If you live in Tampa Bay or you're planning a visit to the area, timing your trip so you can attend the Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival is the perfect way to experience the unique cultural scene along the Florida Gulf Coast.
Busch Gardens is one of Florida's premier amusement parks, and a visit to the city is incomplete without spending a day riding all of the park's roller coasters and rides. Although Busch Gardens hosts various events throughout the year, the Food & Wine Festival is the ideal time to enjoy the theme park, listen to some great music, and enjoy the local flavor.
Below is a comprehensive guide on the Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival; save on admission to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and more when you bundle with CityPASS® tickets.
What Is the Busch Gardens Wine Festival?
Busch Gardens is one of Tampa Bay's top destinations and is far more than your average theme park. Although the park boasts thrilling and fun attractions suitable for the entire family, Busch Gardens offers much more.
The park is spread out over nearly 350 acres of land and is home to the largest zoo in the city. The sheer size of Busch Gardens makes it challenging to navigate the entire park in a single day, and if you come during the Food and Wine Festival, consider spending two or more days visiting the park so you can experience all it has to offer.
The Food and Wine Festival at Busch Gardens is an annual event in Tampa Bay that features regional and global cuisine, craft spirits, wine, beer, and hit music concerts.
Visitors to the festival can delight their taste buds by trying dishes from local and global vendors that reflect the diverse food styles of the world and appeal to all different tastes. Try new foods from all over, and wash them down with your favorite drinks or alcoholic beverages.
When Is the Annual Busch Gardens Wine Festival?
The annual Food and Wine Festival is held at Busch Gardens each weekend for a few months, beginning in early spring. Attendance to the festival is included when visitors buy entry to the park on any weekend day (Friday through Sunday) on which the festival is held.
However, you should know that any food or beverages you want will require further payment. Although this is not the arrangement for many food and beverage festivals, where attendees may receive drink tickets or small tastes of a variety of foods, it ensures visitors only pay for what they actually want to eat.
Because attendance is included with park admission, you can revisit the Food and Wine Festival as often as you'd like during the festival season, trying new food and seeing new bands every time you come.
Check the Busch Gardens website to find out when the next Food and Wine Festival will be held.
The Best of the Food and Wine Festival at Busch Gardens
The Food and Wine Festival at Busch Gardens is a popular local and tourist attraction because, although the specific vendors and musical acts change somewhat each year, attendees can be guaranteed to benefit from flavorful foods, delicious drinks, and live concerts every time they attend.
Below is a list of the best offerings at the Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival.
1. Flavorful Foods From Around the World
The Food and Wine Festival ensures that visitors are treated to a new and unique lineup of global cuisine every year. Although some vendors may be local favorites and return year after year, you're guaranteed to be surprised with new fares with every annual visit.
Consider some of the most popular dishes that have been served in years past at the Food and Wine Festival to get an idea of the kinds of food you'll be able to purchase when you attend:
- Elote street corn topped with FLAMIN’ HOT® CHEETOS® from West Coast Catch
- Toasted coconut lemon cheesecake mousse from Seasonally Inspired
- Ropa Vieja served with lime cilantro black bean rice from ¡TAPAS! ¡TAPAS!
No matter what style of cuisine you're partial to, the Food and Wine Festival offers the perfect opportunity to purchase foods from multiple vendors and embrace the excitement of trying new dishes and regional cuisines.
2. Unique Samples of Wine and Cocktails
The Food and Wine Festival would be incomplete without a full lineup of wine, craft beer, and specialty cocktails, so no matter your preference, you'll be sure to find a drink to wash down your favorite dishes.
You may see drinks such as:
- Mumm Sparkling Rose
- Iron Gwazi Fizz: a specialty cocktail featuring Hendrick's Gin, blue Curacao, grenadine, lemonade, lavender, and soda
- Peroni Italian Beer
3. World-Class Concert Lineup
Not only does the Food and Wine Festival allow visitors to try some of the best dishes and beverages in the region, but it also includes a full-scale music festival with an annual lineup that features global musicians, local acts, and major artists.
For updated information on the upcoming lineup, visit the Busch Garden's Festival page. Previous lineups have included musical artists such as:
- Flo Rida
- Three Doors Down
- Sean Paul
- Sugar Ray
- Kansas
- Hoobastank
Keep in mind that the lineup will vary based on the time and day you attend. So plan ahead if there's a musical artist you'd especially like to see.
Ready To Experience Tampa Bay's Favorite Spring Festival?
The Busch Gardens Food and Wine Festival is a must for any Tampa Bay resident or visitor to the area. Attendance to the festival is free with the admission price, allowing guests access to the world-class theme park and premium food, drink, and musical acts.
Although the Food and Wine Festival promises seasonal appeal, Tampa Bay has much more to offer visitors. Consider saving on Tampa Bay's top attractions when you bundle with CityPASS® tickets.
CityPASS® tickets can save you on ticket prices for some ofTampa Bay’s most popular attractions, including:
Nearby Lodging
To get the most out of your stay in Tampa Bay, we recommend finding lodging near Tampa Bay's top attractions like Busch Gardens. Use this map to find the right lodging for you:
Booking.comHeader Image Courtesy of Busch Gardens® Tampa Bay