The Grand Tasting will take place on Nov. 8 at the Whiskey Wine and Wildlife Festival. Jan Gourley, founder and director of the festival, said The Grand Tasting is a hotel takeover at the Hyatt Place in St. Augustine and Vilano Beach that celebrates the culinary world and protecting Florida’s wildlife. There, guests can experience award-winning restaurant tastings and world-class tasting of wines, beers and spirits.
The Grand Tasting will be both indoors and at the outdoor veranda with a street party continuing on Loja Street and live music by Laiken Love & The Fellowship of Love band and DJ, Mr. Natural. The festival tickets include unlimited culinary and beverage tasting and a souvenir wine glass.
Not only is The Grand Tasting fun, but it gives back to the community. The proceeds for the silent auction go to Vilano Beach Main Street, the mission of which is to preserve and improve the small beach community. All of the proceeds from the VIP St. Augustine Alligator Farm Tour are donated to the Alligator Farm Foundation, which supports the preservation of various species.
The Grand Tasting holds two contests where various local restaurants and food trucks get to compete. Some of the participating restaurants and food trucks include: Cordova Chophouse at the Casa Monica, Michael’s St. Augustine, Pesca and La Nouvelle from VIVA Hospitality, Sahog (from Jacksonville), Smokin’ Spencer’s Q, Heart & Soul Food Truck, The Reef, Meehan’s Irish Pub/Johnny’s Oyster Bar and ChocoLatte’s.
The Best Taste Awards are scored by a panel of judges based on creativity, taste, presentation and execution. The People’s Choice awards are judged by attending guests who get to vote for their favorite food and drink by texting their votes using a QR code. The winners of both contests receive a medal and coveted bragging rights.
The Ponte Vedra Recorder is proud to be a sponsor of the People's Choice and Best Taste Awards. "The Recorder is honored to sponsor these awards at this year's event and celebrate the incredible talent and flavors of our culinary community," said Publisher Susan Griffin.
Wildlife will be present at the event as well. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm will showcase animals such as baby alligators and reptiles using educational demonstrations.
The festival has a limited supply of glassware and tickets and Gourley said it’s best to purchase tickets ahead as most tickets are not available the weekend of the event.
For transportation, she recommends taking the Old Town Trolley or getting an Uber or Lyft as parking is limited by the beach. Tickets can only be purchased online at whiskeywineandwildlife.com. Guests can save $15 on Friday and Saturday tickets with promo code FINAL15 before Friday, Oct. 31.
