The 19th annual International Mango Festival at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables kicked off on Saturday, bringing in both local and Hawaiian chefs, vendors, and specialists to share information about cooking, growing, and eating mangoes. Each year, the two-day festival concentrates on mangoes from a different region; this year, Hawaii was the highlighted locale.
Natalie White Bernal, director of special events at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, led event production and management efforts for the festival, which attracted more than 9,500 attendees. Morning festivities began with the Mango Bites sampling seminar, where Zico Coconut Water and mango salad from sponsor Whole Foods Market were doled out. Mango tastings, flavor evaluations, and an aroma seminar followed in the garden house on the lawn, and other outdoor events included adult and child yoga and meditation classes, and making leis and mango ice cream.
Tents provided by Elite Tent Company housed cooking demonstrations by chefs from local restaurants and caterers, including Area 31, Norman's, Creative Tastes, the Oceanaire Seafood Room, Ayesha's Kitchen, and Cobalt Restaurant at the Vero Beach Hotel & Spa. Tables were also set up for the Kona Brewing Company's sampling of two beers and Whole Foods' Hydration Station, with mango popsicles and flavored iced tea giveaways. Food trucks Dolci Peccati Gelato, Dim Sum a GoGo by Sakaya Kitchen Restaurant, and the Mexican Gourmet were also on site.
Mangoes were available for purchase at the international fruit market, a tented area with more than 100 varieties of mangoes. Mangoville was another shopping outlet, where vendors set up displays on the lawn with mango and mango-inspired products for sale.
Musical acts performed throughout the weekend for the Music of the Islands celebration on the lawn. Drum circles were proceeded by performances by the Hawaiian Trio and hula dancers provided by Ohana Arts.
