The Best Food & Drink Festivals in South Florida This Season

South Florida does not really do fall — it does festival season. From mid-October through February, the region stacks 19 major food and drink festivals across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach: a seafood takeover on Ocean Drive, a museum turned into a wine tasting, free stone crab on the Fort Lauderdale riverfront, and the 26th edition of SOBEWFF to close it out. We verified every date, venue, and price below against each festival's official page, then organized the season the way we would plan it ourselves — headliners first, then month by month, with the best free picks flagged along the way.

Hungry for more between festivals? Browse our food & drink guides or work through the South Florida brunch bucket list.

The headliners

1. South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF)

The biggest name in American food festivals closes the season with its 26th edition — four days of beachfront grand tastings, chef dinners, and parties across Miami Beach. Pick one or two signature events rather than trying to do everything; the headline sessions sell out well ahead.

Feb 25–28, 2027 · Miami Beach · Tickets roughly $59–$500+ depending on the event

2. South Beach Seafood Festival

The season opener, and it starts in days. Four days of seafood at Lummus Park on Ocean Drive, from chef-driven dinners to Saturday's big all-day Seafood Slam. If you do one blowout in October, this is the one with sand between its toes.

Oct 21–24, 2026 · Lummus Park, Miami Beach · Saturday's Seafood Slam from $160; chef dinners $235+

3. Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival

The most polished festival on the calendar, now in its 19th year. Four days of chef events build to the Grand Tasting on Sunday, December 13 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. The early bird window is real money — $179 now versus $229 later.

Dec 10–13, 2026 · Venues across Palm Beach County · Grand Tasting early bird $179 (then $229); Kick-Off Party $175

4. Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival

Broward's flagship: a full week of signature events (around $90 each) anchored by a beachfront Grand Tasting at Las Olas Oceanside Park. The eighth edition keeps growing, and early-bird GA under $100 is one of the season's better deals.

Jan 18–24, 2027 · Fort Lauderdale · Grand Tasting Sat Jan 23 at Las Olas Oceanside Park — GA early bird $99, VIP $225

October & November

5. Miami Spice Restaurant Months

The 25th year of Spice has been extended through Halloween — 400+ restaurants running prix-fixe menus all over Miami-Dade. It is the cheapest two weeks left to eat at places that normally require a special occasion and a deep breath at the bill.

Through Oct 31, 2026 · 400+ restaurants, Greater Miami & Miami Beach · Lunch/brunch $40, dinner $50/$65, Reserve $95+

6. MODS Wine, Spirits & Culinary Celebration

Thirty years in, the Bank of America-sponsored celebration turns the Museum of Discovery and Science into Fort Lauderdale's best tasting room for one night. One night only — when it is gone, it is gone for a year.

Fri Oct 23, 2026 · Museum of Discovery and Science, Fort Lauderdale · Grand Tasting $150, VIP $300

7. Galbani Feast of Little Italy

A quarter-century of Italian street-fair energy in Jupiter: three free days of food stands, live music, and cooking demos. Admission costs nothing, which means your entire budget goes to eating — the correct allocation.

Nov 6–8, 2026 · Abacoa Town Center & Amphitheatre, Jupiter · FREE admission; VIP villas $250–$500/day

8. The Tequila Festival

The fifth annual tequila takeover at Mizner Park is all-inclusive — food and spirits in one ticket — which makes it the easiest festival on this list to budget. Mizner's plaza at night does the rest.

Sat Nov 7, 2026 · Mizner Park Amphitheater, Boca Raton · $75–$125, all-inclusive food + spirits

9. Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival

Jerk smoke, reggae, and a full afternoon-to-evening at Miramar Regional Park. One of South Florida's great culture-and-food days, and the tiered ticket range means you can do it casual or do it VIP.

