Key West Food & Wine Festival . . . Has anyone been to it?

[thepiranha]

I've read quite a bit about the Key West Food & Wine Festival over the years and I would love to attend it some day. Unfortunately, I live on the opposite side of the country, approximately 3,000 miles away. I bid on an auction package last year that would have included transportation and VIP passes, but I was outbid.

Has anybody been to the festival? What did you think of it? Are you going this year?

[Mountie]

I've read quite a bit about the Key West Food & Wine Festival over the years and I would love to attend it some day. Unfortunately, I live on the opposite side of the country, approximately 3,000 miles away. I bid on an auction package last year that would have included transportation and VIP passes, but I was outbid.

Has anybody been to the festival? What did you think of it? Are you going this year?

We have festivals of some sort almost every weekend somewhere in the Keys. I went to the 2010 Key West Food & Wine Festival and have no plans to return this year or any future year. Although I am not all that experienced with fine wines, I really didn't think the wines which were offered last year were worth the short drive from Key Largo or event fees. The streets were crowded and there was plenty of drinking, but that is the case almost every weekend in Key West.

If you are willing to travel 3,000 miles for wine and food, then go to the South Beach Wine and Food Festival in Miami. I think omegaet attends that event annually and he may have some observations.

[LL_Travelfan]

Here is the website for the Key West Wine and Food Festival for 2011 if you like to find out more about it. http://www.keywestfoodandwinefestiva...ault/index.cfm

[love2travel33]

I am surprised to see the response above. If you are not experienced with fine wine, how can you judge if the wines were worth the trip? I attended last year and had a great time. The Grand Tasting had very fine wines, and the rest of the events were a mix of different styles and price points. The food was also excellent. While there is plenty of drinking in The Keys, this is a unique event in my opinion. It is also very different then South Beach. South Beach has turned into a celebrity event and is very expensive. The Key West Festival was local and much more affordable. VIP Tickets are only $395.00 With Coconut Bowling, Performances by local artists and Shrimp Boils at the old docks, I found the event to be well worth attending. I go to Food and Wine Festivals all over the country and this one really had a laid back, funky feel that I thought was unusual. I would look at the web site and judge for yourself. I moved to Key West a few months ago, but even if I still lived in NYC, I would have attended again.

[omegaet]

I am surprised to see the response above. If you are not experienced with fine wine, how can you judge if the wines were worth the trip? I attended last year and had a great time. The Grand Tasting had very fine wines, and the rest of the events were a mix of different styles and price points. The food was also excellent. While there is plenty of drinking in The Keys, this is a unique event in my opinion. It is also very different then South Beach. South Beach has turned into a celebrity event and is very expensive. The Key West Festival was local and much more affordable. VIP Tickets are only $395.00 With Coconut Bowling, Performances by local artists and Shrimp Boils at the old docks, I found the event to be well worth attending. I go to Food and Wine Festivals all over the country and this one really had a laid back, funky feel that I thought was unusual. I would look at the web site and judge for yourself. I moved to Key West a few months ago, but even if I still lived in NYC, I would have attended again.

love2travel33....welcome to the community.

We had looked at the web site for the Key West Wine & Food Festival earlier and thought about attending mainly because we know Premier and SWS will certainly arrange to have some fine wines poured during the weekend. We hate the drive from South Florida down to Key West (especially during season), so we decided against attending.

As for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (which we have attended since it's original inception on the campus of Florida International University), it has certainly metamorphosed into a much more expensive and celebrity driven event over the years (especially with the TV Food Network taking over as lead sponsor).

We have become more selective in the SoBe events we attend. As a matter of fact, FedEx delivered out tickets yesterday and we're looking forward to attending a number of the not-so-expensive and not-so-crowed seminars involving some interesting wines and accomplished speakers.

Enjoy your Key West event and we will enjoy the SoBe event.

Once again, welcome and hopefully you will become a regular contributor.

[love2travel33]

Thanks. Also, don't get me wrong.. I like the South Beach event and will continue to attend. I just also like the vibe at The Key West event as well. It is smaller and more laid back with more focus on local foods, chefs and island characters. Thanks for the welcome. I have read these boards occasionally for a while but this post made me decide to sign up and say something!

