Where can you hop aboard yachts, sit in exotic cars, and climb into luxurious jets all in one weekend? (Hint: It's not the South Florida International Auto Show or the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show.) The Festival of Speed showcases the crème de la crème of exotic automobiles, motorcycles, boats, and aircraft while allowing the collectors of these toys to share their passion with others. This year, Joe Sabatini and David Raber of RPM Events Inc., the festival's creators and the men in charge of organizing all the events, chose St. Petersburg as their backdrop.
The festival began with a jet hop on Friday night at the Clearwater Airport's Signature Flight Support building. Exotic motorcycles and vehicles, such as the Mercedes Maybach, along with two luxury aircrafts—one by ExecuJet, which provides private executive and V.I.P. charter services—were parked inside an enormous airplane hangar. (In fact, all of the impressive machines served as decor throughout the weekend's events.) Guests, mostly exotic-machine enthusiasts and owners, took tours of the two jets and checked out the cars. Orange Blossom Catering passed hors d'oeuvres and also provided the evening's bar service.
On Saturday afternoon, the festival's host hotel, the Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, hosted a yacht hop in its marina, which allowed guests to climb aboard multiple vessels docked for the event, including a 61-foot yacht from Gulf Coast Yacht Sales, Inc. with four luxuriously appointed staterooms. Orange Blossom set up two bars on the marina's walkway, and servers passed appetizers.
The resort was also the setting for Saturday evening's gala. Rows of tricked-out, custom-made motorcycles lined the hallway leading to the grand ballroom. Decor was minimal; again, Sabatini used vehicles, including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis, Bentleys, and a 24-foot Hydrolift S-24 R speedboat. The hotel catered the gala, setting up food stations on both ends of the ballroom. Chefs cooked shrimp and crawfish fritters on the spot, and servers dished out Peruvian mashed and Yukon Gold sweet potatoes, paella, and lobster ragout with wild mushroom cream.
Stormy weather canceled Sunday's event—a display of more than 250 machines plus food, music, and entertainment at Vinoy Park—but it has been rescheduled for Friday, April 1.
—Vanessa Goyanes
The festival began with a jet hop on Friday night at the Clearwater Airport's Signature Flight Support building. Exotic motorcycles and vehicles, such as the Mercedes Maybach, along with two luxury aircrafts—one by ExecuJet, which provides private executive and V.I.P. charter services—were parked inside an enormous airplane hangar. (In fact, all of the impressive machines served as decor throughout the weekend's events.) Guests, mostly exotic-machine enthusiasts and owners, took tours of the two jets and checked out the cars. Orange Blossom Catering passed hors d'oeuvres and also provided the evening's bar service.
On Saturday afternoon, the festival's host hotel, the Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, hosted a yacht hop in its marina, which allowed guests to climb aboard multiple vessels docked for the event, including a 61-foot yacht from Gulf Coast Yacht Sales, Inc. with four luxuriously appointed staterooms. Orange Blossom set up two bars on the marina's walkway, and servers passed appetizers.
The resort was also the setting for Saturday evening's gala. Rows of tricked-out, custom-made motorcycles lined the hallway leading to the grand ballroom. Decor was minimal; again, Sabatini used vehicles, including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis, Bentleys, and a 24-foot Hydrolift S-24 R speedboat. The hotel catered the gala, setting up food stations on both ends of the ballroom. Chefs cooked shrimp and crawfish fritters on the spot, and servers dished out Peruvian mashed and Yukon Gold sweet potatoes, paella, and lobster ragout with wild mushroom cream.
Stormy weather canceled Sunday's event—a display of more than 250 machines plus food, music, and entertainment at Vinoy Park—but it has been rescheduled for Friday, April 1.
—Vanessa Goyanes
The Festival of Speed in St. Petersburg kicked off with a jet hop at Clearwater Airport's Signature Flight Support building.
A bartender from Orange Blossom Catering whipped up a martini by sending the liquor through an ice luge in the sculpture.
A Widow motorcycle was on display during the Saturday night gala at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club.
The hotel's ballroom was lined with cars and speedboats for the Festival of Speed gala.
