***UPDATE 2/27/13*** - The Festival is here! Have fun if you plan on attending!

Thanks to all the new visitors – You can stay awhile if you’d like! Poke around the rest of the site! If you want to stay up-to-date on all things Charleston, you can follow me on TWITTER and like me on FACEBOOK. You can also check back here whenever you like! Thanks again and cheers!

---Original Story below

One of the biggest events in Charleston, The Charleston Wine + Food Festival, may seem far away, but many events are already sold-out. This year's edition will take place from February 28th until March 3rd. You can see the complete list of events below.

The Charleston City Paper has released a mobile web application to help you navigate the festival. Read more about that here.

Also, if you want to stay up-to-date on all things Charleston, you can follow me on TWITTER and like me on FACEBOOK.

Thursday, February 28th

11 am - Charleston's Top Sommelier Competition - Invite Only

12 pm - Thermador Presents Bourbon Luncheon - Hall's Chophouse

5:30 pm - Sponsor Recognition and VIP Party - Culinary Village, Marion Square

7:30 pm - The Art Institute of Charleston Presents Salute to Charleston's Chefs: Opening Night Party - South Carolina Aquarium

Friday, March 1st

10:30 am - The Grocery Breakfast - The Grocery

10:30 am - Soul Food Shuffle - Various

11 am - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Big Time Crush: Date Night Wine + Food Pairings with Andrea and John Robinson - Palmer Ampitheatre, Culinary Institute of Charleston, 66 Columbus Street

11 am - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Captivating Old World Varietals – Supporting “Characters” Take Center Stage - Cesca, 5 Faber Street

11 am - 2013 Festival Opening Ceremonies - Marion Square Park

11:30 am - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents In Pursuit of Balance: California Chardonnay + Pinot Noir Speak - McCrady's

11:30 am - Sneak Preview of the Piggly Wiggly Grand Tasting Tents - Marion Square Park

12 pm -Thermador Presents La Wine La Luncheon - Social Restaurant + Wine Bar

12 pm - Every Day with Rachael Ray Presents This Little Piggy: Pop-Up Market - Lowndes Grove, 266 St. Margaret Street

12 pm - Siematic Presents Passport to Pairings - Governor Thomas Bennett House

1 pm - Charleston City Paper Presents Charleston Brew Hops (Shuttle 1) - Various

1 pm - Charleston City Paper Presents Charleston Brew Hops (Shuttle 2) - Various

1:30 pm - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Creating Single Vineyard Wines: A Tour Through the Russian River Valley with Merry Edwards - Palmer Ampitheatre, Culinary Institute of Charleston, 66 Columbus Street

2 pm - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Spirit Tasting: Grand Marnier Rolls Out the “Red Ribbon” Carpet - Republic Reign

2 pm - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Whiskey Pioneers of the North: A Hudson Tasting - The Gin Joint

2 pm - Piggly Wiggly Presents Culinary Village + Grand Tasting Tents - Marion Square Park

2 pm - CHARLIE Magazine Presents Shop, Sip + Savor - Various shops on King Street

2:30 pm - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Charleston’s Top Sommeliers Wine + Food Pairing - The Ordinary

3 pm - Every Day with Rachael Ray + Manchester Farms Quail Present At Home with Celebrity Tastemakers - Private Address, only given to ticket holders

7 pm - 82 Queen Craft Beer Dinner - 82 Queen

7 pm - Culinary Institute of Charleston's Cocktail Dinner - Culinary Institute of Charleston, 66 Columbus Street

7 pm - Every Day with Rachael Ray + The Lee Bros. Present The Charleston Dinner with Michael Anthony + Chris Bradley - 21 Legare Street

7 pm - McCrady's Global Modern Cuisine Dinner - McCrady's

7 pm - Perfectly Paired Dinners - Various

7 pm - Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Presents Jailhouse Shake-Up - Old City Jail

Saturday, March 2nd

9:30 am - Maverick Southern Kitchens Presents Festival Media Breakfast - Slightly North of Broad, 192 East Bay Street

