The third annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is set to take place October 7-10, 2010. The event began three years ago as a one night event and was so successful that it was expanded to a festival the following year. The festival, presented by Food & Wine and Travel + Leisure, was launched by founder and director Lee Brian Schrager of Southern Wine & Spirits of America and consisted of over 80 events. By 2009, the festival grew to over 120 events, including tastings, culinary demonstrations and educational seminars.

The events take place primarily in the trendy Meatpacking District and select landmarks around New York City. The event is the only festival in New York that brings together epicurean legends and television personalities.

This year’s chefs and culinary personalities include Alton Brown, Rachel Ray, Martha Stewart, Bobby Flay, Mashaharu Morimoto and Daniel Boulud, to name a few. Popular winemakers and cocktails experts such as Alessia Antinori and Josh Wesson will also be attending the Columbus Day weekend event.

While the festival is certainly about exploring the culinary world and all of its offerings, 100 percent of the net proceeds will directly benefit the hunger relief organizations Food Bank for New York City and Share Our Strength.

If you’re lucky enough to be in town to catch this year’s Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, here’s a sampling of what you’re in for.

Meatball Madness
Food Network’s Giada De Laurentiis hosts one of the first events of the festival on Thursday, October 7 with an all-star lineup of top-notch chefs cooking up an Italian favorite-meatballs. Participating chefs include Missy Robbins (A Voce), Michael Lomonaco (Porter House New York and Katherine Thompson (L’Artusi), to name a few. October 7, 7-10 p.m. Tickets are $200 per personPanel Discussion, Get Real, Go Local, Demand Organic
Author and CEO of Rodale Inc., Maria Rodale, teams up with author Nina Planck and Chef Michel Nischan to answer all of your questions about local, pure and sustainable food. The trio will discuss the popular organic movement and how it can be easily implemented into your everyday life. October 9, 3 - 4 p.m. Tickets are $20.