Event Food & Wine Festival 2015

[Bill]

Busch Gardens Tampa this morning announced a new event for Spring 2015 - Food & Wine Festival!

The park's website notes the event will feature entertainment along with the food & wine selections.

Dates were released on November 5, 2014: the event will run on weekends from March 7th through April 26th, 2015. A press release also teased the event will feature Florida-inspired foods.

This event replaces the popular Bands, Brews & BBQ event.

 

[Nicole]

I love the BGW F&WF, so I hope Tampa's event is as fantastic. I have to admit I am a bit of concerned, however, given how close BGT is to Epcot.

 

[Thomas]

An African food and wine festival... Shaping up to be a lackluster event.

 

[Bill]

In response to my question if this event will replace Bands, Brews & BBQ and/or Real Music Series:

The 2015 entertainment lineup is still being finalized, but we will continue to offer a variety of entertainment and event options for the millions of guests who come to Busch Gardens each year.

So I guess right now, that's a maybe. We'll have to wait and see; I'll continue to do some digging in the meantime.

 

[wombat96]

Whoops! Didn't know we already had a thread. :blush: I hope they teach guest at a booth how to make the bacon wrapped pretzels. That would be worth traveling for.

 

[The Kid]

Any ideas on what they could bring to the table? (Pun intended!)

 

[Nicole]

I was kinda hoping for interesting African, South Asian, and Middle Eastern food, myself.

 

[Bill]

I think they're going to touch on a number of cuisines from around the world. Since the park has been changing from African theming to more world explorer theming, the door is wide open for just about anything from around the world.

If done right, this event could be huge for BGT. But since they've named it basically the same as the event up the road at Epcot, they need to come out swinging and hit a home run first time out. Every blogger down here, most of whom are based in Orlando, will be comparing the two events without a doubt.

 

[Nicole]

With CENTCOM and the rest of MacDill AFB right there, I would imagine there is a local Tampa market for international cuisine. If the park advertises the event well, they might be able to pull in those people.

 

[Bill]

Some items we could see on the menu at the festival:

[tweet=https://twitter.com/BGTchefrich/status/510864918154055680]

[tweet=https://twitter.com/BGTchefrich/status/510864359858667521]

 

[Nicole]

What is that event and why was BGT there?

 

[Bill]

A Wine Fest at a local theater which featured several wineries and restaurants, and BGT was one of the vendors.

 

[Party Rocker]

It's great advertisement.

 

[Jesy]

I think this event has great potential to be successful. It was smart to schedule it in the Spring when it's competing with EPCOT's Flower and Garden Festival which has not been well-reviewed food-wise.

 

[Jrbgwfan06]

*reads news*

*watches and waits for them to do it better than BGW* as is the norm with BGT

 

[Nicole]

FYI: BGW has a better carousel and some better coasters. CT has been better in Williamsburg in the past, as well.

 

[MAZ]

There needs to be a BGT v/s BGW thread! (at least when the festival commences and can be reviewed!)

 

[Jrbgwfan06]

FYI: BGW has a better carousel and some better coasters.  CT has been better in Williamsburg in the past, as well.

I was referring to just Special Events such as HOS, and Summer Nights where BGT has the lead over BGW's versions of both. I can't judge for CMT though.

 

[Zachary]

This thread is supposed to be about BGT, not BGW.

I'm very interested to see whether or not BGT embraces the food of the countries they represent or just goes global from the start.

 

[Nicole]

There needs to be a BGT v/s BGW thread! (at least when the festival commences and can be reviewed!)

What this forum absolutely doesn't need is yet another thread using "comparisons" to sneer at one park or another.

Moving on...

From the look of the dishes at that food festival, Tampa seems to be on the right track.