St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival adds all-inclusive food-and-drink tickets

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The third annual St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival, named “One of Florida’s Top 10 Food & Wine Festivals” by USA Today, will take place May 3-7.

The festival, presented by Publix GreenWise Market, will once again be a showcase of culinary, beverage and culture that highlights celebrity guest chefs, local chefs, celebrity winemakers/proprietors, live music, artisans, farmers, local craft spirits and beers, along with renowned wine, spirits and beer brands from around the globe.

New this year, tickets include unlimited beverage and culinary tasting tickets for all events.

According to festival organizers, “Attendees like paying one price for a ticket that includes everything, all culinary and beverage tastings — and access to all the activation areas and stages. Every festival event ticket now includes culinary and beverage tastings.”

Celebrity guest chefs were recently announced for this year's festival.

Chef Brother Luck, BRAVO TV, Top Chef winner, will participate in several of the festival’s events. He will be the celebrity guest judge for the Harvest Awards event on May 4, and guests will be able to taste some of his creations from his restaurant, Four by Brother Luck, which showcases seasonal cuisine in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Luck will also host a master class at `10 a.m. May 6 and will do a cooking demonstration on the Publix Cooking Demo Stage on May 6 at the Main Event.

Jernard Wells is an award-winning TV host/celebrity chef/bestselling cookbook author and will participate on the Publix Cooking Demo Stage on May 6. He is the host of "New Soul Kitchen" and “New Soul Kitchen Remix” on CLEO TV. He is a contributor on "The Best Things I Ever Ate" on Cooking Channel and on "Food Fantasies" on Oprah Winfrey Network.

The World Golf Hall of Fame and the official hotel partner, World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort, are the host location sites for the 2023 festival, located 20 minutes north of historic downtown St. Augustine and the beaches. Events in St. Augustine’s historic district will take place at San Sebastian Winery and the Lightner Museum. The festival is being made possible in part by support from St. Johns Cultural Council and a 2023 St. Johns County Tourist Development Grant.

Here’s a look at the St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival schedule of events. Note that this schedule is subject to change.

Wednesday, May 3

“River Walk Tastings” in the historic district at San Sebastian Winery and the Homewood Suites St. Augustine San Sebastian, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., souvenir glass, with trolley shuttle, live music and food and drink tastings at both venues. The progressive tasting tours begin at San Sebastian Winery.

Thursday, May 4

Premium Wine Tasting and “Harvest Awards,” Lightner Museum, 75 King St., St. Augustine. The wine lover’s ultimate tasting event with premium wines and showcase wine pairings, along with the festival’s select official beverages — souvenir crystal wine glass included. The historic Lightner Museum, which is the centerpiece of St. Augustine’s historic district, provides the elegant backdrop to tasting wines from around the world and sampling some of Northeast Florida’s best restaurants.

Friday, May 5

“Cinco de Mayo Tacos & Tequila,” 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., presented by Publix and Mijenta Tequila at the World Golf Hall of Fame courtyard patio. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a festive selection of tacos and signature tequila drinks.

“Smoke on the Walk,” presented by Sysco, the Florida Times-Union and the St. Augustine Record. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. World Golf Hall of Fame, 1 World Golf Place, St. Augustine. This is a showcase of the Southeast’s most celebrated pitmasters and grill masters with wine, beer and spirits along the Walk of Champions and live music from Remedy Tree. Unlimited beverage tastings in a souvenir glass, along with grilled, smoked and roasted gourmet barbecue bites — all included with ticket price. Free parking. This is a 21-and-older-only event. No pets allowed.

Saturday, May 6

Cooking with Brother Luck, BRAVO TV: 10-11 a.m., Top Chef Master Class, World Golf Hall of Fame Museum Tower.

“Rioja in the 21st Century,” with Ana Fabiano, World Golf Hall of Fame Museum Tower. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Rioja is world-class and recognized as one of the five greatest red wine regions in the world. Travel to Rioja through the glass and guide of Ana Fabiano, noted Rioja wine expert and author of the award-winning book, “The Wine Region of Rioja.” This European wine region embodies ancient, classic and modern grape growing and wine making that is steeped in both heritage, tradition and cutting-edge innovation. This class and tasting will range from whites to aged reds and will educate, entertain and empower your palate and wine experience in life. Tasting bites will be paired these exquisite wines.

St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival Main Event, 2-5 p.m. Walk of Champions, World Golf Hall of Fame, 1 World Golf Place, St. Augustine.

New for 2023 is an all-inclusive food-and-drink tasting ticket.

This is a fun afternoon of culinary and beverage tastings with live music in the beautiful lakefront surroundings of the Walk of Champions, the centerpiece of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Tickets include a souvenir cup for unlimited beverage tastings from hundreds of wine, beer and spirit exhibitors. There will be artisans, the Publix Cooking Demo Stage, the Jacksonville Magazine Music Stage with Chillula, Edible Northeast magazine’s People’s Choice Harvest Awards presented by Sysco and more.

Publix Cooking Demo Stage, presented by The Local Palate magazine schedule:

  • 2:15-3 p.m., Ansley Kinchen, senior managing chef, Publix Aprons Cooking School
  • 3:15-3:45 p.m., Brother Luck, award-winning chef/author and TV personality
  • 4-4:30 p.m., Sysco Team
  • 4:30-5 p.m., Jernard Wells, award-winning chef/author and TV personality.

“The Jazz Brunch,” 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. St. Johns County Convention Center, 500 S. Legacy Trail, St. Augustine. This is a family-friendly event.

The Jazz Brunch is one like no other with an all-inclusive-priced ticket featuring live music, brunch buffet with carving station, indulgent sides, made-to-order omelet station, seafood station and a variety of desserts. Bloody Mary bar, champagne, mimosas and a host of unlimited beverage stations from the festival’s partners include wine, beer, spirits beverage tasting stations inside the brunch — coffee, iced tea and soft drinks included.

The most up-to-date festival information is available at staugustinefoodandwinefestival.com and the festival’s social media channels: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.