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Obtained a style for journey in 2022?
In that case, a Florida street journey may be so as, particularly in case your hankering contains biting into native tradition and delicacies whereas having fun with music, artwork and a deep dive into the neighborhood you are visiting.
We’re speaking meals festivals, and Florida has them in abundance. From a celebration of mullets — the fish, not the coiffure — in the Panhandle, the place contributors are inspired to play with their meals, to seafood galore in a Southwest Florida fishing city, there’s one thing to go well with any style.
We have picked 15 festivals taking place within the first half of the 12 months, together with small city fundraisers, theme park extravaganzas and plenty of stuff in between. Keep tuned for festivals deliberate in July-December.
SeaWorld Seven Seas Meals Competition
Boasting greater than 200 flavors and 28 concert events, SeaWorld Orlando’s Seven Seas Meals Competition runs Thursday-Sunday from Feb. 4 to Could 8.
Competition concert events embody Vanilla Ice, Flo Rida and Molly Hatchet, and the pageant menu options greater than 50 dishes, plus craft brews, wines and cocktails.
As a bonus, SeaWorld’s Mardi Gras celebration falls throughout the meals fest, from Feb. 25 to March 6, with parades, music and dishes together with beignets and po’boys.
SeaWorld admission is required to take part within the pageant. Eating packages can be found. For extra data, go to seaworld.com/orlando.
— Suzy Fleming Leonard, FLORIDA TODAY
Gainesville Veg Fest
The favored pageant celebrating all issues associated to a plant-based way of life is again for its fifth 12 months in Gainesville’s Depot Park, with music, knowledgeable presenters, cooking demonstrations and extra.
Admission is free and pets are welcome, however parking close to the placement is proscribed.
Veg Fest is about for 10 a.m-3 p.m. Feb. 6 at 874 S.E. Fourth St., Gainesville. Extra data is out there at aplantbaseddiet.org.
Veg Fests are also deliberate for Cape Coral, Charlotte County, Fort Myers, Miami, Naples, Ocala, Sarasota and Bonita Springs.
— Danielle Ivanov, Gainesville Solar
Florida State Honest
When was the final time you went to a good? In the event you’re itching for slightly down-home enjoyable on an epic scale, the Florida State Honest, set for Feb. 10-21 in Tampa, delivers.
Sure, it has the anticipated honest lineup of 4-H and FFA competitions; goat, poultry and cattle exhibits; halfway and carnival rides.
Nevertheless it additionally has a menu stacked with “wild and wacky” meals. The donut canine encompasses a lengthy John Donut full of an all-beef hotdog, applewood bacon and drizzled with icing. A poutine sundae is made with fresh-cut fries topped with cheese curds and lined in gravy. Take it up a notch with sirloin steak.
Company can also pattern a funnel cake taco, a bacon caramel apple, Pop Rock smoothies and deep-fried banana pudding.
The Florida State Honest is at 4800 U.S. 301 N., Tampa. For tickets and extra data, go to floridastatefair.com.
— Suzy Fleming Leonard, FLORIDA TODAY
Everglades Seafood Competition
Head south or west, maintain driving and also you’ll finally hit Everglades Metropolis.
This small fishing city tucked into the nook of Southwest Florida is known for its close by nationwide park, but additionally one of many finer meals festivals each winter within the Sunshine State.
Held Feb. 10-12 this 12 months, the annual occasion attracts 1000’s from all through Florida and past to a city of simply 300 to savor one of the best meals from the ocean, music, carnival video games, rides and extra. And it’s a convention for a lot of to order chilly beer in colourful, plastic Seafood Fest mugs and put on the mugs on their belts or different elements of their clothes (to indicate what number of beers they’ve loved).
It’s about as downhome as you may get.
Based in 1970, the annual occasion returns the cash to the individuals of Everglades Metropolis, organizers say. The pageant is held in entrance of Metropolis Corridor at 102 Copeland Ave. N., Everglades Metropolis. Extra data is out there at evergladesseafoodfestival.org.
