Florida food festivals
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Florida’s food festivals combine the excitement of celebrations with the fresh taste of local foods. "The best places to find the heart and soul of tasty Florida fare is in the multitude of local food festivals held throughout the year in the state’s pleasant and welcoming climate." (Steinbacher, Joan. Food Fest! Your Complete Guide to Florida's Food Festivals. ISBN 0-9779846-0-5.)
Florida events include traditional food festivals honoring a crop grown or seafood harvested in the region, chili and barbecue cookoffs, and "Taste Of" events featuring signature dishes of various restaurants. Festival length varies—from one-day affairs to a week or more. They feature a variety of activities and many festival proceeds go to charity.
| Month | Festival Name | City | County | Food |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 99.9 Kiss Country Regional Chili Cookoff | Pembroke Pines | Broward | Chili |
| 1 | Goodland Mullet Festival | Marco Island | Collier | Seafood, Mullet |
| 1 | Naples Winter Wine Festival | Naples | Collier | Wine |
| 1 | Buckhead Ridge Catfish Festival | Buckhead Ridge | Glades | Seafood, Catfish |
| 1 | Central Florida BBQ Festival | Sebring | Highlands | |
| 1 | Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival | Fellsmere | Indian River | Wild game |
| 1 | Taste of Pine Island | Pine Island | Lee | Various |
| 1 | Florida Keys Seafood Festival | Key West | Monroe | Seafood |
| 1 | Great Southern Gumbo Cook-off | Sandestin | Okaloosa | Gumbo |
| 1 | Sunshine Regional Chili Cook-Off | Kissimmee | Osceola | Chili |
| 1 | Kumquat Festival | Dade City | Pasco | Kumquat |
| 1 | Fine Wine & Food Festival | Oldsmar | Pinellas | |
| 1 | Jim's Chili Cookoff | St Petersburg | Pinellas | Chini |
| 1 | Lakeland Pig Festival | Lakeland | Polk | |
| 1 | Florida Citrus Festival | Winter Haven | Polk | |
| 2 | Grant Seafood Festival | Grant | Brevard | Seafood |
| 2 | Titusville Sunrise Rotary Club Chili Cookoff | Titusville | Brevard | |
| 2 | Taste of the Beach (Lauderdale-By-The-Sea) | Lauderdale-By-The-Sea | Broward | |
| 2 | Everglades Seafood Festival | Everglades | Collier | Seafood |
| 2 | 'Do It At The Line' Super Chili Bowl Cookoff | Pensacola | Escambia | Chili |
| 2 | Sour Orange Festival | Lakeport | Glades | Orange |
| 2 | Grillin & Chillin on Main Wauchula | Wauchula | Hardee | BBQ |
| 2 | Swamp Cabbage Festival | La Belle | Hendry | Swamp cabbage |
| 2 | Plant City Arts Council Chili Cookoff | Plant City | Hillsborough | Chili |
| 2 | Taste of Chocolate Festival | Plant City | Hillsborough | Chocolate |
| 2 | Einstein on Wine | Tampa | Hillsborough | Wine |
| 2 | Flan Fest | Tampa | Hillsborough | Flan |
| 2 | Lakeridge Winefest | Clermont | Lake | Wine |
| 2 | Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival | Cortez | Manatee | |
| 2 | South Beach Wine and Food Festival | Miami | Miami-Dade | |
| 2 | Chili in the Village Regional Cookoff | Pinecrest | Miami-Dade | Chili |
