It was nearly 20 years ago that the Sarasota-Manatee Originals was founded: a collaborative of independently owned and operated restaurants and culinary innovators committed to uniting the energies of local restaurants and celebrating the food and friendship that’s indigenous to our Gulf-coastal lifestyle experience.

Today the “Originals” are over 60 restaurants strong and provide diners with unique local flavor from the north shore of Anna Maria Island down to the southern beaches of Venice and every neighborhood in between.  We urge the community to support our local independent restaurants and encourage the general public to always “Eat Like A Local.”

In 2008, Forks & Corks was designed as a fun and engaging showcase of the enormous talents of our area’s locally-owned restaurants, highlighted by an esteemed cast of visiting winery owners and winemakers from literally all over the world. It is considered one of the area’s biggest social celebrations of the year.

FOODIES AND FUN-SEEKERS MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
The 16th Annual Forks & Corks Food and Wine Festival is scheduled for next April, with a multi-day menu of events, ranging from the always popular University Master Classes, and a bountiful selection of Wine Dinners from which to choose. Plans for 2023 include the return of the famous Grand Tasting at The Ringling Museum of Art and Monday's Trade Tasting, exclusively available for local industry professionals.

The next Forks & Corks Festival is planned for April 2023 and will likely include:

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19
Forks & Corks Kick-Off Party (private for Sponsors and VIPs)

THURSDAY, APRIL 20 & FRIDAY, APRIL 21 
Forks & Corks Wine Dinners

SATURDAY, APRIL 22
Univeristy Master Classes

SUNDAY, APRIL 23
THE GRAND TASTING

MONDAY, APRIL 24
Trade Tasting (private for hospitlity industry personnel only)

Forks & Corks Food and Wine Festival is hosted by the Sarasota-Manatee Originals and is our organization’s primary annual fundraiser, bringing critical marketing dollars to promote dining in local, independently-owned restaurants and encouraging locals and visitors to our area to always “Eat Like A Local.”

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