JXN Food & Wine Festival Returns for Fourth Year with New Culinary Leadership, Announces 2027 Festival Dates

The JXN Food & Wine Festival (JXNFW), Jackson’s premier culinary festival celebrating the vibrant food scene in Mississippi’s capital city, will return March 11-13, 2027, in partnership with The Local Palate and Visit Jackson.

Now entering its fourth year, the festival has emerged as one of the Southeast’s premier culinary events, highlighting the creativity and diversity of Mississippi’s food scene. This year, the festival welcomes Chef Hunter Evans—chef and owner of Elvie’s and Mayflower Café—as its new Chef Chair for a two-year term, ushering in an exciting new chapter for the festival.

The 2027 festival will feature a variety of engaging experiences, including a Thursday night dinner hosted by Evans, signature grand tasting events, cooking demonstrations and live music on Friday and Saturday.

As Chef Chair, Evans will collaborate with festival organizers to elevate the culinary experience, connect chefs from across the region and the nation, shape programming and represent Jackson’s growing reputation as one of the South’s most exciting food destinations.

A Jackson native, Evans earned his bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from the University of Mississippi in Oxford before continuing his culinary training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He staged at several of New York City’s top restaurants, including Le Bernardin, Café Boulud and Daniel, before returning to Mississippi to open Elvie's—a modern take on classic French cuisine through the lens of Southern culinary traditions.

His recent accolades include being named one of Plate Magazine's Chefs to Watch and a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: South.

Evans succeeds Chef Nick Wallace, who served as Chef Chair from 2024 to 2026 and now becomes Chef Chair Emeritus.

Chef Hunter Evans commented, “I’m honored to serve as the next Chef Chair for the JXN Food & Wine Festival. Jackson has an incredible community of chefs, farmers, makers and hospitality professionals who are passionate about sharing our city's story through food. I'm excited to help celebrate the people who make our culinary community so special and to continue fostering a festival that brings our city together around the table.”

Jonathan Pettus, Visit Jackson’s vice president & chief marketing officer, commented, “JXN Food & Wine Festival has quickly become one of Mississippi's premier culinary celebrations, showcasing the talent, creativity and hospitality that define Jackson. We're incredibly grateful to Chef Nick Wallace for helping establish the festival as one of our signature events. As we look ahead to 2027, we're thrilled to welcome Chef Hunter Evans as Chef Chair. His vision, leadership and commitment to Jackson's dining community make him the ideal choice to lead the festival into its next chapter.”

Additional programming, participating chefs and ticket information will be announced at a press conference on Oct. 9, with tickets expected to go on sale on Oct. 21.

For more information, visit jxnfoodandwine.com.