[thepiranha]

Thanks for your input, love2travel and O. I've heard and read a lot about the South Beach Festival, but not very much about the Key West event. Good to hear different opinions about both of them since my wife and I also enjoy attending this sort of event featuring fine dining and fine wines. As a relative veteran to this forum, I have a pretty good idea about some of the contributors, so I weigh the opinions of contributors accordingly. Thanks for your contribution and I hope that you become a regular member of our community. O, how many years have you been attending the South Beach Festival? Do you go to all of the events or do you pick and choose which ones you attend? Are the food and wines ridiculously good?

[omegaet]

Thanks. Also, don't get me wrong.. I like the South Beach event and will continue to attend. I just also like the vibe at The Key West event as well. It is smaller and more laid back with more focus on local foods, chefs and island characters. Thanks for the welcome. I have read these boards occasionally for a while but this post made me decide to sign up and say something!

love2travel33....didn't misunderstand your comments at all and glad you decided to join the rest of us.

Speaking only for myself, it is 'first hand' information on a particular destination, property, event, etc., etc., that keeps us participating in the community.

Up to this point, you are the only one who has provided actual experience for the Key West event.

If you have visited any of the Luxury Link properties, I'm sure all of us would enjoy your impressions. Additionally, if you would care to share information regarding properties, not offered by Luxury Link, that would be beneficial as well.

Have fun at the SoBe.....we are looking forward to attending.

[omegaet]

Thanks for your input, love2travel and O. I've heard and read a lot about the South Beach Festival, but not very much about the Key West event. Good to hear different opinions about both of them since my wife and I also enjoy attending this sort of event featuring fine dining and fine wines. As a relative veteran to this forum, I have a pretty good idea about some of the contributors, so I weigh the opinions of contributors accordingly. Thanks for your contribution and I hope that you become a regular member of our community. O, how many years have you been attending the South Beach Festival? Do you go to all of the events or do you pick and choose which ones you attend? Are the food and wines ridiculously good?

thepiranha....this is the tenth year for the SoBe Wine & Food Festival (it was begun on the campus of Florida International University several years prior to being on the beach location.....so it has been going for probably 15 or so years).

I believe we have only missed attending one year, due to a travel conflict.

No, we have never attempted to attend all of the events...it is almost impossible to do so, due to overlapping schedules of the different events, plus we have a life beyond drinking, eating and parties on South Beach.

Of recent years, some the seminars and certain dinners have been our focus rather than the Grand Tastings, which can get crowded at times. Some of these smaller events have given us the opportunity to interact directly with a number of accomplished wine makers and chefs.....and at the end of the day, we learned a bit and had fun while doing it.

Lee Schrager, the organizer of the SoBe, and his able staff are really to be commended for putting together one of the most diverse wine and food weekends in South Florida....although pricey (as previously mentioned by love2travel33, with a little research and creative shopping, anyone can be entertained without losing their life savings.

[love2travel33]

love2travel33....didn't misunderstand your comments at all and glad you decided to join the rest of us.

Speaking only for myself, it is 'first hand' information on a particular destination, property, event, etc., etc., that keeps us participating in the community.

Up to this point, you are the only one who has provided actual experience for the Key West event.

If you have visited any of the Luxury Link properties, I'm sure all of us would enjoy your impressions. Additionally, if you would care to share information regarding properties, not offered by Luxury Link, that would be beneficial as well.

Have fun at the SoBe.....we are looking forward to attending.

I look forward to getting more involved in the on line community. I need to familiarize myself with the properties offered here more and will be sure to give feedback regarding my experiences. Recently, I spend 4 nights at The Tides in South Beach which I do not believe is one of the properties here. I will say it was an outstanding stay. Large, comfortable rooms with nice amenities and beautiful ocean views were part of the appeal, but the real impact is the service. When I pulled up to valet park, they knew who I was and had already checked me in. From that point forward, it seemed like every staff member knew my name. The level of personalized service was incredible and a welcome change from many places in South Beach. Perhaps it is the smaller size of the hotel, but I had not received this level of service in other places such as The Delano or The Gansvort. I also did not experience the noise issues some review sites talk about, but I had a high floor room. This will become my new home on South Beach.

I look forward to sharing more experiences and learning about other places from all of you.