Cocktail competition, hot dog eating contest, chili cook-off, and Server Olympics highlight this year’s food-centric street festival
By Lorne Chambers | Editor
What is the taste of Folly? No, not the two-day mid-winter festival celebrating the food of Folly Beach, but what is Folly’s signature taste? Is it seafood? Maybe, we are a beach town after all and nearly every restaurant has some form of seafood option available. Or is it less obvious than that? Could it be Asian-fusion? Maybe. There are a handful of restaurants on our small island that have a at least a large portion of their menu devoted to Asian-inspired dishes. But maybe it’s Mexican-American fare? Could be. There are more than a half dozen places offering tacos, burritos, or quesadillas.
So the answer to “What is the taste of Folly?” is rather subjective and not one that’s easily answered. It is a rather eclectic taste for a rather eclectic group of people, who take pride in not only keeping Folly funky but keeping our food scene unpredictable and varying. This is why The Taste of Folly is so fun, it allows locals and visitors alike to have a chance to try several things from the island’s many restaurants.
Beginning with the highly contested Cocktail Competition, The Taste Of Folly truly offers something for everyone’s taste. Local bartenders, representing their restaurants, kick off the Taste of Folly 7-10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 15 at Tides/Blu. The public will vote on their favorite cocktail, crowning one bar/restaurant the champion. Last year, it was The Grill and Island Bar’s signature Strawberry Basil Margarita that won the day.
The food festivities begin on Saturday, Jan. 16 with the Taste of Folly street festival, the island’s largest “foodie” event where four blocks of Center Street are shut down from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. for a community festival featuring 20 Folly Beach-based food vendors, dozens of local art vendors, kids activities, carnival games, a mechanical bull, live music on multiple stages, a hot dog eating contest, chili cook-off, silent auction, date auction, server Olympics, 50/50 raffle, oyster roast, and more. While the Cocktail Competition on Friday night is $15, all of Saturday’s events are free. Food and drinks are available for purchase at participating restaurants and vendors.
There’s also a charity element to The Taste of Folly. Last year, the Folly Association of Businesses (FAB) presented Surfers’ Healing with a $3,000 check from money that was raised at the festival.
For more information on The 2016 Taste of Folly, visit either www.visitfolly.com or the Taste of Folly Facebook page.