| 2 | Florida Keys Regional Cookoff | Key Largo | Monroe | Various |
| 2 | Firefight at Spanish Springs | The Villages | Lake, Sumter | |
| 2 | Delray Beach Garlic Fest | Delray Beach | Palm Beach | Garlic |
| 2 | 'Smoke on the Water' BBQ | Winter Haven | Polk | BBQ |
| 2 | San Sebastian Winefest | St Augustine | St Johns | Wine |
| 3 | The Big Squeeze | Palm Bay | Brevard | Orange |
| 3 | A Sip of Wine...A Taste of Heaven | Pembroke Pines | Broward | Wine |
| 3 | Placida Rotary Seafood Festival | Placida | Charlotte | Seafood |
| 3 | Floral City Strawberry Festival | Floral City | Citrus | Strawberry |
| 3 | Naples Country Jam Chili Cookoff | Naples | Collier | Chili |
| 3 | Hog Wild and Pig Crazy Barbecue Cook-off | Lake City | Columbia | BBQ, Pork |
| 3 | Backyard BBQ Blast | Jacksonville | Duval | BBQ |
| 3 | Great Atlantic Seafood Festival | Jacksonville Beach | Duval | Seafood |
| 3 | Beulah Sausage Festival | Pensacola | Escambia | Sausage |
| 3 | Gulf Coast Regional Chili Cookoff | Eastpoint | Franklin | Chili |
| 3 | Florida Strawberry Festival | Plant City | Hillsborough | Strawberry |
| 3 | Denning's Lounge Chili Cookoff | Tampa | Hillsborough | Chili |
| 3 | Florida Brewers Guild BeerFest | Tampa | Hillsborough | Beer |
| 3 | Steve Otto Chili Cook-off | Tampa | Hillsborough | Chili |
| 3 | Astor Chamber Of Commerce Chili Cook-off | Astor | Lake | Chili |
| 3 | Pig on the Pond | Clermont | Lake | Pork |
| 3 | Estero High Key Club Chili Cookoff | Estero | Lee | Chili |
| 3 | Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival | Fort Myers Beach | Lee | Seafood, Shrimp |
| 3 | Cactus Jack's Chili Cookoff | Salt Springs | Marion | Chili |
| 3 | Coral Gables Wine & Food Festival | Coral Gables | Miami-Dade | Wine |
| 3 | Miami Wine and Food Festival | Miami | Miami-Dade | Wine |
| 3 | Marathon Seafood Festival | Marathon | Monroe | Seafood |
| 3 | Speckled Perch Festival | Okeechobee | Okeechobee | Seafood, Fish |
| 3 | Top Of The Lake BBQ Affair | Okeechobee | Okeechobee | BBQ |
| 3 | Boca Bacchanal Winefest | Boca Raton | Palm Beach | Wine |
| 3 | Cajun Cafe on the Bayou Crawfish Festival | Pinellas Park | Pinellas | |
| 3 | Chili Blaze | Pinellas Park | Pinellas | Chili |
| 3 | Safety Harbor Seafood Festival (formerly Harbor Sounds Seafood & Music Festival) | Safety Harbor | Pinellas | Seafood |
| 3 | Cajun Zydeco Crawfish Festival | St Petersburg | Pinellas | |
| 3 | Bluegrass & BBQ Festival | Auburndale | Polk | BBQ |
| 3 | Englewood Beach / Burr Smidt Memorial Chili Cookoff | Englewood | Sarasota | Chili |
| 3 | Florida Sunshine Pod Cookoff | Englewood | Sarasota | |
| 3 | St. Augustine Lions Seafood Festival | St Augustine | St Johns | Seafood |
| 4 | National Shrimp and Oyster Festival | Panama City | Bay | Seafood Shrimp, Oyster |
| 4 | Bradford County Strawberry Festival | Starke | Bradford | Strawberry |
| 4 | New Times Beerfest | Fort Lauderdale | Broward | Beer |
| 4 | Pompano Beach Seafood Festival | Pompano Beach | Broward | Seafood |
