Nearly every weekend this fall you’ll find a festival taking place, and many, while aiming to raise money for charitable organizations, hope to lure people in with none other than food, wine and beer.

Riverfest, which takes place the first weekend in October each year, has become the area’s largest fall festival said  Connie Nelson, spokeswoman for the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau. Riverfest extends a half-mile along Wilmington’s riverfront and is a family-friendly cultural festival with loads of street food vendors serving up favorites such as funnel cake, Italian sausages and fresh squeezed lemonade. Click here for details.

The 22nd annual Pleasure Island Seafood, Blues & Jazz Festival takes place Oct. 10-11 at the Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area. Two nationally renowned blues artists, Dr. John & The Nite Trippers and Shemekia Copeland, will headline the festival and a dozen more artists are also scheduled to perform throughout the weekend. Seafood vendors Michaels Seafood and The Grill on Sunset will be serving seafood chowder, firecracker shrimp, shrimp and grits, jambalaya and shrimp bisque. Plenty of other offerings such as ribs, chicken, Philly wraps, burgers and hot dogs as well as peanuts, funnel cake and kettle corn will be available. Beer as well as wines from Silver Coast Winery and Noni Bacca Winery will be available for purchase. Click here for details.

Local foodies looking to learn more about some of downtown Wilmington’s historic kitchens may enjoy the 10th Annual Back Door Kitchen Tour on Oct. 10. Tour-goers will visit nine historic downtown Wilmington homes, including a Front Street home previously occupied by President Woodrow Wilson; a Fifth Avenue mansion; and a remodeled 1898 bungalow. Each of the nine homes has a unique history and a custom designed kitchen. Click here for details. 

The Wrightsville Beach Foundation will present the fourth annual Taste of Wrightsville Beach on Oct. 10 on the waterfront at MarineMax in Wrightsville Beach. The festival will feature over 30 local food, beer and wine tasting booths. Guest judges will award a “Best Savory Dish," a "Best Sweet Dish" and a "Best Overall Dish” while participants vote on the “People’s Choice” award. Proceeds from the event benefit several local charities. Click here for details.

The inaugural Wilmington Seafood Festival will take place Oct. 17-18 at Events at Watermark Marina on River Road. The free festival will bring together a variety of seafood and maritime vendors in support of Cape Fear River Watch. This family-friendly event will feature live music and cooking demos from chef Andrew Cushing of Dockside and chef Brent Poteat of 22 North. Food vendors currently include The Produce Box, Seaview Crab Company, Hieronymus Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Kyoto Asian Grill, Shuckin' Good Time and Vittles. Click here for details.

Lighthouse Beer and Wine will hold its 14th annual Beer and Wine Festival Oct. 24 at North Waterfront Park. The event boasts of 200+ breweries and wineries on site. Musical guests Holy Ghost Tent Revival of Greensboro will provide entertainment and a free taxi ride home is included in the price of admission. If that’s not enough, join Lighthouse on Oct. 23 aboard the USS North Carolina for the Voracious Rare Beer Festival featuring over 30 limited release brews. As always, the festival benefits The Carousel Center, a nonprofit organization committed to assisting victims of child abuse throughout southeastern North Carolina. Click here for details.

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