Everything you need to know about Raleigh's newest food festival, Thrive NC

Thrive NC is Thursday and Friday in downtown Raleigh.

Posted 1:00 p.m. May 5, 2018 — Updated 2:56 p.m. May 7, 2018

Kathy Hanrahan, Out

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Raleigh has a new food festival, Thrive NC. Held Thursday and Friday at City Market, this festival aims to tackle childhood nutrition and other pressing issues. But that isn't all. Each night will include tastings, live chef demos and more.

Here's what you need to know before you go:

Daytime is about helping others - On Thursday, there will be an invitation only summit featuring more than 150 food system stakeholders from across the state discussing everything from childhood nutrition to food as an economic development tool. On Friday, volunteers from presenting sponsor Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina will be filling 600 backpacks for students and 400 grocery bags for Wake County seniors in need of support from the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.

Save your appetite for nighttime - Each night there is a tasting event featuring chefs from restaurants including 18 Seaboard, Mandolin, Poole's, Whiskey Kitchen, La Farm Bakery and Il Palio. Get a full list of participating restaurants

Big name chefs will be doing demos - Ever wanted to watch award-winning chef Ashley Christensen cook? Well, you will get your chance on Friday night at Thrive NC. Christensen, Lantern's Andrea Reusing and Garland's Cheetie Kumar will be doing live demonstrations that night. The opening night features Chef and The Farmer founder and star of PBS' "A Chef's Life" Vivian Howard, barbecue pitmaster Sam Jones and Il Palio's Teddy Diggs.

Enjoy live music - Kasey Tyndall and A Tribute to the Johnny Cash TV Show will perform on Thursday night, while Joe Kwon and Friends and Jump, Little Children take the stage the following night.

Tickets are still available but are expected to be sold out - Tickets for Thursday and Friday night tasting events are $30 and include unlimited samples from restaurants and breweries and access to the chef demonstrations. Ticket proceeds will benefit the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, Future Farmers of America and the Downtown Raleigh Farmers Market. UPDATE: Friday night's tasting is sold out!

WRAL is a sponsor of Thrive NC.

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