Local restaurants, bars, breweries, and cafes are invited to participate in Western North Carolina AIDS Project's (WNCAP) Dining Out For Life, taking place on Thursday, April 30th, 2026!

WNCAP's Dining Out For Life, now in its 24th year, is an annual fundraising event where local restaurants, cafés, bars, and bakeries open their doors for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner on one special day in April to help raise money for those impacted by HIV in our region. With the help of WNCAP Dining Out for Life Volunteer Ambassadors who provide fundraiser information and donation options, patrons are given the opportunity to support Western North Carolina AIDS Project's life-saving work. 

In the months leading up to the event, WNCAP staff, community partners, volunteers, and event business sponsors collaborate to showcase restaurant participation via print, digital, radio, television, and social media advertising. This vigorous promotion drives customers to Participating Restaurants on the last Thursday in April for the single most important day of HIV fundraising in our region.

Since its inception over thirty years ago, Dining Out For Life has raised millions across the US and Canada to help those impacted by HIV/AIDS. Today, the southeastern region of the United States remains the most highly impacted by HIV, with North Carolina ranking 10th out of 50 states for HIV transmission rates. Join us in the fight for an end to new HIV transmissions in WNC!

Traditionally, Dining out for Life Participating Restaurants donate 20% of event day sales to WNCAP. This year, because we know many businesses are still rebuilding from Hurricane Helene, we have decided to give 2026 Participating Restaurants the option of donating 5%, 10%, or 20% of event day sales in support of WNCAP's life-saving programs and services. 

Additionally, restaurants that register quickly to participate in Dining Out For Life 2026 have the option to include their restaurant details in the 2026 Dining Out For Life restaurant guide, published as an insert in Mountain Xpress' early April issue.

Inclusion of participating restaurants' logos, physical addresses, short description of cuisine, and reservation details are included in the printed restaurant guide. See an example of the restaurant guide HERE. 

Logo and blurb inclusion in the restaurant guide is based on a first-come-first-serve basis and is limited to the first 44 restaurants to indicate their interest on the 2026 Restaurant Participation registration form. (All other participating restaurants will have their names listed without logo or additional restaurant details in the print guide.) The deadline for inclusion in the print restaurant guide is March 1.

Finally, our Dining Out For Life Restaurant Ambassador program will provide fully trained WNCAP representatives to Participating Restaurants who would like to have them. These Volunteer Ambassadors are responsible for helping to fill your restaurant with patrons on event day, and they will be on site during the fundraiser to engage with diners so that your wait staff can focus on doing what they do best: creating exceptional dining experiences.

Please join our growing list of participating restaurants by clicking the link below. (This year's deadline to sign up to be a participating restaurant is April 15, 2026. The deadline for inclusion in the Mountain Xpress Restaurant Guide insert is March 1, 2026 )

Learn more about Dining Out For Life HERE.

DINE OUT. END HIV.