Your Passport to the Caribbean, Featuring Immersive Activations from Grenada, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, St. Martin/Sint Maarten, and Nevis
Food, Wine & Fete, a Caribbean all-inclusive beachside experience, is set to return to Historic Virginia Key Beach Park on May 16, bringing together regional cuisine, spirits and Soca music for its fourth year.
Produced by Vanessa James Media Productions, the event runs from 5 to 11 p.m. and aims to immerse guests in Caribbean culture through food, music and tourism activations representing multiple islands.
Organizers say this year’s festival leans into a more curated experience, with select tourism boards offering deeper cultural showcases. In the main pavilion, the Grenada Tourism Authority will spotlight “Pure Grenada” with a rum shack, Jab Jab cultural elements and a preview of the island’s SpiceMas Carnival. Grenadian Soca artist V’ghn is scheduled to headline the main stage.
Food, Wine and Fete 2025
Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. will also be featured, promoting the island’s rum heritage through mixology experiences tied to the Barbados Food & Rum Festival later this year. Meanwhile, French Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten will host live cooking demonstrations highlighting its culinary traditions, and the Nevis Tourism Authority will offer attendees a chance to win a trip tied to the island’s annual mango festival.
“When you come to FWF, you’re coming home to everything we love and appreciate about Caribbean culture,” founders Vanessa James and Marcos Rodriguez said in a joint statement. “It’s in our diverse culinary offerings, our world-class spirits, and our beloved Soca.”
The event will also feature a lineup of chefs and culinary creators across multiple activations, including live demos and food pop-ups. Chef Garfield Seivwright Jr. is expected to debut a new Scotch Bonnet sauce line, while returning ambassador Chef Irie will host a demo alongside V’ghn, blending food and music on stage.
Other participating chefs include Alain Lemaire, Paul Griffith, Mimi Charles and Arry, along with emerging brands and local Caribbean restaurants making their debut at the festival.
Beyond food, the experience expands into lifestyle and spirits. A beachside lounge activation from Galavanting with AG will offer a break from the main festivities, while Spirits Avenue will feature a mix of Caribbean staples and international brands, including Haitian-founded Lakai Liquors and The Mighty Sparrow Rum.
The night will close with a drone show by LunaLite Drone Technologies, a returning finale that lights up the Miami skyline.
“Producing this event is truly ‘soul work,’” James said in a press statement. “Our goal is simple: to transport you to the heart of the islands.”
VIP tickets for the event have sold out, while general admission tickets remain available online, starting at $144.70.
This is a Hy-Lo News Staff Report.
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