Tix Go On Sale 10/24 For Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival

Tickets for the 2012 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE will go on sale Monday, October 24, 2011!

Known as America's most prestigious gourmet gathering featuring the best chefs, winemakers, culinary personalities, and wine & spirits experts, the 2012 Festival will take place February 23 - 26, 2012. The 11th annual edition of the Festival will feature new events and programming guaranteed to please. As always, all proceeds from the Festival benefit the Florida International University (FIU) Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center; monies raised to date total approximately $14 million.

A complete line-up of events and participating talent for the 2012 Festival is available at www.sobefest.com. A few new events and returning highlights include:

The Festival will kick-off beachside at the Delano on Thursday, February 23 with Moët Hennessy's The Q presented by Allen Brothers, sponsored by Miami magazine, hosted by Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri. For those who wish to partake in a late-night experience The Q will also feature its own after-party, The Q After Dark!

The iconic Amstel Light Burger Bash presented by Allen Brothers hosted by Rachael Ray moves to Friday, February 24 at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach; a night which is also home to the eighth annual Fontainebleau Miami Beach presents Wine Spectator's Best of the Best sponsored by Bank of America.

Also taking place on Friday, February 24, the Festival will return to the stunning 1111 Lincoln Road space for Epicure Gourmet Market Presents Party Impossible hosted by Robert Irvine.
The Festival is offering the public its first sneak-peek at the New Miami Marlins Ballpark on Saturday, February 25 during Diamond Dishes, featuring host, Julie Loria (author of the cookbook, Diamond Dishes, and wife of Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria) for an exclusive evening of VIP experiences and a walk-around dinner from South Florida's finest chefs; including Michelle Bernstein, Scott Conant, Hedy Goldsmith and Laurent Tourondel!

The 2012 Tribute Dinner presented by Bank of America -- also taking place on Saturday, February 25 at the Loews Miami Beach -- keeps its long-standing tradition of honoring the world's greatest wine and culinary talent by paying tribute to esteemed chef Charlie Trotter and celebrated winemaker Piero Antinori. With Anthony Bourdain, author and host of the popular Travel Channel series No Reservations, serving as the master of ceremonies and a "who's who" of chefs preparing the dinner, including the Loews Miami Beach own Frederic Delaire, Wylie Dufresne, Michelle Gayer, Emeril Lagasse, Nathan Myhrvold, Patrick O'Connell, and Norman Van Aken, the evening is sure to be nothing short of unforgettable.

The Festival's signature Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village, featuring the American Express Grand Tasting Tents, returns with a winning blend of tastings, superstar chefs and fun.
The Festival's family-oriented program, Florida Blue's Fun and Fit as a Family featuring Kellogg's Kidz Kitchen, which takes place at Jungle Island, returns with healthy food tastings, physical fitness activities, interactive food labs and star-studded healthy cooking demonstrations.
On Sunday, February 26 the stunning backdrop of The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables will be home to Swine & Wine hosted by culinary power couple Debi Mazar & Gabriele Corcos and take the treasured tradition of Cuban pig roasting to gourmet heights!

The program is rounded out by highlighting the hottest trend in food at Trucks on the Beach presented by Diet Pepsi hosted by Andrew Zimmern, which doubles as the official Festival closing party on Sunday, February 26.

WHERE:
The public can begin purchasing tickets at midnight on Monday, October 24, 2011 online at www.sobefest.com or beginning at 9:00 AM via telephone at 877.762.3933.

About the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE
All proceeds from the Festival benefit the students of the Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, who also assist Festival organizers with sponsorship fulfillment, restaurant and exhibitor recruitment, logistics, and inventory as well as working alongside some of the world's greatest celebrity chefs and winemakers.
The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE is produced by Florida International University and Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida with the support of the Miami Beach Visitors & Convention Authority and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information about the Festival, visit www.sobefest.com or call 877-762-3933. For more information about Florida International University Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management visit www.hospitality.fiu.edu and for more information about Southern Wine & Spirits visit www.southernwine.com.

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