Rhode Island restaurants, bakeries, wineries, breweries and distilleries will fill the Crowne Plaza in Warwick on Oct. 14 for the Taste of Rhode Island Winter Showcase, a food and drink tasting event running from 6 to 9 p.m. The gathering, held at the Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick at 801 Greenwich Ave., is built around unlimited samplings, live music and a presentation of the Taste of Rhode Island Food & Drink Awards.
The showcase is hosted by Pat Cruz Events, according to The Valley Breeze. The event brings restaurants, breweries and distilleries together with local diners.
An auction will benefit local charities during the showcase.
Live Music, Awards and a Packed Vendor Lineup
Beyond the tastings, the night includes live music and the presentation of the Taste of Rhode Island Food & Drink Awards, per The Valley Breeze. Entertainment this year comes from Rhode Island cover band Dr. Slick, according to a listing on Eventbrite.
The showcase features restaurants, bakeries, wineries, breweries, distilleries and specialty food businesses from across Rhode Island, The Valley Breeze reports. Tickets include food and beverage samplings during the event. Tasteofri.com has more information and tickets.
A Festival With a Charitable Role
Taste of Rhode Island has held summer and winter showcases, including the 2026 Winter Showcase at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick.
The festival has also served as a rapid-response charity hub during industry emergencies. A 2025 edition included a live auction hosted by Ocean State Charity Events intended to support staff displaced by a major fire at Matunuck Oyster Bar, according to Hey Rhody Media Co. The event's charitable efforts underscore the close-knit nature of Rhode Island's hospitality community.
Why the Showcase Matters for a Pressured Industry
The event lands at a tense moment for Rhode Island's dining sector. The Rhode Island Hospitality Association projects total state restaurant sales of $1.5 billion for 2026, while leisure and hospitality accounts for 12.2 percent of Rhode Island's total workforce, Corbett Restaurant Group reports.
That growth has come alongside real strain. Over a 12-month period spanning 2025 and 2026, Rhode Island lost 23 hospitality businesses and nearly 600 industry jobs as rising food, labor, rent and insurance costs outstripped restaurant revenues, per Corbett Restaurant Group's analysis.
Against that backdrop, the Winter Showcase brings food and drink vendors and attendees together, while auction proceeds benefit local charities. Doors open at 6 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick, with VIP access beginning at 5 p.m.
