The Tampa Bay Wine & Food Festival will return April 7–11, 2026, with an expanded slate of events, a new signature experience at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa and the return of celebrity chef Robert Irvine as host.
Now entering its fourth year, the festival continues to grow alongside Tampa Bay’s rising national profile as a food destination.
Events will take place across Tampa and St. Petersburg, culminating in the signature Grand Tasting at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park.
Organizers say the 2026 lineup reflects a more ambitious phase for the festival, with larger events, more chefs and deeper collaboration across the region’s restaurant community.
A new signature night at the Hard Rock
New this year is a Thursday night event at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa called Rock the Range with Chef Robert Irvine & Friends.
The immersive experience will blend live cooking, restaurant tastings and entertainment, with proceeds benefiting the Robert Irvine Foundation.
Irvine will serve as host throughout the week, joined by honorary chef host Sean Brasel of Meat Market.
The festival has also introduced a new Chef Committee made up of local culinary leaders who will help shape chef participation and restaurant curation.
Committee members include Jon Atanacio of Epicurean, Bryan Jacobs of The Liberty Smokehouse, Sean Brasel of Meat Market, Matthew Zappoli of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, Jason Ruhe of Brick & Mortar and Lee Aquino of The Birchwood.
Chef Showdown and Grand Tasting return bigger
Friday’s VIP Chef Showdown will expand this year with 20 chefs competing across nine matchups, along with the debut of the Milagro Tequila Bartender Showdown featuring two mixologists.
The event will take place at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and includes live cooking demos, guest voting and judged competitions.
The festival wraps Saturday with the Grand Tasting, which transforms Curtis Hixon into a riverfront showcase of Tampa Bay’s restaurant scene.
Restaurants will be organized by neighborhood, giving guests a chance to explore the region’s dining landscape in one place.
The event will also feature live culinary demonstrations, DJ entertainment, wine and cocktail pavilions and a Best of the Fest vote hosted by First Horizon.
Weekday dining experiences across Tampa Bay
The week begins with two nights of curated dining experiences.
On Tuesday, April 7, the festival heads to St. Petersburg for multi-course dinners highlighting the city’s coastal dining scene.
On Wednesday, April 8, Tampa restaurants will host exclusive pairing dinners featuring four to five-course menus with wine or cocktail pairings.
Tickets for the weekday dinners will go on sale in January 2026. Locations will be announced closer to the event.
Community impact remains central
The festival will once again support the EAT SMART campaign, a 501(c)(3) initiative focused on providing nutritious meals and nutrition education to children in the region.
Proceeds from the festival will benefit local charitable initiatives in Tampa Bay.
“We’ve had three years to really understand what guests want,” said Valerie Roy, director of marketing and client strategy at CI Management, which produces the festival. “This year reflects how much the Tampa Bay culinary scene has grown and how invested our chefs and partners are in making this something special.”
Tickets and event details
- VIP Chef Showdown
- Friday, April 10
- Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
- Tickets: $170, on sale now
- Grand Tasting
- Saturday, April 11
- Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
- Tickets: $160 pre-event, $185 day of event
Weekend passes and hotel bundles are available, including options with a two-night stay at the Epicurean Hotel in South Tampa.
For full event details and tickets, click here.
