Las Olas Wine & Food Festival Raises Nearly $440K to Support American Lung Association’s Work

The 29th annual Las Olas Wine and Food Festival, Fort Lauderdale’s longest-running charitable wine and food festival, returned to Las Olas Boulevard tonight, raising nearly $440,000 to support the American Lung Association. More than 2,500 attendees strolled through the four-block takeover of the iconic boulevard, sampling dishes from more than 50 of South Florida’s best restaurants and more than 200 sips from around the world.

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits—the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol—returned for its third year as the exclusive festival wine and spirits provider. Title sponsors Aperol, Espolón Tequila, Jim Beam and Tito’s Handmade Vodka offered specialty cocktails and interactive experiences.

Additional festival highlights:

• The VIP Kick Off Party at the New River Patio on Las Olas at the Riverside Hotel, hosted by Florida Power & Light and Amerant Bank, got the festivities started.
• Elevated Wine Garden, curated by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and sponsored by Ombelle Fort Lauderdale, offered premium pours from brands, including Caymus Vineyards, Charles Krug, French Blue and Freixenet Mionetto USA.
• Festival goers teed off in style at the Amerant Bank VR Golf Challenge before dancing the night away at the Demesmin & Dover Block Party, helmed by the legendary DJ Paule.
• Fort Lauderdale’s iconic hotspot, Shooters Waterfront, provided delectable bites for the VIP Kick Off Party and Elevated Wine Garden. The Viceroy Fort Lauderdale hosted a rum and dessert tasting in their lounge.

“Tonight, we transformed Las Olas Boulevard into the ultimate food and wine experience—for the 29th year! Thank you to our restaurant and local business partners, sponsors, foodies and wine aficionados who came together for an unforgettable night in support of an important cause,” said Riley Burke, Event Chair for the Las Olas Wine and Food Festival, and Senior Director of Trade Development at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of Florida. “90 cents of every dollar raised supports the American Lung Association’s mission of creating a world free of lung cancer and lung disease. Now that’s something to toast to!”

More than 50 of South Florida favorite restaurants were showcased on the Boulevard this year providing tasty bites for guests, including: 15th Street Fisheries, Abiaka Wood Fire Grill – Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, American Social, Bae Korean Grill – Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, Barto, Bombay Darbar, Casa Sensei, Charleston Coffee Roasters, Chef Rose Jamaican Cuisine, Deccan Spice, Desiignbyfood, Dick’s Last Resort, Even Keel, Federal, Gran Forno Pronto, Hatch Brunch, Hollywood Donut Factory, Hugh’s Catering, il Mulino, In the Kitchen with Alexandra, Jarana, Jerk machine, La Mexicana Taco Bar, Livia Bar and Grill, Louie Bossi, Marc Bynum Concepts, Mitch’s Downtown Bagel Café, Naked Farmer, New River Café and Bakery, Oceanic at the Pompano Beach Pier, Old World Polish Deli, Petit en Bouche, Pho Bar Vietnamese Kitchen, Phuse Cream, The Private Sushi Chef, Radiant 166, Shake Shack, Shooters Waterfront, Sixty Vines, Southern Eats Kitchen, Steak 954, Steelpan Kitchen and Bar – Sonesta Fort Lauderdale, Tabanero Holdings, LLC, Tamarindo Harbor Italian Bar & Grill, Timpano Las Olas, Treats & Eatz, Truluck’s Ocean’s Finest Seafood & Crab, Wild Sea on Las Olas, the Wilder and Yolo.

All proceeds from the Las Olas Wine and Food Festival fund the American Lung Association’s work serving the nearly 3.3 million Floridians living with lung disease, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer—the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. From researching new treatment and cures to tackling the youth vaping epidemic to protecting the air we all breathe, the Lung Association is helping people live healthier lives. Support for the Las Olas Wine and Food Festival deepens the organization’s impact. To join local efforts, visit Lung.org/FL.

The Las Olas Wine and Food Festival is sponsored by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, The Swezy Foundation, the Las Olas Company, Blackstone Agency, The Las Olas Association, Memorial Cancer Institute, Land Rover, Florida Power & Light, Demesmin and Dover Law Firm, Ombelle Fort Lauderdale, Cadillac, Related Group, Stephen’s Distributing Company, Abiaka at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Amerant Bank, Viceroy Fort Lauderdale, BLU By Thrive Well and LaCroix. The Riverside Hotel is the official hotel of the Las Olas Wine and Food Festival. Greater Fort Lauderdale TravelHost Media Group, Sun Sentinel Media Group, City & Shore Magazine, HITS 97.3 and Easy 93.1 are the festival’s media partners.

For more details, visit LasOlasWFF.com or contact info@LasOlasWFF.com. To get involved with the mission of the American Lung Association, visit Lung.org or contact southfloridaevents@lung.org.