Columbia Food & Wine Festival returns for its ninth year, Wednesday, April 22-Sunday, April 26, with five days of dinners, tastings, competitions, and workshops. With more than 10 events staged around town, this year’s programming ties history and culture through the venues and menus.

“We design the festival to be an exploration of Columbia — its neighborhoods, its voices and its creative spirit,” said Kelly Glynn, co-director of the Columbia Food & Wine Festival.

Here are the five events that made our mouths water.

The Collections Served: A Curated Dinner | Thursday, April 23 | 5:30-9:30 p.m.
The art-inspired dinner from Hampton Street Vineyard chef Wes Fulmer starts across the street in the recently reopened Collection Galleries at the Columbia Museum of Art.

High Tea & Tutus | Friday, April 24 | 3-6 p.m.
Brush up on Emily Post's “Etiquette” before high tea at the Mansion on Blanding with a special theatrical design and performance from the South Carolina Ballet.

A Reconstruction Dinner | Friday, April 24 | 6-9 p.m.
This dinner at the Woodrow Wilson Family Home brings together five SC Chef Ambassadors who are creating a menu that weaves Southern cuisine and history.

Cheese Rave: A Curd Collective | Friday, April 24 | 9 p.m.-12 a.m.
Get lost in the beat with a tangy Taleggio as 929 Kitchen & Bar, MOA Korean BBQ, and Rosewood Market curate a cheese tasting paired with electronic music.

Smoke on the Water | Saturday, April 25 | 4-7 p.m.
Fire in the pits, this elite lineup brings together James Beard award-winning Chef Rodney Scott and West Columbia chef Robbie Robinson, who keeps racking up the recognition, and five-time World Barbecue Champion Myron Mixon for an evening on Putnam’s Harbor on Lake Murray.

Tickets go on sale to the public on Monday, Feb. 9, but if you become a Tastemaker, you get early access starting today, Feb. 2.