Savor SoFLO Festival serves up tasty treats, solid sips and lounge vibes on the sands of Hollywood Beach.

April 1st, 2023

To kick off April, the 3rd Annual Savor SoFlo Festival returned to the sands of iconic Hollywood Beach for a weekend of food, drinks and fun, while celebrating South Florida’s local culinary and hospitality community. Steps from the ocean, adjacent to Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, the two-day festival took place under two giant tents spanning 25,000 square feet. There, guests enjoyed a shaded, breezy stroll down the beach, with an endless supply of tasty bites and sips from mostly local, South Florida vendors – all using biodegradable or compostable materials to help protect Hollywood Beach and the ocean.

Savor SoFlo Festival included several insta-worthy photo set-ups, including a vibrant Patron Tequila Beach Lounge and a floral-draped bird cage in the Publix Liquors Beach Club. Interactive cooking demonstrations on the San Pellegrino Cooking Stage and engaging mixologists, brand representatives, and chefs also kept the vibrant and diverse crowd engaged. With multiple lounge spaces available, it was easy to sit down and enjoy the event offerings or take a break and recharge for more fun.

Sampling the creative and extensive selection of charcuterie pairings in the thoughtfully curated Boar’s Head How to Charcuterie installation was a can’t miss experience! As guests stepped into the space, they were greeted by friendly representatives who shared artfully designed samples and helpful tips to create the perfect at-home charcuterie experience. It was a great learning experience for developing foodies to hear about how adding different tastes to the mix can balance and accentuate other flavors, along with helpful guidance on pairing wine with each unique palate.

With so many great local food offerings, it’s hard to pick, but some of my favorite bites included Snapper Mike’s Fresh Catch LLC’s fresh home-made fish dip, a hot and fresh grilled cheese from Florida Dairy Farmers, a crispy and creamy baked pork dish with Annie’s Macaroni from Publix, and oven-fresh pizza of all varieties from Gioia Eat. For my best bite award, the Ahi Tuna Tostada with chipotle aioli, soy, singer, serrano pepper, sesame seeds and crispy leeks, created by Chef Pablo Salas from Lona Cocina & Tequileria, took the prize. Beyond the fresh food available at the event, many vendors also offered to-go samples – no one has space for all this food and drink at one event. Some of the best from this bunch included Craize Sweet Corn Toasted Snack Crackers, Orchard Valley Harvest trail mix, Bobo’s oat bars and Atlas Protein Bars.

There was no shortage of craft beer, wine and liquor to sample. Some crowd-pleasers included Margaritaville’s freshly made Passion Fruit Jalapeño Margarita, Coconut Cartel Añejo Rum paired with Vita Coco Pineapple Coconut Water, Tito’s Handmade Vodka fresh custom cocktails (I had mine with Blood Orange), an incredible Manhattan from Dickel Bourbon Whiskey and a delightfully floral concoction from 6 O’clock Gin. Since I was into the liquor options, I only tried a handful of beers and wines, but the selection was solid. Some of my favorite beers were from Tripping Animals Brewing and Funky Buddha; and Keel + Curley Winery’s Farm Fresh Strawberry Wine was excellent. Top nonalcoholic sips included Celsius Essential Energy Drinks, and, of course, Florida fan favorite Zephyrhills water.

In addition to the food and beverage options, tickets to Savor SoFlo Festival also included live DJ entertainment, a branded wine glass, lanyard and a tote bag. VIP ticket holders were invited to access the event an hour early and had exclusive access to the VIP Spirits Lounge. As the crowd swelled and the temperature spiked, lines still moved fast and vendors remained prepared and on point.

After 3 years of success, it looks like Savor SoFlo Festival is establishing itself as another can’t miss event in the South Florida foodie calendar. Presenting sponsors included Publix, the City of Hollywood and Sysco. For more information about this and future events visit https://savorsoflo.com/.