# Event Details

- **Event Name**: 2026 International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off
- **Event Start and End Date**: Sat, 12 Sep, 2026 at 10:00 am (-04:00)
- **Event Description**: What Is A Cowpea And Why Are We Celebrating It?
A little-known piece of agricultural history will be celebrated with the International Cowpea Festival & Cook-off returning for its 14th year, to the public park in Charleston, Tennessee. The festival is set for Sept. 12, 2026 beginning at 10 a.m.

According to research by former Farm Bureau President Jack Sanders, Charleston was once a large grower and exporter of cowpeas and was known as the “Cowpea Capital of the United States.” Cowpea is the general name for black-eyed peas, field peas, crowder peas, southern peas, silver- and purple-hull peas and cream peas. The cowpea, known scientifically as avigna unguiculata, got its common name because the peas were first fed to livestock as a strong source of protein. People realized the benefits and flavor and have made these peas a staple on southern plates.

The event will include a cook-off focusing on cowpea recipes created by professional chefs. A marketplace will feature arts and crafts, produce and other local items for sale. Returning this year will be a children’s area, entertainment, photo contest, food vendors and a heritage area to share other parts of Charleston’s story such as Cherokee, Civil War and Wild River history.

The Cowpea Festival and Cook-off is a non-profit event with all proceeds going to support the operations of the Hiwassee River Heritage Center.  We are currently working to secure sponsorships, entertainment and vendors. We have a committee working on the various areas of festival planning and always have room for folks interested in helping or sponsoring the event.
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/charleston/2026-international-cowpea-festival-and-cook-off/200030050510612
- **Event Categories**: festivals, food-drinks, art, nonprofit, contests
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 757

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Charleston
- **state**: TN
- **country**: United States
- **location**: Charleston City Park, Charleston, TN, United States, Tennessee 37310
- **lat**: 35.28268
- **long**: -84.75924
- **full address**: Charleston City Park, Charleston, TN, United States, Tennessee 37310

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: 2026 International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events1/banners/51ef615209fe923c5e178b9d23d17ad9da0e63338ec2ce9fc40970c844003aa7-rimg-w1200-h628-dc080808-gmir?v=1786990306

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is 2026 International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off being held?
  - **A:** 2026 International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off takes place on Sat, 12 Sep, 2026 at 10:00 am to Sat, 12 Sep, 2026 at 10:00 am at Charleston City Park, Charleston, TN, United States, Tennessee 37310.
- **Q**: Who is organizing 2026 International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off?
  - **A:** 2026 International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off is organized by International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off.
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** 2026 International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off is ideal for festival lovers, culture enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a vibrant, immersive community experience. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Charleston, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. With 750+ people already showing interest, this is clearly an event worth adding to your calendar - don't miss out.

## Structured Data (JSON-LD)

```json
[
    {
        "@context": "https://schema.org",
        "@type": "Festival",
        "name": "2026 International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off",
        "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events1/banners/51ef615209fe923c5e178b9d23d17ad9da0e63338ec2ce9fc40970c844003aa7-rimg-w1200-h628-dc080808-gmir?v=1786990306",
        "startDate": "2026-09-12T10:00:00-04:00",
        "url": "https://allevents.in/charleston/2026-international-cowpea-festival-and-cook-off/200030050510612",
        "eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled",
        "location": {
            "@type": "Place",
            "name": "Charleston City Park, Charleston, TN, United States, Tennessee 37310",
            "address": {
                "@type": "PostalAddress",
                "streetAddress": "Charleston City Park, Worth St NE, Charleston, TN 37310, United States",
                "addressLocality": "Charleston",
                "addressRegion": "TN",
                "addressCountry": "US"
            },
            "geo": {
                "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
                "latitude": "35.28268",
                "longitude": "-84.75924"
            }
        },
        "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode",
        "description": "What Is A Cowpea And Why Are We Celebrating It?\nA little-known piece of agricultural history will be celebrated with the International Cowpea Festival & Cook-off returning for its 14th year, to the public park in Charleston, Tennessee. The festival is set for Sept. 12, 2026 beginning at 10 a.m.\n\nAcc",
        "organizer": [
            {
                "@type": "Organization",
                "name": "International Cowpea Festival and Cook-off",
                "url": "https://allevents.in/org/international-cowpea-festival-and-cook-off/24321856"
            }
        ]
    }
]
```