2025 Talent Hub
Thank you for being a part of the 2025 Charleston Wine + Food Festival. YOU are key ingredient in this recipe. We aim to serve you – the talented chefs, beverage professionals, restaurateurs, business owners, purveyors, and entrepreneurs that make the city of Charleston the perfect backdrop for this community celebration. We are a collective, and is with you in mind that we will approach our work to bring to life the 2025 Charleston Wine + Food festival.
In order to confirm your participation, please read through the below guidelines + procedures and complete the Talent Participation Form. If you have any questions, please contact Jenna Kepley at [email protected].
2025 Guidelines + Resources
-
2025 FESTIVAL DATES
Charleston Wine + Food festival will take place March 5-9, 2025.
-
ALL EVENTS 21+
All Charleston Wine + Food events are 21+. No individuals under the age of 21 are able to attend, work, volunteer, or enter into the event landscape or back of house. Valid ID is required at all events. If event security cannot verify your age, you will not be admitted into the event. Anyone under the age of 21 will be refused entry and tickets / passes will be forfeited. Please do not bring infants or small children in child carriers or strollers, as they will not be permitted entry.
-
CLEAR BAG POLICY
IF YOU ARE ATTENDING AN EVENT AS A GUEST (WITH A TICKET OR YOUR TALENT ACCESS BADGE)
ALL BAGS MUST BE CLEAR except for small personal clutches (no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”). No backpacks, coolers, or large purses are permitted at festival events.
IF YOU ARE PROGRAMMED IN THE EVENT AS TALENT
You are permitted to bring equipment + supplies for your participation. Please check in for your event(s) at the back of house entrance (where applicable) to get any bags screened + approved.
-
HEALTH + SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Protocols surrounding COVID-19 have been developed using guidance from the Center for Disease Control and the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC).
Charleston Wine + Food is not requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID-19 test to attend the 2024 festival. This is subject to change based on CDC recommendations and government mandates.
An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. By participating in Charleston Wine + Food you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19.
Help keep each other healthy.
-
HEALTH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
By participating in Charleston Wine + Food, you are confirming that you and all persons in your party will comply with our health + safety measures. Talent who cannot confirm all of the below criteria must not enter Charleston Wine + Food events. If at any point during participation at Charleston Wine + Food Talent does not meet all of the criteria, please contact Angell Troxler at [email protected].
+ Are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g. a fever of 100.4F or higher, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking, muscle pain / achiness, headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, nasal congestion, runny nose, vomiting or diarrhea, fatigue, or any other symptoms associated with COVID-19 identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
+ Have not tested positive for COVID during the last five (5) days (if you tested positive more than five days but not more than 10 days prior, and you are not experiencing any symptoms, you are to wear a mask between days 6-10).
+ Do not need to quarantine due to close contact with someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19
+ Are not under any self-quarantine orders -
2025 CHSWF PARTICIPANT ITINERARY
Charleston Wine + Food takes great care in the programming of Talent at festival events. We want your participation to make sense for you and your business. After mutually agreed upon participation, an official festival itinerary will be sent to the Talent via email.
-
MEDIA RELEASE
We like to show off our participating Talent. Through your participation in Charleston Wine + Food, you may be photographed or recorded. Participating Talent hereby grants Charleston Wine + Food the right and license to publish, print, display, record and use (by photograph, film, tape, and any other method or device) the participating Talent’s, and all of its credentialed employees’ and guests’, name, voice, image and likeness while at the festival (the “Recordings”), and use such Recordings for any and all purposes, in any and all media now known or hereafter devised, including and not limited to social media.
-
LOSS/THEFT
Participating Talent is solely responsible for the security of all goods, property, equipment, materials, product or any other items (“Participant’s Property”) that it or its agents, or other representatives bring to the Charleston Wine + Food festival. Charleston Wine + Food shall have no obligation or liability whatsoever for any loss, misplacement or theft of Participant’s Property unless such loss, misplacement, or theft directly arises from the Charleston Wine + Food’s willful misconduct.
-
CHANGES TO PROCEDURES + PROTOCOLS
As we all have seen over the past few years, even the best of plans change. Written notice will be sent to all confirmed Talent if any changes occur to our 2023 festival procedures or protocols.

FOOD PRODUCT
IF YOU ARE A CHARLESTON CHEF / RESTAURANT
We will provide you with a food stipend for each of your events. The stipend amount will be provided when menu forms are sent ahead of the holidays. Menu forms must be submitted by the communicated deadline in order for your food stipend to be approved. Stipends will be issued post-festival.
IF YOU ARE A VISITING CHEF / RESTAURANT
Food product needed for your events during Charleston Wine + Food will be procured by our Culinary Logistics team based on completed + approved Culinary menu forms. Alternatively, you may opt to receive a food stipend in which case you will be responsible for procuring all food product for your event(s). Charleston Wine + Food will not reimburse for food cost or shipping of prepared food unless pre-approved. Menu forms must be submitted by the communicated deadline to ensure that your food stipend is approved or your product can be procured in time for the Charleston Wine + Food festival.
IF YOU ARE HOSTING A SIGNATURE DINNER, BRUNCH, OR LUNCH
Charleston Wine + Food will provide per-head stipends for all Signature Dinners and Brunches + Lunches to the host restaurants.

BEVERAGE PRODUCT
Charleston Wine + Food is ONLY able to supply donated beverage product. You will have access to our Beverage Pantry list when you receive your beverage form for any produce, garnishes, juice, etc. needs. Access to the CHSWF Batch Kitchen will be available the week of the Festival for all batching needs. As a 501(c)3 non-profit, we work with producers and suppliers to acquire all beverage product for the festival unless otherwise noted for your specific event.