— Dave Osborn, Naples Every day Information
St. Barbara Greek Competition “Glendi”
Now in its thirty eighth 12 months, the annual “Glendi” fest in Sarasota options real Greek delicacies and drinks, plus conventional reside music and dancing. The family-friendly occasion is usually held open air and beneath massive, circus-style tents.
The pageant runs 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Feb. 18-19 and noon-6 p.m. Feb. 20 at St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, 7671 Lockwood Ridge Highway, Sarasota. Extra data is out there at stbarbarafestival.org.
— Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Cortez Business Fishing Competition
Seafood, music, libations and nautical artwork will once more be the primary sights at this occasion celebrating its fortieth 12 months within the historic business fishing village of Cortez.
Dotted with business fishing boats, seafood distribution facilities, dockside eating places and historic cottages, Cortez is nestled alongside north Sarasota Bay simply east of Anna Maria Island and south of Tampa Bay.
The occasion might be 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 19-20 at Village of Cortez, 4415 119th St. W., Bradenton. Extra data is out there at cortez-fish.org.
— Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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Venice Italian Feast & Carnival
Venice in Southwest Florida not solely shares a reputation with the famed Italian metropolis, however a severe urge for food for Italian tradition and delicacies.
Pizza, calzones and cannoli are only a few of the tempting meals on the large menu on the thirty third annual occasion offered by the Italian American Membership of Venice that will even embody rides, video games and reside leisure.
The pageant begins at 4 p.m. Feb. 24-25, at at midday Feb. 26-27, at Venice Municipal Airport, 150 Airport Ave E, Venice. Go to for extra data italianamericanclubofvenice.com.
— Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
EPCOT Worldwide Flower & Backyard Competition
The EPCOT Worldwide Meals & Wine Competition will be the biggie on the subject of theme park meals fests, however the Flower & Backyard Competition, set for March 2-July 4, is not any slacker.
As soon as identified solely for intricate topiaries and colourful planting beds all through the park, prior to now 5 or 6 years, EPCOT has sprinkled Disney magic on its meals choices.
As many as 20 outside kitchens will serve suave dishes throughout the pageant, with an emphasis on contemporary fruit and veggies.
Whereas indulging in sips and bites, take a second to sit down in on one of many Backyard Rocks Concert events, with a lineup that features Rick Springfield, Melina León, The Spinners and the Pointer Sisters.
Admission to EPCOT is required to take part within the pageant. Extra data is out there at disneyworld.disney.go.com.
— Suzy Fleming Leonard, FLORIDA TODAY
Florida Strawberry Competition
For 11 days between March 3-13, Plant Metropolis celebrates that candy jewel of Hillsboro Depend fields: the strawberry.
The pageant, which started in 1930, celebrates the annual strawberry harvest and attracts greater than 500,000 guests with music, livestock exhibits, rides, displays and, after all, strawberry shortcake.
Admission is $10, $5 for kids 6-12 and free for kids 5 and youthful. Low cost tickets can be found at Central Florida Publix Tremendous Markets by way of Feb. 3.
This 12 months’s headline leisure, which requires a further ticket, contains the Oak Ridge Boys, Woman A and Boyz II Males.
Extra data is out there at flstrawberryfestival.com.
— Suzy Fleming Leonard, FLORIDA TODAY
Grant Seafood Competition
After taking 2021 off, the fifty fifth Grant Seafood Competition is again and set for 9 a.m.-7 p.m. March 5 and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 6.
For half a century this tiny city on the southern tip of Florida’s House Coast has greater than doubled in dimension as seafood lovers swarm the Grant Seafood Competition honest grounds for meals, music and craft distributors.
Whereas the meals is nice, one of many coolest issues about this weekend celebration is that it is an all-volunteer occasion, and a few of these volunteers have served fried shrimp and hush puppies for the reason that starting. It isn’t unusual to see a number of generations of households working shoulder to shoulder in meals cubicles.
Cash raised on the pageant advantages native charities and faculty scholarships.
Competition grounds are at 4580 First St., Grant. Parking and admission are free. Go to grantseafoodfestival.com for extra data.