Sun Nov 8, 2026, 2–10 PM · Miramar Regional Park · $35–$180; kids under 10 free

10. South Florida Seafood Festival

Wynwood's seafood party turns 13 this year — same Sunday as the Jerk Festival, so the weekend of November 8 is a genuine choose-your-own-adventure. Early-bird tickets are up on Eventbrite.

Sun Nov 8, 2026, 11 AM–7 PM · Wynwood Marketplace, Miami · Kids under 12 free

11. Dania Pointe Food & Wine Festival

The fifth annual Dania Pointe edition is a tight, well-run Sunday afternoon: four hours, all-inclusive, adults only. Small footprint, high hit rate.

Sun Nov 15, 2026, 2–6 PM · Dania Pointe, Dania Beach · $76.54 advance, all-inclusive, 21+

12. Miami Food Festival

The seventh edition runs a full twelve hours with food from more than 18 countries plus live performances and folkloric dance. The most international lineup on this list, and it goes until 11 PM.

Sun Nov 15, 2026, 11 AM–11 PM · Miccosukee Casino & Resort, Miami

13. Rum Cake & Caribbean Black Cake Festival

Island SPACE's fifth annual tasting of rum cakes and black cakes from across the Caribbean — equal parts festival and holiday-dessert shopping. Note the deadline: GA is $20 only through October 15. The 21+ Rum Room upgrade is the insider move.

Sun Nov 15, 2026, 2–6 PM · The Venue Fort Lauderdale, Wilton Manors · GA $20 thru Oct 15 / $30 advance / $40 door; Rum Room $65–$85

14. Boca Raton Wine & Food Festival

The 13th annual Boca edition is an evening festival — 5:30 to 10 PM under the lights at Sanborn Square. November nights in Palm Beach County are as good as South Florida weather gets.

Sat Nov 21, 2026, 5:30–10 PM · Sanborn Square Park, Boca Raton · From ~$99

15. Sazón Latin Food Festival

Latin flavors take over a craft brewery in Pompano Beach for a free Sunday afternoon. RSVP costs nothing; not RSVPing and finding it full would cost you the afternoon.

Sun Nov 22, 2026, 12–5 PM · Pompano Beach Brewing Company · Free with RSVP

December & January

16. West Palm Beach Beer Wine & Spirits Fest

An afternoon session on the downtown WPB waterfront with one of the smartest ticket lines in the business: the $15–$18 designated-driver pass. Tasting for one, safe ride home for both.

Sat Dec 5, 2026, 1–4:30 PM · Meyer Amphitheater, West Palm Beach · GA $57; designated driver $15–$18; 21+

17. Riverwalk Stone Crab & Seafood Festival

Our pick for best free festival of the season. The 17th annual stone crab party takes over Esplanade Park on the New River — free to get in, five dollars a bite once you are there. Peak stone crab season, peak Fort Lauderdale setting.

Sat Jan 9, 2027, 11 AM–4 PM · Esplanade Park, Fort Lauderdale · FREE admission; $5 vendor items

18. South Florida Tacos & Treats Festival

The rule is the draw: every food item at the fourth annual Tacos & Treats costs five dollars or less. Graze the whole park without doing math — a rare and beautiful thing.

Sat Jan 23, 2027 · South County Regional Park, Boca Raton · Every food item $5 or less

19. Boca Raton Beer Wine & Spirits Fest

Same day as Tacos & Treats, same city, night shift. From $18.31, it is the cheapest evening tasting session of the season — and a ready-made double-header for anyone who starts the day at the park.

Sat Jan 23, 2027, 6 PM · Mizner Park Amphitheater, Boca Raton · From $18.31

How we would play it

If you only do three: the South Beach Seafood Festival for the beach blowout, the Riverwalk Stone Crab Festival because free and $5 bites on the riverfront is unbeatable, and SOBEWFF because it is SOBEWFF. Add Palm Beach Food & Wine if you catch the early bird, and the Rum Cake Festival before its October 15 price break expires. Nineteen festivals, four months, three counties — season is short, eat accordingly.