Nosh Alongside Snoop Dogg, Andrew Zimmern, Blake Lively and NYC’s Best Chefs at the NYC Wine & Food Festival

Foodies, mark your calendars: The Food Network NYC Wine & Food Festival presented by Invesco QQQ is happening October 17 through October 20. More than 80 events including hands-on cooking classes, dance parties, informational panels and more will be taking place in both Manhattan and Brooklyn. And here’s something fun: a special NYCWFF dedicated ferry will provide ticket holders with a direct route to and from Wall St./Pier 11 to the Invesco QQQ Festival Campus at Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT)/Sunset Park, making it easy for festival attendees to travel between events held in the two boroughs.

Crucially, this year’s festival is based downtown! The Wall Street Hotel (a Downtown Alliance fave) is the festival’s headquarter accommodations, so snag a room while you can. It’ll be the perfect place to unwind after a day of eating, drinking, eating, partying, cooking and eating. 

Here are the events we’d definitely recommend grabbing tickets for before they’re sold out. 

Thursday, October 17

Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop presents Brooklyn Eats & Beats hosted by Esther Choi, Billy Durney, Sean Feeney, Mark Iacono and Michael Solomonov

You won’t want to miss the Food Network NYC Wine and Food Festival’s kick-off event, which takes place from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. For starters, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg are going to be there serving up ready-to-drink cocktails from their brand Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop. Beyond that, you’ll have the chance to try bites from some of Brooklyn’s most well-regarded chefs, like Michael Solomonov, chef/co-owner of the rooftop hotspot Laser Wolf and Sean Feeney, co-owner of Italian restaurants Lilia and Misi. If you couldn’t snag a date-night reservation for these spots on Resy, now’s your chance to try ‘em out, along with other local favorites serving burgers, tacos and more. We can guarantee this: You won’t leave hungry. It all goes down at the Invesco QQQ Festival Campus at Brooklyn Army Terminal (Pier 4, Brooklyn). Tickets start at $188.23.

James Kent Tribute Dinner by the teams of Benoit New York and the Kent Hospitality Group

Visionary chef James Kent, who founded three of Lower Manhattan’s best fine-dining restaurants — Crown Shy, SAGA and Overstory — died earlier this year. In his honor, staff from all three establishments, along with staff from Alain Ducasse’s Benoit, are putting on a dinner as part of this year’s NYC Wine and Food Festival. Attendees will enjoy some of Kent’s legendary New American dishes, along with wine pairings. The event takes place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Benoit (60 W. 55th St.). Tickets are $313. 

Friday, October 18

The Betty BOOze Harvest Happy Hour hosted by Blake Lively

Oh hi, Blake Lively! The actress and founder of Betty Booze is hosting a happy hour event at The Lawn Club (1 Fulton St.) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Attendees will sip on craft cocktails, enjoy light bites and play classic lawn games. If you ask us, it’s the perfect way to start a weekend. Tickets are $162. 

Asian Bites and Karaoke Nights hosted by Jet Tila

Food Network host Jet Tila is hosting this special event that brings together Asian food, sweeping views of the NYC skyline and what are sure to be memorable karaoke performances. The event will feature signature offerings from some of NYC’s notable Asian restaurants, including Nom Wah and Fish Cheeks. It all takes place at ASPIRE at One World Observatory (285 Fulton St.) from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are $162.

Saturday, October 19

Rainbow Cookie Croissant Master Class hosted by Bilena Settepani

You’ve seen the viral rainbow cookie croissants from Settepani Bakery all over your Instagram and TikTok feeds. Now you have the chance to learn how to make them in person, under the careful guidance of Bilena Settepani herself. Attendees can also learn how to craft another social-media sensation, the “crookie.” The class takes place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Institute of Culinary Education (225 Liberty St.). Tickets are $188.

Drag Disco hosted by David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris featuring special performances by JIMBO and Meatball

After a day of delicious eats, it’s time to dance the night away. Drag Disco is a drag event where attendees will enjoy drag performances by “Rupaul’s Drag Race” contestants JIMBO and Meatball, tasty bites, plenty of drinks, and of course, dancing. It’s all emceed by actor and cookbook author David Burtka and husband Neil Patrick Harris. It takes place at the Cutting Room (44 E. 32nd St.) from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., though we’re pretty sure you’ll be able to find an afterparty if you want one. Tickets are $162.

Sunday, October 20 

Fried Chicken Master Class hosted by Charles Gabriel of Charles Pan Fried Chicken

Nursing a hangover from Drag Disco? If yes, fried chicken. If no, the answer is still fried chicken. This masterclass is hosted by Charles Gabriel, owner and chef of Harlem’s iconic Charles Pan Fried Chicken. You’ll learn the techniques behind this delicious dish and how to recreate it at home. The class takes place 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Institute of Culinary Education (225 Liberty St.). Tickets are $188. 

Dinner at KYU hosted by Andrew Zimmern

As one of the weekend’s final events, iconic celebrity chef and food TV personality Andrew Zimmern will guide attendees through a French-Japanese feast that includes wagyu tartar, smoked beef short rib and Riverence trout gravlax, among other gourmet bites. It’s sure to be a memorable (and mouthwatering) evening. The dinner takes place at KYU NYC (324 Lafayette St.) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $313. 

photo: courtesy NYC Wine & Food Festival