Annual Emmet O’Neal Library benefit will feature local foods

Western Supermarket, Birmingham’s largest locally owned supermarket chain, is bringing back its annual Fall Wine & Food Festival at the Birmingham Zoo on Friday, Sept. 27 from 6-9 p.m.

The festival, which benefits the Emmet O’Neal Library for the tenth year, highlights wine and food grown and/or produced locally or within Alabama.

Food selections will include Belle Chevre goat cheese from northern Alabama, Alabama-raised beef, farm-raised shrimp and Mamie’s Cheese Wafers. Restaurants Nabeel’s Café and Market and Fox Valley are partnering for the event as well.

In addition to a variety of foods and wines, guests can win door prizes, receive special wine deals, ride a carousel, and interact with animals and their handlers.

Holley Wesley, a reference librarian at Emmet O’Neal Library, said last year Western Supermarket donated more than $21,000 to the library from the event.

With these funds, the library was recently able to bring in authors such as Khaled Hosseini and Alexander McCall Smith for book discussions and book signings.

“The largest wine department we have is in Mountain Brook,” said Darwin Metcalf, president of Western Supermarket chain. “We’ve been there for 54 years. We decided to donate to the library because we think they do a stellar job.”

The wine and food festival itself started more than 20 years ago. Previous beneficiaries included the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama and Camp Smile-a-Mile.

 “It’s a great opportunity to mingle with our customers that shop with us all year long,” Metcalf said.

Sue DeBrecht, library director at Emmet O’Neal, has never talked to anyone who did not have a good time. She said the staff and wine stewards at Western Supermarket work diligently to create the perfect atmosphere and experience.

Last year there were approximately 80 to 90 tables dedicated to food and wine.

Two wine consultants will be stationed behind the wine table to educate consumers about the wines they consume. This year the event will give guests access to about 650 wines.

Each guest will receive a reuseable wine tote from Western Supermarket, an informational packet and wine glass.

Tickets are $50 in advance, $60 at the door and $40 for persons in groups of 10 or more. Tickets can be purchased at the Emmet O’Neal Library or at any Western Supermarket.

Festivities will take place in the children’s section of the Birmingham Zoo, located at 2630 Cahaba Road. For more, call 879-1746, email wine07@westernsupermarkets.com, or visit eolib.org or westernsupermarkets.com.

Western’s Fall Wine & Food Festival

Benefits Emmet O’Neal Library

Sept. 27, 6-9 p.m., The Birmingham Zoo

Tickets $50 in advance or $60 at door

Available at the library or Western stores