Food and wine festivals abound this month in the Florida Keys

Food and wine enthusiasts can savor sunshine, stellar culinary offerings and superior vintages this month at four major Florida Keys celebrations of cuisine and spirits. Events showcase local chefs’ culinary flair, indigenous Florida Keys ingredients and premium wines from around the world. Unique food-related adventures will entice the whole family.

Uncorked: the Key Largo & Islamorada Food & Wine Festival kicked off Thursday, Jan. 10, and runs through Saturday, Jan. 19, and is to feature more than 30 palate-pleasing events. Highlights of the festival include a "Dine Around Town" progressive dinner Thursday, Jan. 15, in Islamorada and the festival's Grand Tasting Finale at Islamorada's Postcard Inn Saturday, Jan. 19. www.floridakeysuncorked.com/.

The eighth annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival is to be staged in Key West's Bayview Park from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, to celebrate the fresh seafood that has been a highlight of Keys cuisine for nearly two centuries. Offerings include grilled Florida lobster, fried fish, stone crab claws, smoked fish dip, sweet Key West pink shrimp and more -- all caught, cooked and served by Keys commercial fishermen and their families. www.fkcfa.org/Pages/SeafoodFestival.aspx

The fourth annual Key West Food and Wine Festival is set for Thursday through Sunday, Jan. 24-27. Scheduled events showcase local chefs' flavorful cuisine incorporating indigenous Florida Keys ingredients, as well as a wide range of superior vintages. Highlights include Duval Uncorked, a stroll down Key West's renowned Duval Street from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean with forays into restaurants, bars, galleries and boutiques. Among other attractions are an outdoor wine market, multicourse wine dinners, a wacky afternoon of coconut bowling and a Master Chef's Classic tasting and competition. www.keywestfoodandwinefestival.com

January is to end with a spotlight on one of the Keys’ favorite gastronomic delights. The Key Largo Stone Crab & Seafood Festival is set for Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 26-27, featuring fresh local seafood, live musical entertainment, cooking demonstrations, contests and kids' activities. Sponsored by the Key Largo Fisheries and Key Largo Merchants Association, the fourth annual event at Rowell's Marina is a delicious weekend of family fun and local seafood. www.fkrm.com/crabandseafood

Florida Keys visitor information: www.fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS
Social: facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest · twitter.com/thefloridakeys · youtube.com/FloridaKeysTV

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, Florida Keys Travel Examiner

Jill Zima Borski, author of the softcover and e-book memoir, Know that I have Lived, http://jill-zima-borski.com, is a long-time freelance writer who serves on the board of directors of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. She has lived in Islamorada in the Florida Keys for 18 years. She has...

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