Las Olas Wine & Food Festival Electrified the Boulevard, Raising $415,000 to Support the American Lung Association’s Work

Fort Lauderdale’s largest wine and food festival returned to the iconic Las Olas Boulevard on the evening of Friday, April 19. More than 2,500 guests attended the 28th annual Las Olas Wine and Food Festival, which raised more than $415,000 to support the American Lung Association’s groundbreaking research, programming and advocacy in Florida and beyond.

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits—the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol—returned for its second year as the exclusive festival wine and spirits provider. It curated samples from more than 200 domestic and international wines, spirits and brews. Title sponsors Casamigos Tequila, High West Whiskey, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Papa’s Pilar Rum offered festival goers specialty cocktails and interactive experiences.

Additional highlights:

• The Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Wine Garden sponsored by Florida Blue debuted this year, offering attendees a premium wine experience.
• The VIP Kick Off Party, hosted by Florida Power & Light and Amerant, got the festivities started at the Riverside Hotel.
• Guests danced the night away at the Demesmin & Dover Block Party.

“The Las Olas Wine & Food Festival is a beloved Fort Lauderdale institution, and our 28th anniversary event did not disappoint! 90 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to the American Lung Association’s work creating a world free of lung cancer and lung disease—so this event is the epitome of doing good while having fun,” said Chrissy Cohen, executive director at the Lung Association. “Thank you to our partners, sponsors and attendees who made this a night to remember.”

Cohen added: “We’re also recognizing our longstanding partners, the Las Olas Company and the Las Olas Association, for fostering a dynamic community that we all get to enjoy not only during the festival, but year-round. Las Olas Boulevard is iconic and has been the ideal host location. Thank you!”

More than 40 of South Florida’s best restaurants provided tasty bites for guests, including: Abiaka at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, The Alchemist Café, American Social, Barto at Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, Blueprint Cookies, Boatyard, Carrot Express, Caseificio Olivieri USA, Chala Taqueria, Chef Rose Jamaican Cuisine, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, COYO TACO, Crowder Powder, The Den Sports Bar & Lounge, DESIIGNBYFOOD, The Diplomat Beach Resort, The Dutch Fry, Even Keel Fish & Oyster, The Federal, Gran Forno Pronto, Hatch, Holly Blue, The Hollywood Donut Factory, I LOVE PANZEROTTI, Kulinary Rhapsody, La Mexicana Taco Bar, Lona Cocina Tequileria, Lucky Fish, Maass, New River Cafe & Bakery, North Italia, Oceanic at Pompano Beach Pier, OL’DAYS, Olive & Sea, Pastaiolo Bar, Phuse Cream, Playa Bowls LLC, PurpleLit Oyster Company, Radiant 166, Rice Mediterranean Kitchen, Rocco’s Tacos, Sky Thai Sushi, Steelpan @ The Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, Stoner Pizza, Tabañero, Tamarindo Harbor Sea Food Bar & Grill, Timpano Las Olas, Vicky Bakery, The Wilder, Wild Sea on Las Olas and YOLO.

Thank you to our Hosting Sponsors, including Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Casamigos Tequila, Papa’s Pilar Rum, High West Whiskey, The Las Olas Association, Blackstone Agency, the Las Olas Company, Memorial Cancer Institute, Swezy Foundation, Related Group, Amerant, Marriott Vacation Club, Cadillac and Desesmin & Dover. Thank you to sponsors Broward Health, Florida Power & Light, City & Shore Magazine, Sun Sentinel Media Group, Stephens Distributing Company, Florida Blue and Greater Fort Lauderdale TravelHost Media Group. Thank you to official hotel partner, the Riverside Hotel.

For more details, visit LasOlasWFF.com. To get involved with the mission of the American Lung Association, visit Lung.org.