A Taste for the Arts
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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
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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. |
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TICKETS
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VIP ($125 per person)
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General Admission ($50 per person)
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ONLINE TICKET SALES HAVE CLOSED. LIMITED TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR
GENERAL ADMISSION - $60
VIP - $150
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
Please email [email protected] for any questions
JUDGES
Stay Tuned!
A panel of 3 judges will taste a dish from each restaurant to award the best restaurants for Originality, Taste, and Presentation.
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.
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
Stay tuned!
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.
- 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!
- No, this dress code is completely optional (but it's much more fun to dress up!)
- 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
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Volunteer & Bartending Sponsor
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Want to sponsor this event? Please reach out to us at [email protected]
2023's Dishes & Winners
SAVORY DISHES
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Central Station Grill
Cucumber and Honey Suckle Gazpacho, Roasted Corn & Jalapeño Pancake, Smoked Brisket wrapped Scallop with Apricot BBQ Glaze. |
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Harvey's Starkville
Pan seared Pork Belly over miso polenta, topped with pepper jelly and roasted peanuts |
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The Mill
Smoked Brown sugar Duck Bacon BLT On a Homemade Slider Bun |
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Proof - a Bakery
Roast Beef, Havarti, apple slices, arugula, horseradish mayo croissant |
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Arepas
Cachapa (sweet corn pancake) with queso topped with asado negro (marinated beef slowly cooked with onions and seasonings) |
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Two Brothers Smoked Meats
Bao Buns- Smoked pork belly, Korean bbq sauce, in house quick pickles, pork sung, cilantro |
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The Bin 612
Beef Wellie - Medium rare beef tenderloin coated with dijon mustard and mushroom duxelles, sitting atop prosciutto and wrapped in a puff pastry. Finished with rosemary honey butter.Plated on a "yin-yang" of Crème fraîche and a reduced sauce combination of Restaurant Tyler made demi-glace/MS Red Hot sauce/White Truffle oil/ Pinot Noir |
SWEET DISHES
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Central Station Grill
Dessert-Oreo- Butterfinger and Rum Shooters |
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Proof - a Bakery
Boston Creme Cake with Blackberry Reduction |
2023 AWARDS Winners:
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This year's awards were ceramic serving platterns designed and made by local ceramics artisan, Bonnie Brumley.
Check out more of her work here: www.brumleyceramics.com/ |
Originality:
Harveys, Chef Eric Stewart
Harveys, Chef Eric Stewart
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Presentation:
The Grill, Chef Leon Jefferson
The Grill, Chef Leon Jefferson
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Taste:
Bin 612, Chef Micah Graves
Bin 612, Chef Micah Graves
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Sweets:
Proof, Chef TJ Manna
Proof, Chef TJ Manna
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People's Choice Awards
The Grill entree, Chef Leon Jefferson
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The Grill dessert, Chef Leon Jefferson
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Harvey's entree, Chef Eric Stewart
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WINE
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Sommolier
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Melanie Hankins Booth, Certified Specialist of Wine
Melanie Hankins Booth is a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) through the Society of Wine Educators and a Certified Wine Sommelier by the International Wine and Spirits Guild. Promoting wine culture in Mississippi is a passion for Melanie. Currently the Beverage Director and Sommelier at L’uva Wine Room in Starkville, she is also the Director of the Gumtree Art Festival’s annual Wine Festival in Tupelo. Melanie uses her gifts of teaching and hospitality in the wine industry. She has taught Wine Appreciation, Personal Enrichment classes through Mississippi State University Extension Service’s Continuing Education program and at MUW’s Culinary Arts Institute, at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, as well as private classes. She hosts individual, civic and charitable events, offers consulting services in the industry, and provides training and classes at L’uva, the new wine bar in Starkville. She travels, hosting wine dinners and leads agri-tourism trips to wine regions. A long-time resident of Starkville, MS, and a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Mississippi State University, she loves traveling, gardening, cooking, entertaining, water, the outdoors and sports. For more information, www.WineTheExperience.me. |
ENTERTAINMENT
Wyly has performed at venues across the country. From dive bars and blues joints to festivals and halftime shows, he has brought his music to countless stages and has no intentions of stopping now.
2023 PHOTOS
Funds raised from this event support the arts in Starkville and Oktibbeha County.
Hearty THANK YOU to our 2023 Sponsors
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