Inaugural Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival Launches April 2023

TAMPA, FL. – Dec. 6, 2022 – From the creators of the nationally acclaimed South Beach Seafood Festival and producers of the annual Las Olas Wine and Food Festival, the inaugural Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival (TAMPABAYWFF) is officially set to electrify the city with demonstrations of culinary greatness and first-class entertainment, presented by Breakthru Beverage Florida and it's partners. From Wednesday, April 12 through Saturday, April 15, the four-day foodie festival will showcase the Tampa Bay area's culinary genius, featuring the region's most notable chefs and celebrated restaurants from Tampa, St. Petersburg, and more.

CI Management, the team behind some of South Florida's leading wine and food festivals and experiences (including the South Beach Seafood Festival which recently celebrated its 10^th anniversary), is ready to shine a spotlight on the best restaurants and creative talent of the Tampa Bay area with a series of events and celebrations, all in support of Community Initiatives' annual EAT SMART campaign that engages the future hospitality leaders of the area.

The inaugural Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival consists of four separate ticketed events taking place throughout the week. The festivities kick off on Wednesday, April 12 with "An Evening on the Bay," a surf n' turf experience fit for the ultimate foodie. The following evening, guests will gather at one of the area's most stunning outdoor dining destinations for "Experience Hyde Park," where the festival has partnered with 4 different restaurants where guests will select their destination and delight in a unique four-course pairing dinner at their favorite hot spot. Next up, the legendary "Chef Showdown" competition makes its way to Florida's west coast on Friday as Tampa Bay's top chefs gear up for an exciting night of ultimate cook-offs. Attendees will serve as judges as they indulge in endless dishes and refreshing cocktails to select their champions. On Saturday, the final day of the festival, ticket holders will head to Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park for an afternoon at the "Grand Tasting," where an extensive array of flavor-packed bites and refreshing libations from Tampa Bay's leading restaurants await paired with internationally recognized wine, cocktail, and brewery experiences set for a VIP.

"As the honorary chef host, I am honored to help bring this event to the Tampa Bay area to celebrate Tampa, St. Petersburg, and all our surrounding area restaurateurs", says Chef Sean Brasel, Executive Chef and part owner of Meat Market.

"We are ecstatic to bring an unforgettable four days of fun and food to the Tampa Bay area to spotlight the Tampa Bay area's leading chefs and booming restaurant community," said Valerie Roy, Director of Marketing and Client Strategy at CI Management, the team behind the Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival. "Our production team, as well as the culinary visionaries involved in the festival, have crafted an impressive lineup of events that reflect the spirit of the region through its gastronomical offerings and we look forward to the start of this annual event that will bring locals and tourists to join together in celebration of the area."

In addition to celebrating regional culinary talent, the festival supports CI Foundation's EAT SMART program, a 501 ©(3) nonprofit program that provides healthy meals and nutritional guidance to the local community and Florida's youth through programs in our event destinations local school systems and partner education non-profits. Since its launch, the program has raised over $1 million for several South Florida non-profit organizations.

Pre-sale Tickets are Available to the Four-Day Culinary Extravaganza Kicking Off on April 12 and Culminating with an All-Day Grand Tasting at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park on April 15.

Inaugural Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival Event Schedule

DAY 1: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 7 PM – AN EVENING ON THE BAY

Join festival VIPs with an intimate evening on the bay in Tampa. Guests will enjoy the ultimate surf n' turf experience at one of Tampa Bay's leading restaurants paired with a master of wines that will walk guests through a unique, four-course wine pairing with a portfolio exclusive to California, presented by Breakthru Beverage and partners. Get ready as this will be one dinner that will not be missed and will sell out quickly!

Tickets: Tickets will be announced soon.

Where: Announcement coming soon!!!!

DAY 2: THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 7 PM – EXPERIENCE HYDE PARK

Escape into the modern oasis of Tampa's beloved outdoor destination, Hyde Park Village, for this one-of-a-kind evening. Guests will select one of the four partner culinary destinations that have opened their doors to create a succulent, four-course dining experience. Get ready to enjoy and experience the incredible restaurants of Hyde Park. The festival's Selected restaurant partners are Meat Market Tampa, Forbici, Timpano, and a unique interactive chef experience will be available at Sur La Table. 

Tickets: $100-$250. Tickets for each restaurant's dinners will be announced soon.

Where: 1602 W. Snow Ave., Tampa, FL

DAY 3: FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 7 PM – CHEF SHOWDOWN

A fan favorite in South Beach, the Chef Showdown is now set to be a major event on the West Coast. Celebrate Tampa Bay's top chefs with an evening of competitive culinary cook-offs, where 14 chefs will battle head-to-head in seven unique showdowns and guests judge their culinary prowess. Throughout the night, guests will visit their sampling pavilions, sip, sample, and vote their favorite chef in each battle before the chefs take the main stage for high energy and over the top entertaining live demos. Special VIP guest judges will be on hand to assist on the main stage and award the best chef in each battle. Live music, interactive mixology experiences, and ultimate fun, this is a VIP night where YOU ARE THE JUDGE at Curtis Hixon Park!

Tickets: $150 (Pre-sale thru 12/31: $99)

Where: Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Dr., Tampa, FL

DAY 4: SATURDAY APRIL 5, 1 PM – GRAND TASTING 

The Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival culminates with an exclusive Grand Tasting Day, as thousands of event goers will join for an afternoon of mouth watering food, drinks and live entertainment. Taking over the full festival grounds at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, guests will come together to enjoy flavor-packed dishes from the Tampa Bay area's leading restaurants, set up by neighborhood and zones to educate guests on where to find their favorite hot spots after the Grand Tasting Day. In addition, guests will find an endless array of cocktail and wine pavilions with interactive experiences and activations from leading international brands, presented by Breakthru Beverage Florida.

Tickets: $99 (Inaugural Year Pricing; Pre-sale thru 12/31: $75)

Where: Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N. Ashley Dr., Tampa, FL

The inaugural TampaBayWFF is brought to you by Breakthru Beverage Florida, presented by GOYA Foods, and hosted by Celebrity Cruises, Cadillac, and Demesmin & Dover Law Firm to date. More sponsors and partners to be announced shortly.

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