| 4 | 'Make it Mild or Make it Wild' Chili Cook-off | Jacksonville | Duval | Chili |
| 4 | A Taste of the Coast An Artful Affair | Port Saint Joe | Gulf | Various |
| 4 | Sugar Festival | Clewiston | Hendry | Sugar |
| 4 | Spring Jubilee Chili Cook-off | Riverview | Hillsborough | Chili |
| 4 | Bern's Winefest | Tampa | Hillsborough | Wine |
| 4 | Spring Fish Fry | Leesburg | Lake | Seafood, Fish |
| 4 | Celebrate Bonita District Chili Cookoff | Bonita Springs | Lee | Chili |
| 4 | Taste of the Islands | Sanibel | Lee | Various |
| 4 | Florida Wine Festival | Tallahassee | Leon | Wine |
| 4 | Taste of Key West | Key West | Monroe | Various |
| 4 | Boggy Barbecue Cookoff | Niceville | Okaloosa | BBQ |
| 4 | Sandestin Wine Festival | Sandestin | Okaloosa | Wine |
| 4 | Rajuncajun Crawfish Festival | Orlando | Orange | Seafood, Crawfish |
| 4 | Great American Pie Festival | Orlando | Osceola | Pie |
| 4 | Cajun Blues Crawfish Festival | Palm Beach | Palm Beach | Seafood, Crawfish |
| 4 | Sweet Corn Fiesta | West Palm Beach | Palm Beach | Corn |
| 4 | St. Johns River Catfish Festival | Crescent City | Putnam | Seafood, Catfish |
| 4 | Florida Winefest & Auction | Sarasota | Sarasota | Wine |
| 4 | A Taste of St. Augustine | St Augustine | St Johns | Various |
| 4 | An Evening with EPIC Chefs | St Augustine | St Johns | Various |
| 4 | Rhythm and Ribs Festival | St Augustine | St Johns | BBQ Ribs |
| 4 | Shrimp Fest | Ponce Inlet | Volusia | Seafood, Shrimp |
| 4 | Taste of New Tampa | Tampa | Hillsborough | Various |
| 5 | Windsor Zucchini Festival | Gainesville | Alachua | Zucchini |
| 5 | Newberry Watermelon Festival | Newberry | Alachua | Watermelon |
| 5 | Las Olas Wine and Food Festival | Fort Lauderdale | Broward | Wine |
| 5 | Taste of Collier | Naples | Collier | Various |
| 5 | Arcadia Watermelon Festival | Arcadia | DeSota | Watermelon |
| 5 | World of Nations Celebration | Jacksonville | Duval | Various |
| 5 | Pensacola Crawfish Creole Fiesta | Pensacola | Escambia | Seafood, Crawfish |
| 5 | Tupelo Honey Festival | Wewahitchka | Gulf | Honey |
| 5 | Ruskin Tomato Festival | Ruskin | Hillsborough | Tomato |
| 5 | BBQfest | Tampa | Hillsborough | BBQ |
| 5 | Indian River County Firefighters' Chili Cookoff | Vero Beach | Indian River | Chili |
| 5 | Taste of Mount Dora | Mount Dora | Lake | Various |
| 5 | Biltmore International Food & Wine Weekend | Coral Gables | Miami-Dade | Various |
| 5 | Isle Of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival | Fernandina Beach | Nassau | Seafood, Shrimp |
| 5 | Zellwood Sweet Corn Festival | Zellwood | Orange | Corn |
| 5 | Smoke ‘n Blues BBQ | St Cloud | Osceola | BBQ |
| 5 | Cotee River Seafood Festival and Boat Show | New Port Richey | Pasco | Seafood |
| 5 | Palatka Blue Crab Festival | Palatka | Putnam | Seafood, Crab |
| 5 | Daytona Beach Bayou Boil | Daytona Beach | Volusia | Cajun |
| 5 | Deland Wild Game Feast | Deland | Volusia | Wild Game |
| 5 | Panacea Blue Crab Festival | Panacea | Wakulla | Seafood, Crab |