If you have existing relationships with your preferred suppliers + producers, please share this information with your main CHSWF point of contact ASAP. Beverage forms must be submitted by the communicated deadline to ensure that product can be procured in time for the Charleston Wine + Food festival.
IF YOU ARE PARTICIPATING IN A SIGNATURE DINNER, BRUNCH, OR LUNCH
Charleston Wine + Food will provide per-ticketed guest stipends for all Signature Dinners and Brunches + Lunches to the host restaurants.
What CHSWF Provides at Your Event
If applicable, Charleston Wine + Food will provide the following items at your event.
+ Linens
+ Power drop if needed
+ Tent
+ Fire Extinguisher
+ Signage
+ Disposables
+ Adequate lighting
+ Culinary logistics support (napkins, utensils, serving, and prep tables)
+ Visiting chefs, since you are away from your home kitchen, the festival has a limited amount of equipment for on-site needs.
Access + Credentials
Each Talent will receive one (1) complimentary Talent Access badge, plus one (1) guest badge for participating in Charleston Wine + Food. Each badge provides access to a sampling of events across the festival landscape.
Your badge also serves as your entrance to your scheduled festival events and MUST be visible at all times on your person. Badges will be scanned upon entry to events. If you have any questions about your badge, please contact Jenna Kepley at [email protected].
BADGE ACCESS
Opening Night
One Night in NOLA
The World of ‘Cue
The Finale
Culinary Village: Fri/Sat/Sun
Amuse Bouche: Party for our Partners
Media Power Hours
Hospitality Hub
CREDENTIAL PICK UP
High Wire Distilling
311 Huger St
Charleston, SC 29403
Wednesday, March 5-Saturday, March 8
10am-4pm
WORKING CREDENTIALS
Working wristbands for all Signature Events will be in your packet that includes your festival credentials. Culinary Village working credentials will be distributed on-site.
A working wristband is not able to participate + imbibe in a paid guest capacity. This is a safety issue and something we have put in place in order to ensure that our guests have a great experience. As someone who is supporting this event, we hope you understand and support us in this decision.
Your Talent badge serves as the badgeholder’s entrance to scheduled festival events and MUST be visible at all times on your person.
Badgeholders DO NOT need a working credential in addition to the badge. Working credentials are solely for individuals supporting the stations during the time of the event.
Visiting Talent
WHEN YOU ARRIVE
Be sure to stop by our Hospitality Hub once you arrive to pick up your credentials, important festival week information, chat with fellow participants, etc.
High Wire Distilling
311 Huger St
Charleston, SC 29403
GROUND TRANSPORTATION
In an effort to provide a seamless festival related travel experience, we are excited to provide each Visiting Talent participant with access to Uber for Business for on the ground transportation to + from the airport and festival related events. The Uber for Business option will be available to all Visiting Talent two hours prior and one hour after the first and last scheduled festival event of each day. Be on the lookout for an invitation email for this service from Uber for Business the week prior to the festival.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
Charleston Wine + Food will book and pay for one (1) hotel room reservation for Visiting Talent accommodation. Unless otherwise indicated, reservations will be made with a check-in date the day prior to Talent’s first programmed event date and a check-out date the day after Talent’s last programmed event date. Visiting Talent will be responsible for any additional expenses, including hotel incidentals, meals, additional festival tickets (outside of the complimentary Guest Badge provided), retail purchases, and any additional expenses associated with chefs/guests/assistants that travel to Charleston with said Talent. Hotel accommodations will be shared via your festival itinerary and Talent will be notified as soon as this information has been confirmed and is available.
TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT
Charleston Wine + Food will provide reimbursement for travel up to $500 with provided receipts. Reimbursement may include airfare for the Visiting Talent, transportation to and from their home airport, and/or mileage.
All reimbursements must be submitted via THIS FORM. Once you have submitted your Wufoo reimbursement form, you will receive an email from BILL where you can sign up to receive payment electronically; otherwise, you will receive a good old fashioned check sent via snail mail. All reimbursements are paid out after the festival.
You must submit original receipts by March 31, 2025. Any receipts received after this date will not be reimbursed.
CHSWF CODE OF CONDUCT
People First. Community. Good Stewardship.
These are the driving principles of Charleston Wine + Food…and we ask that they drive your own participation in our community gathering.
Thank you – truly – for bringing your talents to the table. We could not do this without you. We hope you will enthusiastically support our organizational code of conduct.
+ Be yourself! Participating authentically lends your uniqueness to the tapestry that is our festival. In addition to exhibiting individuality, we expect every participant in the festival to be courteous and professional at all times.
+ Know that we have zero tolerance for harassment or discrimination. If you are a target, please let us know. Harassment and discrimination can include but are not limited to offensive comments or actions pertaining to disability, physical appearance or body type, gender, gender identity, sexuality, mental or cognitive function, religion, body size, race, or ethnicity.
+ Violence and threats of violence will not be tolerated; the “heat of the moment” is not an excuse.
+ Deliberate intimidation, unwelcome sexual attention, and other aggressions like mis-gendering or harassing will not be tolerated.
If you experience harassment or discrimination in any way as a part of your engagement with Charleston Wine + Food, please report immediately to Jenna Kepley at [email protected].
Charleston Wine + Food reserves the right to remove anyone from the festival who engages in discrimination, harassment, mistreatment, aggressiveness, violence, intimidation or improper or unprofessional behavior, as determined by Charleston Wine + Food. In such case, tickets and participation in remaining festival events may not be honored or allowed and refunds will not be issued.
Participation Form
Please complete the form below to confirm your participation in the 2025 Charleston Wine + Food Festival. All fields with a * must be completed in full for successful submission. You will receive a confirmation email when your form has been successfully submitted.