Lakewood Ranch's Kari Kushto and Julie Levato couldn't wait to taste various foods and wines during their first time attending the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest.Â
Levato hoped her sampling would lead her to some new restaurant choices.
"I tend to go to the same places," Levato said.Â
The Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch brought back the annual Suncoast Food and Wine Fest to Premier Sports Campus Nov. 13 after not being able to have the festival last year due to the pandemic.Â
John Bodenburg, the media coordinator for the festival, said the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch limited the event to only 1,400 people to help people feel more comfortable.Â
"For us, it feels good (to have the festival again)," Bodenburg said. "This is a major event for us. All the money, every dime, goes to grants to give away to charitable organizations."
University Park Country Club's Joe Kulbako and his wife, Elaine Kulbako, have attended the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest for years.Â
"The food this year is probably better than ever," Joe Kulbako said.Â
Elaine Kulbako said the couple returns each year because of the friendly environment and good food and wine.
University Park Country Club's Joe Kulbako and his wife, Elaine Kulbako, attend the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest every year.
Beth Bandy, a volunteer for Gallo Winery, serves wine to Sarasota's Matt Craft and Heather Hawley.
Maxwell King, a culinary student at Manatee Technical College, serves beef tartare and smoke salmon mousse.
Summerfield's Jennifer Colombo and River Club's Bethany Lynch go around trying different wines.
Vince Cera, Cecelia Abruscato, Steve Briggs and Jim Frederick volunteer for the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch during the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest.
Osprey's Jack Noll wins a bottle of wine after playing a game of cornhole.
Dave Milne with Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits shows the different wines available for people to sample.
Country Creek's Nino Simunovich has been going to the wine fest for years while Largo's Anna Rice attends the festival for a second time. "It's just lots of fun," Rice says.
Sarasota's Judy Malton and Mario Bernardis try different wines and foods from wineries and restaurants.
Steve Bordes and Eckhard Kuesters, who are members of the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch, are excited to see people return to the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest.
James Hendry, a chef at Publix Apron's, starts a cooking demonstration for Korean barbecued pork tacos.
Jeffery Kin with the Players Centre for Performing Arts shares fun food facts before the cooking demonstration begins.
Panther Ridge's Keith Behrends and Lily Behrends heard so much about the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest they decided to attend this year. They said the food, wine and music all were great.
Tampa's Elena Montesano and Michelle Allegra attend the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest to be with friends. "It's awesome," Montesano says. "There's great food and great wine."
Parrish's Isabel Macgloan, Terra Ceia's Karissa Campbell and Bradenton's Hugh Miller enjoy tasting wines together.
Lakewood Ranch's Kari Kushto and Julie Levato enjoy their first Suncoast Food and Wine Fest.
