The 30th anniversary of Festival Noel was nothing short of magical, especially when it came to the food, the wines, and the entertainment. From the moment you stepped in, you could feel the energy. Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits had their tent right at the entrance, handing out wine guides and glasses like, “Come, let’s get this night started!”
The first booth I passed was Sylvia’s and if you remember, I already raved about her food from Coconut Festival in East End. Listen… her food is ALWAYS good. Never misses.
Then I drifted over to the Italy tent for some dry wine, and that lil’ sip set the tone for the whole night. My next stop was Laure’s Kitchen and challll, this was the STANDOUT of the evening. I sampled the coconut shrimp, salmon sushi bake, spring rolls, and lobster & crab rangoons, and let me tell you… WELL WORTH THE WAIT. Hands down number one on my list so far.
A few steps down I ran into my girlies from The Sweet Scoop with some much-needed Italian ice. Perfect palette reset. Always love seeing them at events!
Then I passed the pig roast…yes, an actual roasted pig being carved right there on site. Meat was tender-tender. A line started to form nearby, so you know I had to check it out. It was none other than Brunch Vibes serving all your favorite brunch classics. Of course I went straight for the shrimp and grits, and when I say it took my breath away? I wasn’t joking. I was MAD I only had a saucer! Their cornbread was also a sweet lil’ touch I didn’t know I needed.
Toward the back I found Oh My Andros serving seafood rice, loaded potatoes, fried fish, and chicken kabobs. Can I brag about theseafood rice for a min? They did NOT hold back nothing either this! I mean if I wasn’t eating seafood in every bite I surely got the seafood flavoring.
Inside the Rand Nature Center were vendors with crafts and beautiful art pieces, but my belly guided me straight to Crumb & Co. Bahamas. The cutest lil’ mini cupcakes awaited me. I tried the vanilla, triple chocolate, and the pecan coconut, my NEW favorite must have dessert. I literally stood there in amazement. They were THAT good.
My final food stop was Bah-Cuterie with the cutest mini charcuterie cups. I’ve been wanting to try them for a while, so I was happy to finally get a taste!
I couldn’t make it to Roxy242 cuz that line was wrapped around the building… but I did spot goodies like freshly cut roast beef, rice, and potatoes being served.
After a little tour around the world through Australia, Africa, and more wine stops, I ended up at the Disaronno and Busker Whiskey tent. They had two signature cocktails: the Christmas Fizz and the Irish Claus. My favorite was definitely the Irish Claus: fruity at first, then that sweet-lemony aftertaste. You could barely taste the whiskey, but the combination of flavors in this drink? Perfection.
Overall, the 30th anniversary of Festival Noel, one of Grand Bahama’s oldest (and truly the only real) food and wine festival we have was one of the best experiences I’ve had. Tony Lowe & The Legit Band, set the perfect mood for a night under the stars singing Christmas songs. Honestly, I wish I could relive the whole thing… just to taste everything again and sip those lovely drinks.
But until next year Festival Noel, you did THAT. ✨🍷
