The lauded “king of fruits” returns to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden for the 23rd annual International Mango Festival, July 11-12, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
This year, the festival will feature mouthwatering mangos from the Caribbean island of Jamaica. Festival favorites such as the world’s only mango auction, mango brunch, mango tastings, and mango tree sales will satisfy the appetites of visitors of all ages.
There are hundreds of mango cultivars grown throughout the world with different tastes, textures, and fragrances. After sampling diverse varieties in the Mango Tasting Room, visitors can cast a vote for their favorite.
In addition to delicious mango dishes prepared by vendors, unique mango varieties will be available for purchase at the Fruit Market and can be used in easy-tomake tropical meals presented by notable chefs at the Cooking Demonstration Tent sponsored by Whole Foods.
Expert-led gardening demos will showcase global mango cultivation practices that can be used on Jamaican mango trees, from the sweet and rich “Julie” variety to the juicy and flavorful “Bombay” sold at the mango tree sales.
Following in the footsteps of Dr. David Fairchild, curators of tropical fruit Dr. Richard Campbell and Dr. Noris Ledesma have traveled all over the world collecting mango species to grow at the Fairchild Farm. These rare mango collections, part of the magnificent Mangos of the World Display, will be sold to the highest bidder at the exciting Mango Auction on Sunday, July 12, at 2 p.m. Campbell and Ledesma also will lead the Mango Grower’s Summit a day before the festival to discuss the latest research and news in the worldwide mango industry.
For a gourmet dining experience, RSVP to the Mango Brunch, a fundraiser for the Tropical Fruit Program and Fairchild Farm. Held on Sunday, July 12, 11a.m.-1 p.m., the brunch will feature mango dishes by Frank and Andrea Randazzo of Creative Tastes Catering, Jimmy Carey of Jimmy’z Kitchen, Kareem Anguin of Oceanaire, Kris Wessel of Oolite Restaurant and Bar, Cindy Hutson of Ortanique on the Mile, and Allen Susser of The Café at Books & Books. Tickets for the brunch are sold separately.
This year’s International Mango Festival is sponsored by Whole Foods Market, New York Life, Simply Natural Investments, and Williamson Automotive Group.
Admission is $25 for adults, $18 for seniors 65 and older, $12 for children 6-17, and free for Fairchild members and children 5 and under. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is located at 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL 33156.
For more information, call 305-667-1651 or visit www.fairchildgarden.org/mango.
