7 Caribbean Food Festivals to Build Trips Around for Foodie Clients
by Dori Saltzman
Have foodie clients that look to you for arranging amazing food-centric experiences in all of their travels? Consider building a Caribbean beach vacation around one of the many international food festivals that take place in the region every year.
Not only will your clients get the best mix of sun, sand, and delicious food. You can reap the benefit of commissions on airport transfers, hotel stays, extracurricular activities, and, of course, a planning fee for putting it all together including tickets to the various food festival events.
In chronological order, here are six Caribbean food festivals you can build FIT trips around, for your foodie clients.
Cayman Islands: Cayman Cookout (January)
This five-day luxury food fest is sponsored by The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman and has featured some of the culinary world’s best known chefs, from Daniel Boulud and Emeril Lagasse to Andrew Zimmern and Jose Andres. Signature events include a barefoot BBQ, immersive cooking demonstrations, dinner parties, Q&As with the chefs, the Rum & Robusto pool party, and more. (www.caymancookout.com)
Grenada: Grenada Chocolate Festival (May)
Sun, beach, and chocolate? Yes, please. At this annual festival (celebrating 10 years in 2023), visitors can learn everything there is to know about Grenada’s rich chocolate history, while indulging in chocolate-inspired cuisine. Your chocolate-loving clients can make their own chocolate, visit organic cocoa plantations, learn about the health benefits of dark chocolate, learn how to use chocolate in spa-related treatments, and taste away to their heart’s delight. (www.grenadachocolatefest.com)
Nevis: Mango Festival (July)
Nevis’ annual Mango Festival takes place all over the island, offering mango-themed events that range from a mango cook-off featuring international and local chefs to mango cooking classes to a mango eating competition. Visitors can tour local mango farms and taste as many as up to 44 types of mango. And when your clients get mango-ed out, they can check out the Mom & Pop Restaurant tour, giving them a chance to experience the “real” Nevis at eateries often overlooked by tourists. (nevismangofest.com)
Barbados: Food and Rum Festival (October)
This four-day festival in Bridgetown mixes local and international chefs, mixologists, locals and tourists for a fun-filled celebration of food and rum. Events range from cooking demos to dine-arounds to rum tastings, and more. Past participating chefs have included Anne Burrell (who attends every year), Huda Mu’min, David Rose, and others. (www.foodandrum.com)
Aruba: Autentico Aruba Culinary Festival (October)
The first ever Aruba Culinary Festival was held in 2024 and was so successful, the country is making it an annual occurrence. The event includes Iron Chef-style competitions, limited-seat dinners and other VIP experiences, and is timed to coincide with both Restaurant Week and the country’s Bartenders Brawl, which in 2025 will be the 7th edition of the contest. Previous participants have included master bartender, TV personality, and “Drinkmasters” finalist Kate Gerwin, and TV personality, restauranteur, and cookbook author Chef Antonia Lofaso, who appeared on both Bravo’s “Top Chef” and The Food Networks’ “Cutthroat Kitchen.” (aruba.com/us/autentico)
Turks & Caicos: Caribbean Food & Wine Festival (November)
Every October chefs from around the world descend on Turks & Caicos for the five-day Caribbean Food & Wine Festival. Events include cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, culinary symposiums, and more. Past participating chefs have included Michael Schwartz, Niven Patel, Elizabeth Blau, and Shawn McClain. (caribbeanfoodandwinefestivaltci.com)
Jamaica: Food and Drink Festival (November)
Modeled after international food festivals like the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Jamaica’s annual Food and Drink Festival was named the World Culinary Awards Best Culinary Festival in 2021. Events are spread out across five days and feature experiences like food trucks, pay-as-you-nibble feats, wine-pairing dinners, theme nights, and more. (jafoodanddrink.com)
