Forks & Corks Returns to Sarasota in January 2027 for Its 20th Anniversary Celebration

One of the Florida Suncoast’s most anticipated culinary traditions is preparing for a major milestone. Forks & Corks will return January 21–25, 2027, for five days of exceptional food, international wines, educational programs and special dining experiences across Sarasota and Manatee counties.

The 2027 festival will mark the 20th year of Forks & Corks, which was launched in 2008 by the Sarasota-Manatee Originals. The organization represents more than 70 locally owned, independent restaurants stretching from Anna Maria Island to Venice.

More than a food-and-wine festival, Forks & Corks is the Sarasota-Manatee Originals’ largest annual event and fundraiser. Proceeds help the organization promote and sustain the independent restaurants that contribute so much to the region’s economy, character and hospitality industry.

The 2027 celebration is expected to include Winemaker Dinners, retail tastings, Forks & Corks University Master Classes, an online food-and-wine auction, the hospitality-industry Trade Tasting and the festival’s signature Grand Tasting at The Ringling Museum of Art.

Specific participating restaurants, wineries, menus, class topics and ticket prices will be announced closer to the festival.

Five Days of Food, Wine and Local Collaboration

Forks & Corks is designed to connect the Suncoast’s independent chefs and restaurateurs with winery owners, winemakers and wine representatives from throughout the world.

Rather than concentrating every activity in one location, the festival includes events at Sarasota-Manatee Originals member restaurants and retail establishments throughout the region. That format gives visitors an opportunity to experience a wide variety of local restaurants while meeting some of the people responsible for producing the wines being served.

The festival’s winemaker events are scheduled to take place from Thursday, January 21, through Monday, January 25, at participating restaurants across Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Events may include formal multicourse dinners, educational luncheons, tasting receptions and other special programs. Local chefs create menus designed to complement wines selected in collaboration with visiting winemakers and winery representatives.

Because the dinners are generally smaller and more intimate than the Grand Tasting, guests often have opportunities to hear directly from the chefs and winemakers about the menu, grape varieties, winemaking regions and pairing decisions.

Forks & Corks University Master Classes

Forks & Corks University is scheduled for Saturday, January 23, 2027.

The educational seminars traditionally bring together panels of winery owners, winemakers and other wine-industry professionals. Participants taste selected wines while learning about topics such as grape varieties, wine regions, production methods, vintage differences and food pairing.

The 2027 classes are expected to be held at Michael’s On East and Michael’s Wine Cellar in Sarasota.

Each seminar typically accommodates approximately 50 to 75 wine enthusiasts, creating a more personal setting than a large public tasting. Panels generally include several winery representatives and a moderator who guides the discussion.

Wines featured during the classes are also expected to be available for purchase.

Class themes, presenters, schedules and ticket information remain to be announced.

The Grand Tasting Returns to The Ringling

The centerpiece of the festival will be the Forks & Corks Grand Tasting on Sunday, January 24, 2027, in the courtyard and surrounding grounds of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota.

The Grand Tasting is traditionally one of the most sought-after culinary tickets of the year on the Florida Suncoast.

Organizers say guests will be able to sample signature dishes from more than 40 Sarasota-Manatee Originals restaurants while exploring a curated collection of more than 350 wines from around the world.

The event is expected to include approximately 100 food-and-wine vendors and attract as many as 1,800 guests.

In addition to restaurant tastings and wine samples, the Grand Tasting typically features live music and a wine retail tent. Guests can purchase many of the wines they discover during the event, an important feature that separates Forks & Corks from many other food-and-wine festivals.

Organizers describe Forks & Corks as one of the relatively few wine festivals in the Southeast with a significant retail component. Wines are offered for sale throughout several festival events, giving participating wineries access to consumers, restaurant owners, retailers, sommeliers and hospitality professionals.

Participating wineries collectively generated more than $200,000 in wine sales during the 2026 festival, according to information provided by the Sarasota-Manatee Originals.

Grand Tasting Admission Options

Although prices and complete benefits for 2027 have not yet been released, organizers have announced three planned Grand Tasting admission periods.

VIP admission is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. VIP admission is expected to include early entry, a welcome reception, access to an exclusive VIP lounge, a wine-purchase voucher, valet parking and additional benefits.

Early Access admission is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. and is also expected to include a welcome reception, wine-purchase voucher and valet parking.

General admission is scheduled to begin at noon.

The Grand Tasting has a history of selling out quickly—sometimes within minutes—so anyone interested in attending should watch for the official ticket-sale announcement and be prepared to purchase tickets as soon as they become available.

Retail Wine Tastings

Retail tasting events are planned for Friday, January 22, and Saturday, January 23, at selected wine stores and retail locations throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties.

These events provide another opportunity to meet visiting winemakers and taste wines that may also be featured during the Grand Tasting.

