Cuisine, libations, star-studded culinary competitions and a worthy cause highlight Key West Bacchanalia, set for Thursday through Sunday, June 10-13.
Headquartered at the Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa, 601 Front St., the festival incorporates a multifaceted menu of events for food and cocktail aficionados. Standouts include culinary face-offs between Key West chefs and all-star competitors from Bravo TV’s “Top Chef,” a “Bar Wars” mojito mix-off, the world’s best burger competition, temptations and tastings, a sherry and tapas extravaganza, wine and cocktail seminars, a rum tasting gala and an offbeat beer and barbecue bash for bulldogs and their human companions.
The event is to benefit breast cancer research, and organizers have even planned a Keyswide fundraising event for motorcycle riders. On the Mad Max Milk Run, bikers travel from mainland South Florida along the Overseas Highway to Key West, picking up raffle tickets and downing shots of milk at predetermined stops.
Culinary notables set to demonstrate their talent at Key West Bacchanalia include Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” contestants Howie Kleinberg and Jeff McInnis, as well as Executive Chef Greg Lopez from SHOR at the Hyatt Key West. Cocktail creators on hand are to include Tony Abou-Ganim, author of “The Modern Mixologist, Contemporary Classic Cocktails,” Junior Merino of “The Liquid Chef” fame, Mark Drobiarz of ABC Bartending Schools and master sommelier Laura DePasquale.
Frangipani (Plumeria)is one of the most prolific flowers in tropical Asia. The waxy, aromatic blooms fall constantly from the tree of the same name; consequently, they are commonly used in offerings and ceremonies and to decorate religious icons. The plumeria tree is often planted on grave sites in the region.
For more information including a schedule of events, admission prices and ticketing, visit 
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