| 6 | A World of Dreams Epicurean Feast | Jacksonville | Duval | Various |
| 6 | Food Fight | Jacksonville | Duval | Various |
| 6 | Jefferson County Watermelon Festival | Monticello | Jefferson | Fruit, Watermelon |
| 6 | Fort Myers Taste Of The Beach | Fort Myers Beach | Lee | Seafood |
| 6 | Chiefland Watermelon Festival | Chiefland | Levy | Fruit, Watermelon |
| 6 | Florida Keys Tropical Fruit Fiesta | Marathon | Monroe | Fruit |
| 6 | Northeast Florida Blueberry Festival | Callahan | Nassau | Fruit, Blueberry |
| 6 | Taste of Boynton | Boynton Beach | Palm Beach | Vartious |
| 6 | Taste of Pinellas | St Petersburg | Pinellas | Various |
| 6 | Bostwick Blueberry Festival | Bostwick | Putnam | Fruit, Blueberry |
| 6 | Wellborn Blueberry Festival | Wellborn | Suwannee | Fruit, Blueberry |
| 6 | Shores Wine and Food Festival | Daytona Beach | Volusia | |
| 6 | Panhandle Watermelon Festival | Chipley | Washington | Fruit, Watermelon |
| 7 | Folio Weekly Beer & Music Festival | Jacksonville | Duval | Beer |
| 7 | Mangomania Tropical Fruit Fair | Pine Island | Lee | Fruit |
| 7 | Clamerica Celebration | Cedar Key | Levy | Seafood, Clam |
| 7 | International Mango Festival | Coral Gables | Miami-Dade | Fruit, Mango |
| 7 | Key West Food and Wine Festival | Key West | Monroe | Various |
| 7 | Gavel & Grapes Festival | Tarpon Springs | Pinellas | Fruit, Grape |
| 8 | Gulf County Scallop Festival | Port Saint Joe | Gulf | Seafood, Scallop |
| 8 | WaZoo | Tampa | Hillsborough | Various |
| 8 | San Sebastian Harvest Festival & Grape Stomp | St Augustine | St Johns | Fruit, Grape |
| 9 | Fall Seafood and Pirate Fest | Panama City | Bay | Seafood |
| 9 | Q-Fest BBQ & Music Festival | Grant | Brevard | BBQ |
| 9 | Taste of Weston | Fort Lauderdale | Broward | Various |
| 9 | Hollywood Beach Clambake | Hollywood | Broward | Seafood, Clam |
| 9 | Florida Barbecue Association Funcook | Crystal River | Citrus | BBQ |
| 9 | Emerald Coast Brew Fest & Beach Party | Pensacola | Escambia | Beer |
| 9 | Pensacola Seafood Festival | Pensacola | Escambia | Seafood |
| 9 | Sebastian Clambake Lagoon Festival | Sebastian | Indian River | Seafood, Clam |
| 9 | Seafood & Mini Wine Fest | Sandestin | Okaloosa | Seafood |
| 9 | Florida Cracker Oyster Festival | Orlando | Orange | Seafood, Oyster |
| 9 | Taste of Clearwater | Clearwater | Pinellas | Various |
| 9 | 'I Like It Hot!' Festival & Barbecue | Largo | Pinellas | BBQ |
| 9 | Sun-N-Fun RV Resort Chili Cookoff | Sarasota | Sarasota | Chili |
| 10 | Indian Summer Seafood Festival | Panama City Beach | Bay | Seafood |
| 10 | Hospice Chili Cookoff | Wilton Manors | Broward | Chili |
| 10 | Southeast Chili Cookoff | Homosassa | Citrus | Chili |
| 10 | Waterfront Chili Cookoff | Homosassa | Citrus | Chili |
| 10 | Caring Chefs | Jacksonville | Duval | Various |
| 10 | Hernando County BBQ & Rodeo Festival | Brooksville | Hernando | BBQ |
| 10 | Hernando Beach Seafood Festival | Hernando Beach | Hernando | Seafood |
| 10 | Taste at Bay Street | Tampa | Hillsborough | Various |