Locations, admission prices and schedules will vary by retailer and will be announced at a later date.

Trade Tasting for Hospitality Professionals

The Forks & Corks Trade Tasting will take place Monday, January 25, 2027.

Unlike the public Grand Tasting, this event is reserved for qualified hospitality-industry professionals, including representatives from restaurants, hotels, country clubs and wine retailers.

The Trade Tasting is expected to welcome approximately 500 vetted attendees from within a roughly 200-mile radius.

Admission is free for eligible industry professionals, but attendees must provide proof of hospitality-industry employment and a valid photo ID.

The event gives local buyers and hospitality professionals an opportunity to meet winery representatives, sample participating wines and explore potential additions to restaurant, hotel and retail wine programs.

Online Food-and-Wine Auction

Forks & Corks will also include an online auction featuring wine, travel, dining and entertainment packages.

Preliminary festival information lists the auction period as Monday, January 18, through Sunday, January 24, although organizers indicate that complete 2027 auction details are still being finalized.

Past auctions have included rare bottles, large-format wines, luxury travel opportunities, private dining experiences, winery visits and other one-of-a-kind packages.

Participating wineries are asked to donate an auction item valued at a minimum of $500. Auction proceeds support the Sarasota-Manatee Originals and their work promoting the region’s independent restaurants.

Bidders must be at least 21 years old to bid on any package containing wine or alcohol.

An International Wine Experience on the Florida Suncoast

The final 2027 winery roster has not been released, but the 2026 festival welcomed an extensive international lineup.

Participating wineries and wine producers represented California, Oregon, Washington, New York, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Argentina and South Africa, among other regions.

The previous festival included well-known names and producers from Napa Valley, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Willamette Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Provence, Tuscany, Piedmont and several other important wine regions.

The Grand Tasting alone is expected to feature more than 350 wines in 2027.

Forks & Corks also operates a professional wine-judging program. Wines submitted by participating wineries are tasted blind and scored by a panel of experienced judges.

The highest-scoring red and white wines are recognized, while gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded based on scoring. Award-winning wines are identified in the Grand Tasting wine guide, helping guests decide what to sample and purchase.

Organizers say the wine-judging program has helped increase retail wine sales at the Grand Tasting since it was introduced in 2013.

Supporting Independent Restaurants

Forks & Corks was created to celebrate the people and businesses behind Sarasota and Manatee counties’ independent dining community.

The Sarasota-Manatee Originals brings restaurant owners, chefs and culinary innovators together to promote locally owned dining establishments and encourage residents and visitors to “Eat Like a Local.”

Independent restaurants help define a destination. They provide employment, purchase goods and services from other local businesses, support community organizations and introduce visitors to the flavors and hospitality of the region.

Forks & Corks gives those restaurants a high-profile platform while attracting culinary travelers and wine enthusiasts to the Suncoast during the winter tourism season.

The festival also creates opportunities for restaurant employees, chefs, wine professionals, distributors and retailers to build relationships that can continue long after the final tasting concludes.

Important Forks & Corks 2027 Dates

• Online Food-and-Wine Auction: Preliminary dates are January 18–24, with complete details to be announced.
• Winemaker Dinners and Special Events: January 21–25 at participating Sarasota-Manatee Originals restaurants.
• Retail Tastings: January 22–23 at participating wine retailers.
• Forks & Corks University Master Classes: Saturday, January 23.
• Grand Tasting: Sunday, January 24, at The Ringling Museum of Art.
• Hospitality Industry Trade Tasting: Monday, January 25.

Ticket prices, participating restaurants, winery selections, dinner menus and registration information will be released as planning continues. Festival organizers strongly recommend purchasing tickets early because the most popular events routinely sell out.

Forks & Corks Seeks Best Festival Recognition

Forks & Corks has also been selected as a finalist in Sarasota Magazine’s Best of Sarasota competition.

Supporters can vote for Forks & Corks in the Best Festival category through July 31, 2026. The competition allows readers to recognize local businesses, organizations, attractions and events across more than 30 categories.

Winners are scheduled to be announced on October 14, 2026.

With its combination of independent restaurants, internationally respected wineries, educational programs and one of the region’s most recognizable cultural settings, Forks & Corks has developed into much more than an annual tasting.

It is a five-day celebration of the chefs, restaurant owners, winemakers and hospitality professionals who help make Sarasota and Manatee counties one of Florida’s most exciting dining destinations.

Save the dates—January 21–25, 2027—and prepare to eat, drink, learn and celebrate as Forks & Corks marks its 20th anniversary on the Florida Suncoast.

Related Stories

• Forks & Corks Food & Wine Festival Returns to Sarasota in January 2026: Ticket Sales Begin This October
• Forks & Corks — Eating Like a Local in Sarasota and Manatee Counties
• Forks and Corks Fills The Ringling in Sarasota

Information acquired from various sources.