Southern Roots Reunion Review 2023 🐷
Hello again, Foodie Friends 🙂 Hope you’ve had a great week so far! We’re giving you a behind-the-scenes tour and review of the Southern Roots Reunion 2023 event from Saturday, April 15th, featuring barbeque from across the country, drinks, music, vendors, and much more, all in support of a great cause! 🙌 We’re already looking forward to next year’s on April 20th!
Background on IDefine & the Festival
Trailblazer Park, Travelers Rest, SC
We made so many great memories and got to meet two of the festival founders this year, Geoff Rhyne of @idefineorg (and founder of @redclayhotsauce) and Brenda Luginbill of @cbeventsgreenville. I also met Geoff’s daughter, Ella Marie, one of the beneficiaries of the IDefine organization. She gave me a hug, asked about my camera, and was such a sweetheart. 🥰
This was the second year of the Southern Roots Reunion, which brought together an incredible line-up of pitmasters, chefs, restaurants & farmers to Travelers Rest for an amazing cause! 💜
The festival’s founders created this event to benefit the non-profit organization Geoff started in support of his daughter, who has a rare genetic disorder called Kleefstra Syndrome. Like most rare diseases, Kleefstra Syndrome has no FDA-approved treatment. There is no cure. Rhyne is determined to drive research and drug development to help not only his daughter but as many other patients as possible. In September 2020, Geoff and his partners launched IDefine and raised over $100,000 to fund the first-ever medical center in Boston, MA.🏥 As the festival beneficiary, last year’s event raised over $40,000. Through ticket sales & donations, it funded a specialized clinic at the Boston Children’s Hospital and supported over 75 families impacted by Kleefstra Syndrome. 🙌
A ticket to Southern Roots Reunion this year gave you all-you-can-eat access to over 30 pitmasters and chefs, beverages, various local artisans, and music from some incredible musicians all day long. 👏
VIP Section ✨
Trailblazer Park, Travelers Rest, SC
Getting VIP access tickets meant getting into the festival half an hour early and an exclusive oyster roast from newcomer Jones Oyster Co. Drinks this year were from Wine House. Food was courtesy of Lewis BBQ, Broadwater Shrimp Company, and quail ravioli from @indacogreenville (soon to be open downtown)!
Drinks from Jones Oyster Co. at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Jason from Broadwater Shrimp roasting shrimp at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Jason from Broadwater Shrimp roasting shrimp at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Drinks from Wine House at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Oysters from Jones Oyster Co. at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Food from Jones Oyster Co. at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Food from Jones Oyster Co. at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Quail ravioli from Indaco Greenville at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC.
They didn’t set up the vendors inside the VIP section like they did last year. Instead, opted to put them in the middle of the field where everyone had access to check out the artisans’ items. Multiple non-food-related vendors attended, from ceramics to jewelry, candle making, and more.
Vendors from the Artisan Market at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Vendors from the Artisan Market at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Vendors from the Artisan Market at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Vendors from the Artisan Market at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
The Paul Family from Paul Family Maple Farms from the Artisan Market at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Vendors from the Artisan Market at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Vendors from the Artisan Market at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Jessica Reynolds Art tea towels from the Artisan Market at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Vendors from the Artisan Market at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Vendors from the Artisan Market at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Vendors from the Artisan Market at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC.
Barbecue & Food Galore
🐷😋
Trailblazer Park, Travelers Rest, SC
The food, as always, was amazing. Some of our favorite bites of the day were the Moroccan braised lamb leg with harissa BBQ sauce, Israeli couscous and cucumber mint slaw from @edmundsoast and @pattersonhartness; the BBQ beef tongue on beef tallow potato dish from @scoundrel.gvl & @publicanquality; and the reverse sear tri-tip with elote and potato Tostones from @hometeambbqgvl and @cribbskitchen. The team from Davilla’s BBQ near San Antonio, TX made a Choripan, a smoked Chorizo sandwich on pan batido with salsa verde, without cheese just for me, which I truly appreciated! 😋👏
Jamie and I (unlike last year) tried to pace ourselves. So while we didn’t get pictures of as many of the restaurant’s or food teams’ individual dishes this year, the ones that we did try were outstanding! I did get photos of all of the booths, so take a look at the slideshow below to see all of the matchups and what everyone made this year! Enjoy this slideshow for more awesome pictures and check out our reel here for videos we took from the event:
The BBQ beef tongue on beef tallow potato dish from @scoundrel.gvl & @publicanquality at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Lake & Oar Neighborhood BBQ and Camp team at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Truth BBQ and Camilla Kitchen at M. Judson Booksellers at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Truth BBQ Beef brisket with miso glazed sweet potatoes and purple kale slaw at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Davilla’s BBQ and Topsoil Restaurant at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Choripan – Smoked Chorizo sandwich on pan batido with salsa verde at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
The Cook’s Station and Roy’s Grille at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Carolina Herk pork with mango coconut slaw and roti at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Rad Dad’s BBQ & Catering and Oak & Honey at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Chopped whole chickens with chile sauce and esquites at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Henry’s Smokehouse and Rick Erwin’s Dining Group at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Brown sugar and rum brined smoked salmon with mango habanero pico and crispy yuca at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Southside Smokehouse and Heirloom at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Hamfish BBQ and Larkins at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Keegan-Filion Spare ribs with popped sorghum, Hamfish BBQ glaze, and black-eyed pea succotash at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Swig & Swine and Side Dish Catering at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Pork collar with Mexican street corn salad at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Edmund’s Oast and Patterson Kitchen & Bar at Hotel Hartness at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Zero Forks Given and Restaurant 17 at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Lowcountry pink sauce marinated turkey breast with field peas, pork belly greens and hominy at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Home Team BBQ Greenville and Cribbs Kitchen at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Mama Jean’s Barbecue and Fork & Plough at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC. 
Kimchi Sausage with fried Anson Mills Charleston Gold Rice and pickled local mushrooms at the Southern Roots Reunion festival in Trailblazer Park in Travelers Rest, SC.
What was your favorite bite of the Reunion? Did our favorites line up with any of yours? Let us know your thoughts and if you missed the event this time, check out these volunteer opportunities for next year before ticket sales launch in January, or donate to iDefine here in the meantime! 💜
So how was your weekend, Foodie Friends? Are you excited about more food festivals coming up this spring/summer? Sound out in the comments below to let us know your suggestions of what dishes to make or places we should visit next. As always, feel free to like, comment, & share 🤗