| 10 | Minneola Fall Fest BBQ Contest | Minneola | Lake | BBQ |
| 10 | Cedar Key Seafood Festival | Cedar Key | Levy | Seafood |
| 10 | Central Florida Peanut Festival | Williston | Levy | Peanut |
| 10 | Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival | Bradenton | Manatee | Pumpkin |
| 10 | Stone Crab, Seafood, and Wine Festival | Longboat Key | Manatee | Seafood, Stone Crab |
| 10 | Belleview Chili Cook-off | Belleview | Marion | Chili |
| 10 | Marion County Chili Cook-Off | Ocala | Marion | Chili |
| 10 | Chocolate Festival | Coral Gables | Miami-Dade | Chocolate |
| 10 | Stone Crab Fest | Summerland Key | Monroe | Seafood, Stone Crab |
| 10 | Destin Seafood Festival | Destin | Okaloosa | Seafood |
| 10 | Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival | Niceville | Okaloosa | Seafood, Mullet |
| 10 | Epcot International Food & Wine Festival | Orlando | Orange | Various |
| 10 | Frenchy's Stone Crab Festival | Clearwater Beach | Pinellas | Seafood, Stone Crab |
| 10 | John's Pass Seafood Festival | Madeira Beach | Pinellas | Seafood |
| 10 | Taste of Plant City | Plant City | Pinellas | Various |
| 10 | Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art Stone Crab Fest | Tarpon Springs | Pinellas | Seafood, Stone Crab |
| 10 | Mulberry Fine Swine At The Pit | Mulberry | Polk | BBQ Pork |
| 10 | Gabbert Farm Peanut Festival | Jay | Santa Rosa | Peanut |
| 10 | Great Bowls of Fire Chili Cookoff | Deland | Volusia | Chili |
| 11 | First Coast Ham Jam | Green Cove Springs | Clay | Pork |
| 11 | Florida Seafood Festival | Apalachicola | Franklin | Seafood |
| 11 | Plant City Pig Jam | Plant City | Hillsborough | Pork |
| 11 | Ruskin Seafood Festival | Ruskin | Hillsborough | Seafood |
| 11 | Zoofari | Tampa | Hillsborough | Various |
| 11 | Leesburg Chili Cook-Off | Leesburg | Lake | Chili |
| 11 | Fort Myers Taste of the Town | Fort Myers | Lee | Various |
| 11 | Tallahassee Wine and Food Festival | Tallahassee | Leon | |
| 11 | Taste of Manatee | Bradenton | Manatee | |
| 11 | Jensen Beach Pineapple Festival | Jensen Beach | Martin | Fruit, Pineapple |
| 11 | Orlando Beer Festival | Orlando | Orange | Beer |
| 11 | Palm Beach County Firefighters/Paramedics M.D.A. Chili Cookoff | Lake Worth | Palm Beach | Chili |
| 11 | Hudson Seafest | Hudson | Pasco | Seafood |
| 11 | Land O' Lakes Flapjack Festival | Land O Lakes | Pasco | Pancake |
| 11 | Chiliblast | Clearwater | Pinellas | Chili |
| 11 | Dunedin Wines the Blues | Dunedin | Pinellas | Wine |
| 11 | Taste of Gulfport | Gulfport | Pinellas | |
| 11 | Safety Harbor Wine Festival | Safety Harbor | Pinellas | Wine |
| 11 | Ribfest | St Petersburg | Pinellas | BBQ Ribs |
| 12 | Beefcember Fest | Starke | Bradford | Beef |
| 12 | Death By Chocolate | Largo | Pinellas | Chocolate |
| 12 | Cheesecake Challenge | St Augustine | St Johns | Cheesecake |
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- Steinbacher, Joan. Food Fest! Your Complete Guide to Florida's Food Festivals. ISBN 0-9779846-0-5.
