The MidAtlantic Wine and Food Festival has been canceled for 2016, with organizers acknowledging serious financial problems.
The announcement was sent out on Monday.
“Thank you for all that you have done this year and in the past to help make this event possible. As you may know, we have seen a steady decline in participation over the past few years. The board conducted an evaluation and determined that there is not enough interest in the region to continue to produce the festival. As a result, the board has decided to discontinue the MidAtlantic Wine and Food Festival,” the announcement stated.
The announcement went on to state that the event does not have sufficient cash on hand to pay off those providing services to the spring event.
Creditors have the option to convert their services into a donation to the nonprofit organization or consider allowing the organization to pay a portion of the bill, the announcement stated.
The event, modeled after food and wine festivals in Charleston, SC and other areas, focused on bringing in chefs throughout the world at a series of events in homes, restaurants and other venues.
The festival was scaled back in 2015. after seeing a decline in attendance a year earlier.
The festival was hit by negative publicity a couple of years ago over proceeds said to be going to nonprofit organizations.
Some organizations defended the work of the festival, while others said their work from volunteers and others at events did not justify the amount of contributions received;
Organizers of the festival said the primary goal of the festival was showcasing food and wine offerings, with fund-raising for charities being a secondary goal. Over the years, events were held in all three of the state’s counties and in areas near Delaware.
Even critics acknowledged that the event did raise the food and wine profile of Delaware, which has often labored in the shadow of restaurant meccas like Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Ajit George, founder of the event, could not be immediately reached for comment on the announcement.
