Celebrating 25 Years: Special Offers for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival

The South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SBWFF) is gearing up to celebrate its 25th anniversary in February 2026, offering a special discount for viewers of Local 10.

Lee Schrager, the festival’s founder, reflects on its success, stating it surpassed his early expectations. The festival’s origins trace back to a visit he made to the Aspen Food & Wine Classic, where he was inspired to create a similar event in South Beach. The first festival attracted 6,000 attendees, much more than the organizers anticipated. Schrager humorously notes that they were unprepared, lacking security and tents—only equipped with a dream and some friends.

The festival has garnered significant growth, especially with the involvement of renowned chefs like Alain Ducasse and Emeril Lagasse, who helped establish its credibility. Over the past quarter-century, the festival has also raised around $50 million for student scholarships aimed at supporting future culinary professionals through Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management.

The upcoming festival promises to be a grand affair, with events from February 19-22, 2026, including a concert by Diplo and performances by other notable artists like Ja Rule and Fat Joe. This year, as a way to give back, the festival is providing a 15% discount on select events with the promo code WPLG10. Some featured events include:

• A Taste of Italy hosted by “The Pasta Queen” Nadia Caterina Munno
• Haute Potato hosted by Foodgod
• Las’ Lap Link Up: A Celebration of Afro-Caribbean Cuisine hosted by Kwame Onwuachi and Nina Compton
• Let Them Eat Cake! hosted by Duff Goldman
• Steak and Whiskey presented by Florida Beef Council hosted by Michael Symon

For additional information and to purchase tickets, visit the SBWFF official website.

About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!