The South Beach Wine & Food Festival's MasterCard presale starts today, Monday, October 7, and runs through October 20. This is the absolute best way to snag tickets to the hot events that sell out way before the actual festival, which is 135 days from now.
To purchase tickets, have your MasterCard ready and visit sobefest.com or call 877-762-3933. Phone sales are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you don't have a MasterCard, ticket sales open to the general public Monday, October 21.
Here are the top five tickets you want to get now before they sell out:
See also: Lee Brian Schrager on the South Beach Wine & Food Festival's Bar Mitzvah
5. Grand Tasting Village
Sure, it's overwhelming and it's not for everyone, but if your idea of a great afternoon is sampling hundreds of wines, snacking from dozens of restaurants, and stalking Martha Stewart for a photo, the GTV is for you.
Saturday, February 22, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, February 23, 2014, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ($225 each day, weekend pass $405)
4. A Splendid Ice Cream and Dessert Party hosted by Jeni Britton Bauer and Friends
If you've tried Jeni Britton Bauer's ice creams, you're already obsessed with them. Now have your fill of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams (in flavors such as goat cheese and cherries and whiskey chocolate pecan), pair them with fine spirits, and you've got one grown-up ice-cream party.
Friday, February 21, 2014, from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. ($95)
3. Ocean Liner Dinner hosted by Anthony Bourdain, Frederic Morin, David McMillan, Andrew Carmellini, Eric Ripert, Daniel Boulud, and François Payard
Ever wonder what it was like dining on the grand ships of yesteryear? First-class passengers on the Titanic were treated to multiple-course meals that lasted hours. Of course, the Titanic sank and you get seasick just walking on a dock. No need to fret, because this year's SoBeFest is re-creating the First Class Ocean Liner dining experience on dry land. The Wolfsonian-FIU will be transformed into a magnificent liner for the evening, where your host, Anthony Bourdain, will treat you to a sumptuous meal made by some of the finest chefs in the world. The evening ain't cheap, but how many times can you truly be "king of the world"?
Friday, February 21, 2014, 7 to 10 p.m. ($1,500)
2. Amstel Light Burger Bash presented by Pat LaFrieda Meats hosted by Rachael Ray
America's culinary darling, Rachael Ray, returns to host Burger Bash. Arguably the most coveted ticket each year, Burger Bash features 25 of the country's best chefs grilling their very best burgers for your eating enjoyment. In past years we've seen Spike Mendelsohn dress as the Hamburglar, Michael Symon get mobbed by female fans, and Martha Stewart chow down on some great meat. This year, the MasterCard presale gets you VIP tickets to the event, where you have an extra 45 minutes to grab as many burgers before the throngs of attendees flood in. VIP is the way to go at this one.
Friday, February 21, 2014, 6:45 to 10:30 p.m. ($325)
1. Moët Hennessy's The Q Hosted by Michael Symon featuring the 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Models
The Q, usually a fun evening of champagne and smoked meat, gets hotter this year when adorable celebrity chef Michael Symon teams up with the 2014 Sports Illustrated swimsuit models in celebration of the 50th edition of the iconic issue. Models eating ribs. Models hanging out. Charge your iPhones, because you'll be taking plenty of pictures this night.
Thursday, February 20, 2014, 7 to 10 p.m. ($300). Want to get up close and personal with the models? Of course you do. A limited number of VIP tickets ($400) get you entry at 6:15 p.m. for a preview of the food (and the models).
See also: SOBEWFF 2014: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Models on the Menu
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