The programs run the gamut from chef-led seminars to music-drenched parties, like tonight's "Wine Unplugged: A Doors Experience" rave-up, starring the Doors tribute band Soft Parade, and tomorrow afternoon's "Blues, Brews & BBQ" affair.
The latter will be hosted by the Neelys and will feature a performance by guitar whiz Robert Cray, as well as plenty of top-notch, southern-style barbecue paired with a variety of beers. Both take place at House of Blues inside Showboat.
Another of the more unusual bashes is tonight's "Maker's Mark Cigar and Whiskey Gala," set (weather permitting) for Sammy Hagar's Beach Bar at Bally's. It's offbeat because many people may not consider cigars an epicurean experience. But, insisted one of the participants, stogies absolutely qualify, and can be paired with food just as wine is.
"One cigar goes best with chocolate or coffee, one cigar goes well with brandy," explained David Lafferty, eastern regional manager for Drew Estates, whose ACID brand cigars will be sampled at tonight's seaside soiree.
"For instance, if you're eating steak pizzaola, you're going to want something to cut through the [heavy] tastes already on your palate."
As a result, he continued, the event - known as a "herf" to cigar aficionados - will spotlight "a wide array of food tastings and cigar samplings for a variety of palates."
And, given the title sponsor, there should be plenty of adult beverages with which to toast the cigars.
While the festival's format has changed little over the years, this edition is different in that its title sponsor is cable TV's Food Network, which should confer upon it the kind of national prestige it has lacked in the past.
