Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has announced a new summertime Bourbon & BBQ event, described as “a sizzling celebration of smoky flavors and smooth spirits taking place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from July 19 through September 2, including Labor Day.” Learn more about the event running through September 2 here. It’s the perfect prelude to Howl O Scream at the park.
The all-new culinary celebration, included with park admission, will take guests on a compelling journey as the park transforms into a haven for barbecue enthusiasts and bourbon connoisseurs with 12 newly BBQ-infused menu items and more than 25 hand-crafted cocktails, including 12 new concoctions.
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Busch Gardens launches new Bourbon and BBQ Festival
Bourbon & BBQ allows guests to stay late as they sip and savor the night away with live entertainment taking over the Coke Stage. Guests can enjoy tunes from rising local artists, including Luna and the Warriors, K-Luv & the United Funk Foundation, and more.
Outside of the festival area, guests can enjoy family-friendly activities, up-close encounters with over 200+ species of animals, and top off a day of festive fun with Florida’s most thrilling rides, including the high-flying Serengeti Flyer and the most anticipated coaster of 2024, Phoenix Rising.
A pitmaster’s paradise at Tampa Bay’s top theme park
The menu for the first-ever Bourbon & BBQ festival is a pit master’s dream. Guests can savor all-new BBQ-inspired menu offerings that include:
- Glazed Pulled Turkey: Slow-smoked turkey served with sweet potatoes roasted in a brown sugar-butter glaze and BBQ sauce infused with Cherry Coke® and black cherry hot sauce.
- Smoked Pork Ribs: Fall-off-the-bone smoked pork ribs smothered in a sweet & tangy Coca-Cola® BBQ sauce with a side of lima beans and corn-roasted red pepper succotash.
- Lamb Ribs: Bourbon-brined lamb ribs slow-smoked with a side of sweet cream cornbread and mustard BBQ sauce.
- Smoked Heirloom Tomato Salad: Local heirloom tomatoes cold smoked and placed on a bed of mixed greens finished with an aged balsamic glaze.
- Apple Smoked Pork: Apple Brined Pulled Pork topped with a sweet & spicy bourbon BBQ sauce and served with brown sugar baked beans.
- Slow Smoked Beef Chuck: Dry Rubbed Beef Chuck slow cooked and tossed in a Florida-style BBQ sauce and served with a peach-infused coleslaw.
- Beef Brisket: Chopped Brisket tossed in a key lime ketchup BBQ sauce with a hint of habanero on top of creamy mac and cheese.
- Smoked Chicken: Dry Rubbed Chicken Thighs glazed in a mustard BBQ sauce and served with a creamy house-made potato salad.
- Lamb Shank: Tender lamb shank slow-cooked with maple wood and placed on top of buttery red mashed potatoes finished with a rich dark molasses BBQ sauce.
- Smoked Salmon: House-smoked salmon over a bed of jasmine rice topped with Bulgogi BBQ sauce and sriracha honey drizzle.
- Smoked Chicken Sandwich: Pulled Smoked Chicken topped with peach habanero BBQ sauce on a potato roll.
Craft cocktails and tasting experiences on the menu
From hand-crafted cocktails, full-bodied beers, and crisp ciders, an array of over 25 types of drink offerings awaits guests to sip and savor the day away. Featured new additions include:
- Blackberry Smash: Tasty blackberry puree combined with Buffalo Trace Bourbon
- Traveller Lemonade: Delicious, sweetened lemonade with Traveller Whiskey
- Corazon Margarita: Corazon Tequila aged specifically for Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in only single Blanton’s Bourbon Barrels
- Hibiscus Vodka Mule: Fresh Hibiscus with Wheatley Vodka
Guests can also enjoy the Treetop Bourbon Tasting, a guided experience led by a distilling expert. On Saturdays, enjoy Buffalo Trace Distillery’s finest, and on Sundays, savor the best of Jack Daniel’s Distillery. Start with a welcome cocktail in a signature Bourbon & BBQ barrel cup at the Map Room of Treetop Kitchen. Each guest will receive five half-ounce pours of specially curated spirits paired with food while learning about spirit-making from renowned distilleries. Alternatively, enjoy the St. Augustine Distillery Tasting, featuring four delectable spirits or a single neat pour with bottles available for purchase.
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