— Suzy Fleming Leonard, FLORIDA TODAY
Raglan Highway Mighty St. Patrick’s Competition
The Mighty St. Patrick’s Competition is again at Raglan Highway Irish Pub & Restaurant at Disney Springs in Orlando March 11-17.
Prime Irish bands, flown in for the event, will play and Irish dancers will carry out whereas company pattern an enormous vary of Irish whiskeys, native craft beers and hand-crafted cocktails whereas selecting from the chef’s collection of genuine Irish dishes, together with fresh-caught fish with chips.
Beginning March 11, reservations are inspired. On St. Patrick’s Day solely, March 17, Raglan Highway will open at 10 a.m. with a $20 cowl cost for company 18 and older; (first-come, first-served — no reservations on this present day solely); youthful patrons could enter without cost.
Extra data is out there at raglanroad.com.
— Suzy Fleming Leonard, FLORIDA TODAY
St. Augustine Lions Membership Spring Competition
Occurring within the coronary heart of St. Augustine, the occasion options seafood and different meals distributors, arts and crafts distributors, music, household exhibits and a youngsters’s actions.
This pageant might be 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. March 26 and 10 a.m. to six p.m. March 27 at Francis Area at 25 W. Castillo Drive in downtown St. Augustine. Free parking and a free shuttle might be offered.
The occasion discipline can be a brief stroll from historic websites. Internet income assist charitable causes and folks in want, in line with the group’s web site.
For data go to lionsfestival.com or facebook.com/staugustinelionsfestival.
— Sheldon Gardner, The St. Augustine File
Florida Winefest & Public sale
Going sturdy now for 3 a long time, this important occasion for space oenophiles (and individuals who identical to to celebration in model) usually contains varied tastings, winemakers dinners and public sale dates round downtown Sarasota to lift cash for native deprived youngsters’s charities.
The pageant might be April 22-24 at varied venues throughout Sarasota. Extra data is out there at floridawinefest.org.
— Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Interstate Mullet Toss & Gulf Coast’s Best Seashore Celebration
This annual shindig begins in Florida, however the mullets might be flying all the way in which to Alabama as the long-lasting Flora-Bama in Perdido Key.
Set for April 22-24, mullet tossing begins at 10 a.m., with native celebrities tossing at 4 p.m., every day. It is $15 to toss, and all contributors get a T-shirt. Proceeds profit native charities. When the occasion is over, the mullets are donated to Alligator Alley in Summerdale for gator meals.
Whereas the fish are flying, chill out and luxuriate in a refreshing Bushwhacker, the Flora-Bama’s boozy milk shake, and order a a dozen oysters, some blackened shrimp tacos or a mahi mahi Rueben.
The Flora-Bama Lounge, Package deal & Oyster Bar is at 17401 Perdido Key Drive, Perdido. Extra data is out there at florabama.com/mullet-toss.
— Suzy Fleming Leonard, FLORIDA TODAY
Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Competition
You’ve by no means been to Fernandina Seashore until you’ve been to Fernandina Seashore throughout the Shrimp Competition. This 12 months, it is set for April 29 and Could 1.
The funky little city on the north finish of Amelia Island (and as far north as you may get on Florida’s east coast) embraces its pirate heritage for the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Competition, so named for the eight totally different flags which have flown over the island in its lengthy historical past.
There are pirate contests for youths and adults, a greatest beard contest, a blessing of the shrimp boats ceremony, a parade and sufficient sorts of shrimp to impress even Forrest Gump. Throw in bands taking part in all through the weekend, all the humanities and crafts stuff you count on at an enormous pageant and a children’ enjoyable zone, pack it into just a few blocks of the historic downtown and also you’ve received a can’t-miss pageant.
Extra data is out there at shrimpfestival.com.
— Tom Szaroleta, Florida Occasions-Union
Suzy Fleming Leonard is a veteran options journalist. You’ll be able to attain her by way of e mail at sleonard@floridatoday.com. Or you will discover her on Fb: @SuzyFlemingLeonard or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard
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