Come for the Art, Stay for Cocktails, Raw Bar at Coconut Grove Arts Festival
Celebrating its 54th anniversary, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival Feb. 18-20 is stepping up its culinary arts program this year to include craft beer tastings, cocktails and seafood. “It’s an exciting time for culinary arts,” says Monty Trainer.
Miami Culinary Institute students will be involved in the three-day chef demo program, he says. On Monday, chef Pepin will attempt to make the world’s largest arroz con pollo for the Guinness World Records. And throughout the festival, event promoter Tony Albelo will oversee a fresh new food scene that focuses on the seafood that has always been synonymous with the Grove.
“Fine art, mojitos, stone crabs – that’s Coconut Grove!” Traditional festival fare – arepas, frozen lemonade and so on – will still be available, but so will fast-casual food and healthy offerings: poke bowls, wraps and salads. On the bar side, there will be a beer garden plus two themed bars – the Mojito Bar with seven different mojitos using “organic limes, sourced locally, nothing canned so they’re really authentic,” he says. “We’re working with Bitter Truth in Wynwood for cocktails.” The Margarita Bar features freshly made margaritas with fresh lime juice. “I’ve been going to the arts festival since I was in high school,” he says. “I truly love it and want to deliver.”