10:30 am - Breakfast at Two Boroughs Larder - Two Boroughs Larder

11 am - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Making “Sense” of Wine - Palmer Amphitheater 182, Culinary Institute of Charleston, 66 Columbus Street

11 am - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Rioja, Spain: Tempranillo and Beyond - Palmer Amphitheater 182, Culinary Institute of Charleston, 66 Columbus Street

11 am - Piggly Wiggly Presents Culinary Village + Grand Tasting Tents - Marion Square

11:30 am - Charleston City Paper Presents Waffle House Smackdown Hosted by Andrew Knowlton - Celebrity Kitchen, Marion Square

12 pm - Thermador Presents Muse Dejeuner - Muse, 82 Society Street

12 pm - Thermador Presents Slightly North of Broad Lowcountry Locavore Lunch - Slightly North of Broad

12 pm - Benefitfocus Presents Vineyard Voyage on Spiritline Cruises - Aquarium Wharf

12:30 pm - Wine Tasting: Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Welcome to the OPC – Oregon Pinot Camp Uncorked - McCrady's

1:30 pm - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Mixology 101: DIY Iconic Cocktails - Palmer Amphitheater 182, Culinary Institute of Charleston, 66 Columbus Street

2 pm - Spirit Tasting: Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Spirit of the Scots: A Glenmorangie Tasting - Proof, 437 King Street

2 pm - Bush Law Group, P.C. Presents Big Bottles Tasting + Auction with Master Sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson - Lowndes Grove Plantation

3 pm - Collectors’ Corner: An Exclusive Vérité Tasting - Charleston Place Hotel

3 pm - Piggly Wiggly Presents Culinary Village + Grand Tasting Tents - Marion Square Park

3 pm - Charleston GI + The Local Palate Present Pinot Envy Uncorked! - Pavilion at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina

4 pm - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Iron Mixologist Charleston - Palmer Amphitheater 182, Culinary Institute of Charleston, 66 Columbus Street

4 pm - Every Day with Rachael Ray + Manchester Farms Quail Present At Home with Celebrity Tastemakers - Two private homes in downtown Charleston; addresses will be sent to ticket holders

7 pm - Closed for Business + Allagash Brewing Company Craft Beer Dinner - Closed for Business

7 pm - Craftsmen Kitchen & Tap House + Dogfish Head Brewery Beer Dinner - The Craftsmen Kitchen & Tap House, 12 Cumberland Street

7 pm - EDENS™ Presents Food + Wine With a View: A Tribute to Frank Stitt - Private Penthouse

7 pm - Southern Foodways Alliance and Jim N Nick’s Present Barbecue Coronation Supper: Honoring the Queen of Pitmasters, Helen Turner of Helen’s Bar-B-Q - Jim 'N Nicks BBQ, King Street

7 pm - Crispy, Spicy, Crunchy: The World of Fried Chicken at Hominy Grill - Hominy Grill

7 pm - The New + Notables Dinner - McCrady's

7 pm - Republic Reign Cocktail Dinner - Republic Reign, 463 King Street

8:30 pm - The Art Institute of Charleston Presents Festival After Hours: Party Around the World - Visitors Center Bus Shed

Sunday, March 3rd

11 am - Motley Rice LLC + The Post and Courier Present Lowcountry Jazz Brunch - Lowndes Grove Plantation

1 pm - Piggly Wiggly Presents Culinary Village + Grand Tasting Tents - Marion Square Park (Lower cost for locals).

3 pm - Culinary Institute of Charleston Presents Spirit Tasting: Behind the Bourbon Label - Hall's Chophouse

5 pm - Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina Presents Rigs, Pigs + Swigs - Mount Pleasant Visitors Center, Mount Pleasant Waterfront Memorial Park

Post Festival, Monday March 18th

6 pm - Lowcountry Legends Salute the James Beard Foundation - Fort Moultrie

--

Photo credit