New sumptuous food by award-winning chefs to debut at West Palm's SunFest 2024
SunFest may be leaner in terms of its days and entertainment budget, but the music fest will be richer in its chef-driven food options when it returns to the West Palm Beach waterfront May 3-5.
Then again, the annual festival has a good reason to celebrate with sumptuous food this year — it’s celebrating its 40th birthday. What better way than with delicious bites made by some of the county’s top chefs?
The lineup includes two of last year’s semifinalists for a James Beard Award for best chef in the South, chefs Rick Mace of Tropical Smokehouse in West Palm Beach and Pushkar Marathe of Ela Curry & Cocktails in Palm Beach Gardens.
They join acclaimed chef Tim Lipman of Coolinary and The Parched Pig, pitmasters from Nevs Barbecue and Okeechobee Prime Barbecue and local craft beer brewers from Civil Society.
“SunFest wanted to elevate their food game. They bring in all these amazing artists to the county, but food and music go hand in hand. So they’re upping their game this year,” participating chef Marathe told The Post.
At his booth at SunFest, he’ll offer Ela’s popular butter chicken, lamb samosas with cilantro chutney and the heftier tandoori hanger steak with burrata and Kai-Kai Farm tomato salad.
Those Ela bites will be offered in the general-admission area that also includes food options by other local restaurants and Miami concessionaire SWARM. Among those options, fest-goers can expect gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan items.
SunFest 2024 lineup: Nelly, Billy Idol, Cole Swindell, Rebelution, Bryce Vine
VIP culinary pop-ups at SunFest 2024
This year, SunFest has added a series of themed VIP culinary pop-ups that include unlimited food and beverage tastings and discounted specialty drinks for three hours each day.
Located within view of the Ideal Nutrition Stage (on South Flagler Drive, between Datura and Evernia streets), the food-and-drink events are priced at $125 to $145. Those ticket prices include admission to SunFest.
Here they are, at a glance:
SunFest's Friday, May 3, belongs to street food, craft beer
What’s to eat, drink? Bites from Coolinary/The Parched Pig, Ela Curry & Cocktails and North Palm Beach’s Draft House Bar & Grille. For the pairing, there will be Civil Society beers and wine sips by JaM Cellars.
Coolinary chef/owner Lipman calls the SunFest culinary event a highlight for his cherished restaurant.
“This milestone isn’t just a celebration of SunFest’s legacy, but a moment for us to showcase our commitment to excellence and community connection on a grand stage,” Lipman said in a SunFest news release.
Hours: $125 per person. The food and drink sampling goes from 6 to 9 p.m.
SunFest's Saturday, May 4, brings 'BBQ, Bourbon & Beats'
What’s to eat, drink? An array of smoky meats and fixings by Tropical Smokehouse, Nevs Barbecue, Okeechobee Prime Barbecue and Draft House Bar & Grille. Pairing sips will be offered by Woodford Reserve Bourbon.
Tropical Smokehouse chef/partner Mace describes the event as a “stage to share the art of BBQ”.
“We’re bringing our A-game to the waterfront, serving up dishes that reflect the soul of our cuisine,” Mace said via news release. “It’s about more than just food; it’s a celebration of community and culture.”
Hours: $145 per person. Food and drink sampling goes from 4 to 7 p.m.
SunFest's Sunday, May 5, is all about Cinco de Mayo bites and sips
What’s to eat, drink? Tacos and tequila, of course. The bites are by the locally based 5 Star Hospitality and Catering. Tequila sips are by Herradura Tequila.
Price and hours: $145 per person. Food and drink sampling goes from 4 to 7 p.m.
For those who plan to be at SunFest every day, there’s a three-day pop-up pass that’s priced at $290.
Pop-up tickets and information are available at SunFest.com/ThePalm.
For festival lineup, schedule and logistical information, visit SunFest.com. Also good to know: SunFest is a cashless festival. Accepted payment methods throughout the festival are credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover), Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay.
SunFest 2024 music festival in West Palm Beach
When: May 3 through 5, 2024
Where: 101 S. Clematis St., West Palm Beach - Along the Intracoastal Waterway in downtown West Palm Beach. The festival grounds are officially on Flagler Drive in between Banyan Boulevard and Lakeview Avenue.
Liz Balmaseda is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network. She covers the local food and dining beat. Follow her on Instagram and Post on Food Facebook. She can be reached by email at lbalmaseda@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: SunFest 2024: James Beard chefs bring new food to West Palm festival
