The ninth annual Taste of Wrightsville Beach will take place 5-8 p.m. Nov. 5 in the parking lot of the Bluewater Waterfront Grill in Wrightsville Beach.
 
More than 35 restaurants, breweries and other local businesses are on the menu for this year’s event. Lisa Weeks, event co-chair, said she was excited about new restaurants joining the lineup this year such as Artisano Pizza and Gelato, Brasserie du Soleil, King Neptune, Port Land Grille and Soundside Seafood & Raw Bar.
 
“There’s a lot of great food there to eat for $75,” Weeks said.  
 
Plus, she added, newcomers to the event have scored top awards in the past. Last year, for example, The Green House won Best in Show the first time it participated.
 
Celebrity judges rate dishes prepared at each organization’s tasting booth to determine who will win each year’s awards. In addition to Best in Show, Best Savory and Best Sweet are designations up for grabs by local eateries. Weeks said this adds a fun spirit of competition to the event.
 
Guests vote for a People’s Choice award, as well as Best Beer and Best Wine.
 
Taste of Wrightsville Beach is the main fundraiser for the Weekend Meals on Wheels program in New Hanover County, a volunteer-based organization that provides meals and social interaction for older adults on weekends when the government-funded Meals on Wheels program does not operate.  
 
“Besides grants, this is our only fundraiser and with COVID, we really depleted our resources because so many churches and other volunteers weren’t gathering to prepare and deliver meals,” Weeks said. “So we had to buy a lot of ready-made meals during COVID.”
 
In addition to replenishing funds used during the pandemic, Weeks said the organization plans to provide seed money to start a Weekend Meals on Wheels offering in Brunswick County.

“We want to pay it forward with the success we’ve had with our fundraiser and hopefully get them up and running,” she said.
 
Tickets for the event are on sale online or locally at Lighthouse Beer & Wine, MarineMax and Robert’s Grocery in Wrightsville Beach. Weeks advised people to get their tickets in advance.
 
“It’s highly unlikely there will be tickets at the door,” Weeks said.