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St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches VCB and Garden & Gun Magazine present partnered dining experience

St. Augustine, Fla. (February 13, 2026) – One of Florida’s Historic Coasts’ most celebrated culinary heritage events, the St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival, returns May 6-9. Named one of Florida’s top ten food and wine festivals, this annual event, now in its sixth year, celebrates the intersection of food, beverage, and culture.

The St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival features four days of tastings, masterclasses, demonstrations, soirées, and bespoke dining experiences, featuring celebrity guest chefs, renowned winemakers and proprietors, local chefs, artisan and craft spirits, wine, and beer. New this year, the festival will kick off with The Saltworks Supper on Wednesday, May 6, presented by Garden & Gun Magazine and the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau.

“We’re honored to partner with Garden & Gun for the first time,” says Susan Phillips, President and CEO of the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Convention Bureau. “Their celebration of Southern culture, dining, storytelling, and history aligns beautifully with Florida’s Historic Coast – who we are and how we welcome visitors to our destination. This dinner showcases our dynamic culinary community and the authentic experiences that make St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra so unique.”

Garden & Gun Magazine is an award-winning bimonthly magazine based in Charleston, South Carolina, that covers Southern lifestyle, including home, food, sporting culture, travel, and art. As a tribute to the partnership, The Saltworks Supper features two nationally lauded chefs—Chef Michael Lugo of St. Augustine’s Michael’s and Chef Jason Stanhope of Charleston’s Sullivan’s Fish Camp. The evening will begin with a cocktail hour, followed by a seated multicourse supper. Each dish will highlight a distinct salt origin or brining technique, capturing the bold, expressive flavors inspired by St. Augustine’s maritime heritage.

The dinner is hosted at Chef Michael Lugo’s namesake restaurant, Michael’s, located on the first floor of the Hyatt Place St. Augustine Vilano Beach at 117 Vilano Road in St. Augustine. Michael’s opened as The Tasting Room in 2006 in Historic Downtown St. Augustine and has graced “Best Of” lists time and time again, most recently earning a prestigious Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator. Chef Lugo relocated his beloved eatery to Vilano Beach in early 2025, where the new space offers intimate dining areas, ample parking, comfortable seating, and an expanded wine library, a hallmark of the Michael’s experience. Chef Lugo also owns and operates Pesca, serving Latin bites and creative cocktails on the rooftop of the Hyatt Place, and La Nouvelle, a French bistro in historic Lincolnville.

Chef Jason Stanhope, a Kansas native who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco, is renowned for his elevated interpretations of classic cuisine and his commitment to local purveyors. Jason joined Charleston’s FIG in 2008, became Executive Chef in 2012, and earned the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2015. In 2025, he became Co-Owner and Executive Chef of Sullivan’s Fish Camp.

Tickets are available now for The Saltworks Supper, as well as all St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival events, at staugustinefoodandwinefestival.com/events/. For information on lodging, travel, and more Must-Do Experiences, visit www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com.

Located midway between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, Florida’s Historic Coast includes historic St. Augustine, the outstanding golf and seaside elegance of Ponte Vedra, the rural beauty of Hastings, Elkton, St. Johns, and 42 miles of pristine Atlantic beaches. Visitor Information Centers are located at 10 Castillo Drive, St. Augustine; 200 Solana Rd. Suite B, Ponte Vedra Beach; and at the St. Johns County Beach Pier Park, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach. For advance travel information, call 1-800-653-2489 or go to the Visitors and Convention Bureau website at www.FloridasHistoricCoast.com. Check us out on social media Instagram

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