SAVOR St. Pete is coming back to Vinoy Park for its 14th year, taking over the waterfront green space November 7-8 with a lineup that blends nationally known chefs with Tampa Bay’s own culinary talent. This year’s festival brings Wahlburgers’ Paul Wahlberg and Fly By Jing founder Jing Gao to the San Pellegrino Cooking Stage for live cooking demonstrations, adding star power to an event that has become a fixture of the region’s autumn calendar.
According to Tampa Bay 28, the festival brings together Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg culinary professionals for a weekend built around food, wine, and other tasting experiences, with guests able to enjoy unlimited tastings in the Grand Tasting Village alongside mixology experiences. Wahlberg and Gao’s scheduled appearances were first detailed by The Frugalista Life, which reported that both chefs are set to perform live demonstrations on the San Pellegrino stage during the November event.
Local Chef Leads the Charge
Steering the festival’s roster of participating chefs is Executive Chef Lee Aquino of Birch & Vine, the prominent Beach Drive restaurant, who serves as the 2026 SAVOR Chef Ambassador and Culinary Director, per St. Pete Life Magazine. Tampa Bay 28 also notes that the festival features new and returning local and nationally recognized chefs, with the lineup built around Aquino’s leadership.
Ahead of the main event, SAVOR St. Pete introduced Savor the Bay, described by Tampa Bay 28 as a boutique dinner series that precedes the main festival, with participating chefs hosting intimate dinners at their own restaurants. Felicia LaCalle, chef of Quiote Taquileria, will host a special Savor the Bay dinner on Tuesday, October 13, the outlet reports.
Tickets and Entry Rules
Tickets for SAVOR St. Pete are on sale now through savortheburg.com, according to Tampa Bay 28. General Admission is priced at $135 plus fees and grants entry at 1 p.m., while VIP Admission runs $165 plus fees, allowing 12 p.m. early entry along with access to the VIP Spirits Lounge, per Visit St. Petersburg Clearwater. All ticket levels include unlimited food and beverage samplings, a commemorative wine glass, and a festival tote bag…