Food, Wine, And Fete Festival Brings Caribbean Flair And Soca To Miami
Chef Paul, Carla Hill, and Soca Chef King Bubba
Food, Wine, and Fete
If you're looking for an excuse to live your best Caribbean life without leaving the beaches of Miami, this is the festival for you. Miami's premier Caribbean all-inclusive beachside Soca Fete experience, Food, Wine, and Fete is set for Saturday, May 17th, 2025 from 5 to 11 pm at the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park's Grand Pavilion. Back for its third year, this festival offers an immersive journey into the heart of Caribbean culture. It's a sensory explosion that will have you immediately craving an island getaway.
"Food, Wine, and Fete isn't just an event; it's our love letter to the culture that we treasure so dearly,' says Vanessa James, co-founder of Food, Wine, and Fete. 'It's about igniting that longing for home, that yearning for the warmth of our islands, unrivaled anywhere else in the world.'
Miami thrives as a vibrant cultural melting pot, with the Caribbean deeply woven into its heart. From the Bahamians who were instrumental in building the Magic City to the rich tapestry of Little Haiti and the broader Caribbean diaspora flourishing throughout South Florida, Food, Wine, and Fete is immensely proud to be a central hub where Caribbean chefs and culinary innovators have found their festival home.
This annual festival gives these chefs a chance to showcase the brilliance of their food and the electrifying energy of their culture and cuisine. 'We're a small but growing platform, and honestly, we're just so grateful for the chance to really shine a light on these incredible rising stars and the amazing Caribbean diaspora that makes Miami so special,' says James.
The first-of-its-kind all-inclusive Food, Wine, and Fete debuted in 2019 to a sold-out crowd of 500 foodies and Soca aficionados with a similar passion for celebrating Caribbean culture. Now in its third year, Food, Wine, and Fete continues to shine a spotlight on talented chefs, innovative mixologists, and trendsetting tastemakers.
'It's a shared experience, where we all come together as one Caribbean family. From the moment you arrive, you'll be part of something truly special, an interactive celebration that ignites the spirit of our culture. And most importantly, get ready to FETE – to dance, wine, taste, and celebrate the boundless energy that makes us who we are - one incredible diaspora,' says Marcos Rodriguez, co-founder of the festival.
As proud children of the Caribbean, this legacy project is Vanessa and Marcos' unique way of highlighting the diverse Caribbean diaspora and its many touch points including travel, music, food, and live culinary experiences.
'We're elated to see demand for the festival grow and are anticipating welcoming 1000+ patrons to this year's fete experience,' says James. 'We're also excited to partner with Historic Virginia Key Beach Park for the first time as our host location and with LunaLite Drone show technologies, who will light up the Miami sky with their one-of-a-kind drone show to close this year's celebration.'
This year's line up of culinary stars includes James Beard winner, Chef Irie, who will return as this year's culinary ambassador, plus Emmy award-winning chef Simeon Hall, Jr, Troy Tingling of SoulFly Chicken, Barbados-born Paul Griffith, and more.
'Tourism partners and diaspora founders are integral to this experience,' says James. 'We're thrilled to host Pure Grenada for the first time, presenting a delightful array of spice island treasures. Joining us from The Bahamas is chef Simeon Hall Jr., who will lead a live cooking demo featuring a seafood spectacular and in true Food, Wine and Fete signature style, our artists hit the kitchen to cook things up as well, so we're honored to have Trinidadian Soca artist Farmer Nappy join our culinary ambassador Chef Irie during his demo before hitting the stage to perform his hits live.'
The lineup also puts a spotlight on black wine and spirits founders. 'We're excited to welcome back La Fete Rose and, for the first time, Bajan 1966 Rum and Duke & Dame Whiskey are joining the fete'n fun – all three founded by creatives of the diaspora,' says James.
Also new for the 2025 Festival is an official VIP area where patrons can enjoy complimentary gifts, elevated cocktails, premium liquor, and two live chef demos from Chef Paul of Barbados and Chef Kimesha Chong of Trinidad and Tobago.
The driving force behind any true Caribbean fete? Soca! Prepare to move your waistline from the get-go — which will be easy with the Festival's well curated music lineup featuring Farmer Nappy, plus DJ Spice, LL Cool Blaze, EJ Eternal Vibes, and DJ Sinister.
"As we prepare to celebrate 80 years of all things Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, we are excited for the return of Food, Wine & Fete to host an incredible experience celebrating Caribbean culture through its chefs, artists, and community,' says Athalie Edwards, executive director and CEO of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust. 'Through this partnership, we look to celebrate the diverse cultures of South Florida with a focus on community engagement, promoting local tourism and economic growth through the support of international culinary artisans.'
This year, Food Wine & Fete has added a philanthropic arm of the event to support Caribbean creatives, chefs, and businesses of the diaspora, by partnering with the Miami Foundation. Together they've created VJMedia x FWF Culture and Caribbean Leadership Fund.
Tickets for Food, Wine, and Fete are on sale now and can be purchased via Eventbrite starting at $125 and $185 for VIP. The festival has partnered with Hilton Garden Inn Miami Brickell South to provide reduced group rates for those visiting from out of town or those looking to make a staycation adventure out of the weekend.
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