This event has all the right ideas but doesn't quite logistically make sense to me.
This was my first time attending after living in Charlotte my whole life. I didn't have any expectations but the idea of getting to sample a ton of restaurants in the area sounded good to me!
The heat...didn't bother me....the people...didn't bother me...the quality of food...eh, didn't really bother me.
But, what DID bother me was the layout and the quality of vendors. If you are claiming this is a TASTE of Charlotte then show me something worth tasting. Hooters? Salsaritas? Costco? Tons of bars and grills? Come on. I know there were a couple of good quality restaurants represented but to that point I agree with others that say the crowds are just out of control. If you have to wait in a 2 hour line to get one of the 3 decent restaurants represented that it holds up the entire walkway..something is logistically wrong. Maybe this should be held indoors at the convention center? Maybe on a wider street? I don't know but something wasn't working and you don't have to be an event planner to know that.
There was an element of class missing from the overall event in my opinion. I felt like people would rather throw an elbow to get to the chicken wings than enjoy a stroll through yummy food lane.
Overall...I thought it was brutal. Would I go back? Probably not unless I saw that they stepped up the vendor list and that the layout was totally different.
***on a positive note, I discovered Spice (in Concord) and they were great. I love Indian food and am always looking for a new spot so I will give them a try in the near future