a lot to cover.
Chef Matt Bell of South on Main will host the Little Rock No Kid Hungry Dinner on Monday, October 16. This multi-course dinner starts with a reception at 6 p.m. and features guest chefs, including Ben Brainard of Yellow Rock Concepts, Jason Campbell of Mary Eddy’s Kitchen x Lounge (Oklahoma City), John Currence of City Grocery Restaurant Group (Oxford), and Anthony Valinoti of Deluca’s Pizzeria.
Chili Fights in the Heights is scheduled for Saturday, November 4. Click here for all of the details.
On October 21, save some room for cornbread and head down to SOMA for the Arkansas Cornbread Festival from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. This is always such a well-run event and we do love us some cornbread in these parts.
