New food, drink festival debuts in Waterloo

WATERLOO — The Iowa Eats Food & Drink Festival will bring foodies, chefs and artisans together for an event being billed as the first of its kind in Eastern Iowa.

The inaugural event, hosted by Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area, will be held April 1 at the Waterloo Convention Center, 200 W. Fourth St.

Iowa Eats features an all-Iowa showing of food and beverages made by and with Iowa chefs, authors and ag products. Attendees can enjoy tastings, cooking and product demonstrations at exhibitor booths; classes led by industry experts; and live entertainment.

“Silos & Smokestacks’ mission is to tell the agriculture story. We want everyone to know how important agriculture is to their daily lives,” said Cara Miller, executive director for Silos & Smokestacks. “What better way to highlight that than to showcase Iowa agriculture, food and drink products. Everyone eats.”

Moe Cason, a Des Moines barbecue pitmaster, will headline the main stage presentation by telling how he got his start in barbecue, and teaching a class on the best way to barbecue. The self-taught expert has been a contestant, judge and star on Destination America’s “Pitmaster’s” and “BBQ Pit Wars,” a judge on “Smoked” and hosts “World of Flavor with Big Moe Cason” on Disney+.

“I am really excited about the opportunity Iowa Eats will give some of the smaller mom-and-pop businesses to highlight their great products,” Miller said. “Not only will it grow their businesses, but will help Iowans see they don’t have to go far to get quality food and beverages.”

Advance tickets, available online at iowaeatsfestival.com, are $10. Tickets include food and beverage samples. Children 5 and under are free.

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