Hot Ticket: Fort Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival

The annual foodie celebration kicks off January 19, with an incredible lineup of dinners, classes, and special events all week long

Now that the holidays have passed and season kicks into high gear, it’s time to get out there and embrace the new year! One thing you should add to your calendar STAT: the Visit Fort Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival. Now in its ninth year, the culinary event has partnered with some of the best of the best in hospitality on a ton of unique dinner collaborations, classes and seminars, and fun special events. Proceeds fro the festival benefit Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.

The Dinner Series is already completely sold out, but there are plenty of other experiences to take part in. Sign up for a seminar on whiskey, wine, or pizza and beer pairings on January 20. Enjoy Asian street food and music at the Wok ’N Roll, hosted by celebrity chef Clarice Lam, January 22. Or savor a once-in-a-lifetime barbecue on the beach with celebrity chef Jason Smith on January 23.

On Saturday, January 24, the big event—The Great Tasting—starts at noon at Las Olas Oceanside Park and goes until 4 p.m. Sample bites and sips from dozens of amazing chefs and mixologists (it’s a 21+ event), plus check out live cooking demos throughout the day with chefs including Captain Ron Dimpflmaier, Eddie Jackson, and Richard Blais.

The festival wraps up on Sunday with two parting events: a picnic in the park with live cooking demos, food trucks, vendors, and entertainment and a beachside brunch hosted by Food Network star Chef Nancy Fuller.

We already have The Grand Tasting and the BBQ at the Beach on our schedules—maybe we’ll see you there? We’ll post something from those events later, so follow us on Instagram if you want to see.

Ticket prices vary by event, and they’re selling fast so visit vlfoodwine.com today to pre-purchase.