Forks & Corks

A Taste for the Arts

Forks & Corks is a fundraiser that celebrates the culinary arts. Attendees sample the best of some of the area's favorite restaurants with music, wine, and more. The event sells out each year, so don't wait!

Funds raised support art education programs in Oktibbeha County, including after-school programs, summer scholarships, micro-grants to teachers, and other art-related projects.

Forks & Corks 2024: 90s Back 2 School
July 27, 2024 | 6-10 pm | State Theatre

Join us once again for SAAC's second-largest annual fundraiser, Forks & Corks (with a twist)!

Forks & Corks is a fundraiser that celebrates the culinary arts. Attendees sample the best of some of the area's favorite restaurants with dinner, dessert, wine, music, dance, and more. Bring your appetite and support arts and arts education programs by heading to State Theatre on July 27, 2024, from 6-10 pm for a massive Mississippi feast!

As always, this event will feature dinner competitions with special guest judges from all over the south.

This year's theme is "90s Back 2 School", so dress up and show out in your flyest 90s attire, your fav 90s starlet, or an an iconic 90s movie moment! We'll have an award for the best Dressed, live music and dancing from 8-10 pm, a silent auction and other art sales, and more.

The dress code is optional (but who doesn't have more fun when they're dressed up?)

Funds raised from this event support the arts in Starkville and Oktibbeha County.

TICKETS

VIP ($125 per person)

Balcony view
Includes all food delivered to you by a waiter
2 free wine tickets & 1 free cocktail ticket
VIP Cash Bar access with an exclusive VIP cocktail
VIP bathrooms

General Admission ($50 per person)

Sample food from 6 different restaurants
2 free wine tickets
Guaranteed seating on ground floor
Access to Cash Bar

ONLINE TICKET SALES HAVE CLOSED. LIMITED TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR
GENERAL ADMISSION - $60
VIP - $150

tickets here

VOLUNTEERS

We can't do this event alone! Forks & Corks required volunteers ALL DAY to decorate, set up tables, check in attendees, sell merch, pour beer, and more.
Volunteers who would like to participate in the event and sample the food and wine can purchase a ticket through the above link for $25 per person

Volunteer here

Please email [email protected] for any questions

JUDGES

Chef Micah Graves

Mississippi State Athletics Performance Chef

Bobbi Burgess
Host of UnCorked WCBI

A panel of 3 judges will taste a dish from each restaurant to award the best restaurants for Originality, Taste, Presentation, and Sweets.

YOU are also a judge! There will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places for People's Choice when you vote for your favorite dish at the event.

RESTAURANTS & CHEFS

Central Station Grill - Chef Leon Jefferson
Walk-On's - Johnathan Fondren
Proof Bakery - TJ Manna
Big E's Dinner Club - Luke Sellers
The Coffee Depot - Kat Egger
Harvey's Starkville - Eric Stewart

6 restaurants from Starkville compete to win awards from our panel of judges and impress YOU! These dishes are sample sized so you can try it all.

FAQs

I bought an Individual Ticket: am I guaranteed a seat?
- YES! Individual tickets are for open seating located on the ground floor. We will have seats for every ticket sold. VIP tickets are sold separately and will be located in the balcony area.
Is there assigned seating?
- No, this year we have decided to switch to first-come-first serve for all seating (including VIP seating). We will have varying sizes of table to accommodate varying sizes of parties, but space constraints do not allow us to do assigned seating in this venue.
Is there a dress code?
- No, this dress code is completely optional (but it's much more fun to dress up!)
- We WILL have a Best Dressed Award for a special attendee!
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
- No, but it does help, just in case there's a glitch in downloading ticket information.
Is it ok if the name on my ticket or registration doesn't match the person who attends?
- Please contact SAAC in advance to provide us with this information: [email protected].
What are my parking options for getting for the event?
- Parking on Main Street is not ticketed on weekends at any time. Parking is also available in the lot behind Starkville Cafe.
If I cannot attend, can I still donate?
- We'll miss you, but you can still support arts and arts education programming in Oktibbeha County with a donation.

2024 Sponsors

2024 Venue Sponsor

Volunteer & Bartending Sponsor

Want to sponsor this event? Please reach out to us at [email protected]

2024's Dishes & Winners

SAVORY DISHES

Central Station Grill
Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut, Roasted Fig Honey Mustard, Pistachio Corn Cake

Harvey's Starkville
Steak and Cheese Hot Pockets Served with House-made Chips

Big E's Dinner Club
Creole Pimento Cheese topped with Bacon Jam served on Naan Chips

Walk-On's
Blackened Gulf Shrimp Over Wild Rice and Smoked Collard Greens With a Garlic Oil

SWEET DISHES

Proof - a Bakery
Three Tiered Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream Filling & Swiss Meringue Buttercream

The Coffee Depot
Banana Pudding, Snickerdoodle Cookies, and Banana Pudding

Harvey's
Banoffee Dixie Cups

2024 AWARDS Winners:

This year's awards were 3d printed pieces resembling a retro Nintendo Game Boy, created by MSU Research Engineer, Hunter Watts.

Our People's Choice awards were created using popular toys from the 90s by our program coordinator, Juliette Reid.

Originality:
The Grill, Chef Leon Jefferson

Presentation:
The Grill, Chef Leon Jefferson

Taste:
Walk-On's - Chef Johnathan Fondren

Sweets:
Harvey's, Chef Eric Stewart

People's Choice Awards

1st
The Grill entree
Chef Leon Jefferson

2nd
Walk-On's entree
Chef Johnathan Fondren

3rd
Big E's Dinner Club entree
Chef Luke Sellers

ENTERTAINMENT

Based out of Alexander City, AL, Lucky Town is a high-energy band that has performed for over 10 years all over the Southeast. They perform a diverse range of genres, from soulful ballads and classic rock anthems to modern pop hits.