The 2nd Annual Mac & Cheese Festival benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast (BGCEC) is this Sunday, March 8 from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at Destin Commons. This mouthwatering event, presented by Cox Media, features local restaurants cooking up gourmet, chef-inspired twists on the South’s favorite comfort food.
Mac & Cheese Festival
March 8 | 12:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Destin Commons
Tickets: www.850tix.com
“We are excited to bring everyone together for this fun, family-friendly event,” Shervin Rassa, CEO of the BGCEC, said. “This event wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of the vendors, sponsors and attendees who make it a very successful fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs.”
This ultimate mac and cheese showdown pits restaurants and groups against one another in a competition to see who has the best mac on the Emerald Coast. This year’s event will feature a variety of competitors, including: Dixieland Chicken, 790 on the Gulf, Market 21, Kiwanis Destin, Last Call Restaurant Group, Coastal Catering, South Walton High School, Fudpuckers, Stanley's Street Treats, Seaside Neighborhood Schools, Gulf Coast Burger and 98 BBQ.
The cost to attend is $25 for adults and $10 for kids ages four and up and includes an unlimited number of samples. In addition to the culinary delights, there will be live music by the Shenanigans, face painting by Abrakadoodle, and a beer garden sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings. Tickets are on sale now at www.850tix.com. Sponsorships are also available. For more information about BGCEC, visit www.emeraldcoastbgc.org.
Restaurants competing have a chance to win three awards, People’s Choice, Kids’ Choice and Judges’ Pick. Participants can vote for their favorite dish at the event to determine the winner of the People’s and Kids’ Choice Awards. The 2019 winners were Basil and Baxter's Kitchen and Cocktails (Judge's Choice), Red Fish Taco (People's Choice), and Panera Bread (Kid's Choice). With more than $30,000 raised and 3,000 plus attendees, the first Mac & Cheese Festival along Florida's Emerald Coast was a huge success.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the BGCEC, which works to promote and enhance the development of local boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence through its programs focused on academic success, healthy lifestyles, good character and citizenship.
Boys & Girls Clubs programs have taken Members from the Clubhouse to the White House; from the games room to the corporate boardroom; from the high school football field to the NFL; from a band room to Carnegie Hall. In every community, young people are left to find their own recreation and companionship in the streets. An increasing number of children are at home with no adult care or supervision. Young people need to know that someone cares about them.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast offer that and more. Club programs and services promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast is a safe place to learn and grow – all while having fun. These Clubs are the place where great futures are started each and every day.