The Busch Gardens Food & Wine Festival features 55 unique menu items and 71 varieties of wine, beer and cocktails at 14 tasting kiosks sprinkled throughout the world's most beautiful theme park. Though this often called Busch Gardens' tastiest event, internationally-inspired cuisine isn't the only thing to experience during the Food & Wine Festival. The park is also home to several talented artists during these foodie weekends. See below for a "sampling" of some of the artists whose work you can see during the Food & Wine Festival. Bon Appétit!
BV Designs- Belinda De La Garza is the artist behind BV Designs. Belinda handcrafts inspirational jewelry and heirloom quality rosaries. Though she now works from her studio in Williamsburg Virginia, Belinda's journey into rosary and jewelry making began in her hometown of Corpus Christi, Texas. Her mission is to encourage prayer and influence faith in a higher power by designing and creating distinctive quality rosaries and unique handcrafted jewelry. All pieces are one-of-a-kind, using top quality semi-precious stones, crystals, pearls and beads. Stop by the BV Designs booth in the Festhaus lobby every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through June 29 for unique pieces you will treasure forever.
Shanore- Shanore and Tara’s Diary collections have both become strong favorites with lovers of Celtic and Irish designs. Both of these collections are designed, produced and hall marked in Dublin, Ireland. Each design is lovingly crafted after many hours of design, prototyping and testing. A representative from Shanore will be at Emerald Isle Gifts June 21 and July 12.
Connemmara Marble- Stephen Walsh and his family have worked the beautiful, green Connemara marble for three generations and take great pride in the Irish jewelry and Irish gifts that they produce. Connemara marble is more than 900 million years old and is unique to Ireland. The Walsh family owns and operates the oldest marble quarry, which was first opened in the 19th Century, and visited in 1903 by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra during the Royal tour of Connemara. Stephen will be at Emerald Isle gifts the weekend of June 27.
Carolee Vitaletti- Carolee won her first art contest in 8th grade and ever since then she has been painting with a passion. She attended Rochester Institute of Technology and received a Bachelors of Fine Art in Graphic Design. She uses her graphic design background and her love of bright colors and textures to create inspiring art. Wildlife and nature are her favorite subjects to paint. She transforms each painting into an expression of uplifting art that inspires an emotional experience of pure happiness. You can find Carolee Vitaletti in the Ireland village every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through June 29.
Art of Food- Cuisine and art collide at several Art of Food booths throughout the park. Ordinary food becomes extraordinary art in the hands of our famous food art experts, whose works have been featured in print and on TV and won numerous carving competitions. Delicate works of blown sugar, towering statues made of melon, breathtaking forms of ice and intricate sculptures of cake and chocolate take shape before your very eyes. To see these works of art and learn more about the artists, stop by the Art of Food kiosks throughout the park every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through June 29.
