(We say that every year. We're always right.)

We’re so excited that this year's event will feature a full complement of James Beard nominees, which in a state Vermont's size is truly worth noting.

Café Monette — One of just 30 restaurants nationwide named a James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, and joining us for the very first time. Adam Monette, Tyler Comeau, and Henry Long have been building one of the most talked-about restaurants in Vermont since opening in St. Albans last August, featuring a French-inflected menu that makes a strong case for a road trip up 89.

Fancy's — Chef Paul Trombly is the only Vermont chef to advance to the James Beard finalist round for Best Chef: Northeast, with winners announced in Chicago on June 15… just twelve days before the festival. His Old North End kitchen puts vegetables at the center of everything, backed by two decades of global technique.

L'Alimentari will be joining us in the specialty food lineup, representing the newest venture from Leslie McCrorey Wells…a national James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur semifinalist and the force behind Pizzeria Verità, Trattoria Delia, and Sotto Enoteca.

We had hoped to round out our James Beard story with one more name. We had every intention of tapping the cocktail expertise of Kate Wise, bar manager at Juniper at Hotel Vermont and a national semifinalist for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. There's just one small problem: she has the nerve to be getting married on June 27.

In all seriousness…we wish her every happiness, and we have full confidence that her wedding cocktail hour will be exceptional. Congratulations, Kate!

And rounding out this year’s amazing lineup…

Bramble — Colleen Hunt and Shawn Hyer's wood-fired kitchen at the Essex Experience, where almost everything on the menu has been touched by flame and sourced from within 100 miles.

The Essex — Vermont's only culinary resort has been teaching people to love food for decades through its hands-on cooking programs. The chefs overseeing two restaurants, Junction and The Lazy Goat, are the same ones coming to the event, and they know a thing or two about feeding a crowd.

Gold — Charles Spock's intimate 30-seat spot is part of a wave of chef-driven kitchens that have turned Burlington's Old North End into one of the most exciting dining neighborhoods in Vermont. Globally influenced Italian, handmade pasta, seasonal small plates.

Leunig's — Burlington's original French bistro, anchored to the corner of Church and College Streets since 1980. Duck confit, foie gras, and a menu that has always managed to feel both classic and completely at home in Vermont.

The Lodge at Spruce Peak — Chef Sean Blomgren has spent years building one of the most compelling resort kitchens in New England, drawing on Vermont's best farmers, makers, and fishmongers to fuel two very different restaurants…Alpine Hall is rooted in mountain comfort, and the Tipsy Trout is focused on the coast.

May Day — Matt Peterson's Old North End kitchen has built a loyal following on seasonal small plates, natural wine from off-the-beaten-path producers, and cocktails that make a strong case for staying at the bar all night.

Onion City Chicken & Oyster — From the Misery Loves Co. family: buttermilk-fried Misty Knoll chicken, perfectly shucked oysters, cheddar beignets, and a Winooski vibe that's impossible to replicate. It’s one of those places where you go in for one thing and end up ordering half them menu.

Original Skiff — Eric Warnstedt's love letter to America's great coastal fish joints, brought to Burlington's waterfront. Sustainably sourced seafood from Wood Mountain Fish, a full raw bar, frozen cocktails, and enough coastal energy to make you forget you're just on the lake and not the ocean.

Waterworks — Everyone loves Waterworks as a place where the food is creative (and delicious) enough to keep regulars interested, the cocktail program is taken seriously, and the bar overlooks the Winooski River from inside one of the most beautiful old mill buildings in Vermont. We’re thrilled to have them back for another year.

They'll all be joined by 35 artisan food and spirits producers, a few dozen wine suppliers pouring over 200 wines, a carefully curated selection of Vermont's best wine retailers ready to take your wine orders, and a handful of exceptional local craftspeople. The complete exhibitor list is coming soon.

What are you waiting for? Get your tickets now…!