At the beginning of the summer, it always seems like we are forever under the strong southern sun until we can bring out light jackets and boots. Summer is meant for unplanned, spontaneous fun and adventures with friends. Then we blink our eyes and summer is gone. So let’s just get this on your radar (because you won't want to miss this).

euphoria is less than three months away, and tickets go fast. In addition to headlining events like Feast by the Field and Taste of the South, small and intimate dinners are a true highlight of the festival weekend.

All tickets here.

Family Roots: Dinner at Grits & Groceries | 2440 Due West Hwy Belton, SC | September 21 | 7 p.m. | Go for the food with guest Chef Kevin Belton, stay for the wines from Schug Winery (featuring Axel Schug) and music from Grits & Groceries house musicians, the Docheno Band.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner at the Commerce Club | September 23 | 6:30 p.m. | Get there early to watch the sunset with panoramic views, cocktail hour, and music from nationally-renowned pianist, Emile Pandolfi. There’s no better pairing than bubbles and fried chicken!

Dig In: An Organic, Plant-based Dinner with SPJ | The Loft at Soby’s: 207 S Main St | September 23 | 7 p.m. | A veggie lover’s paradise: Southern Pressed Juicery’s Chef Xavier Bonnafous and Chef Justin Burdett from Local Provisions (in Asheville) work together to create dishes using local, organic veggies paired with organic wines and fresh pressed juice cocktails. You won’t even miss the meat.

North Meets South: A Dinner of the Carolinas at American Grocery | September 21 | 7 p.m. | Farm to table food with five-time James Beard semi-finalist Scott Crawford and Northern to Southern European wines 🙌 .

Southern Grown: A Dinner with Bacon Bros. Public House | September 23 | 7 p.m. |

Local ingredients, beer (from Quest Brewery) & beats (from Darby Wilcox)? Throw in award-winning wines by Kenwood Vineyards and count us in! Meat lovers will be in hog heaven when Chef Anthony Gray of Bacon Bros. Public House gets together with Shawn Kelly (of the soon-to-open Fork & Plough in Greenville) and guest chefs, Edgar Pendley & Blake Hartwick.

Big & Bold: A Dinner at Halls Chophouse | September 23 | 7 p.m. | Enjoy the view of the Reedy River while enjoying some Charleston cuisine with guest Chef Greg Garrison (and wines from J. Lohr Vineyards, of course).

Seeing Stars: Michelin-starred Dinner at The Lazy Goat | September 23 | 7 p.m. | If you’ve never experienced a Michelin-starred restaurant, this is your chance to try dishes created by Curtis Duffy (3 stars; Grace, Chicago), Dominique Crenn (2 stars; Atelier Crenn, San Francisco), and Michael Mina (1 star; Michael Mina, San Francisco).

An Upstate Pairing: Dinner at Stella’s Southern Brasserie | September 23 | 7 p.m. | A mixture of French cuisine and Southern sensibility with Spartanburg native, Chef Hamilton Johnson.

Fork, Knife, Spaghetti: An Italian Dinner at Jianna | September 23 | 7 p.m. | Jianna chef/partner Michael Kramer collaborates with two other South Carolina chefs, Ken Vedrinski (Trattoria Lucca, Charleston and Coda del Pesce, Isle of Palms) and Jacques Larson (Wild Olive, Johns Island and The Obstinate Daughter, Sullivan’s Island) to pay tribute to Italian traditions of wine and feasting.

// euphoria