The Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival began seven years ago with a few simple goals: To stabilize health disparities in underserved communities, promote food consumption education and showcase better lifestyle choices.

The festival is back this year and will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024 at 2240 9th Avenue South in St. Petersburg, FL.

For the third year the festival will feature the Taste Tent where local chefs will cook one of their favorite recipes, provide samples to the audience and answer questions about the cooking and recipe development processes.

The all-local lineup includes

10:30 am – “Healthy Creole Jambalaya by Chef Donna Sagan- Hortz
11:15 am – “Meatball 3 Ways: Veg/Meat/Fish by Barbara’s Kitchen
Noon – Shrimp and Collard Ravioli by ACF Student Winner Kryssia Galante
12:45 pm – Caribbean Collard Salad by Chef Coco Linton
1:30 pm – Sweet Potato and Collard Hummus by Ray’s Vegan Soul
2:15 pm – St. Pete Salad Taste Test by Robin Clemmons and Lisa Pineda

Since its inception, the festival — sponsored by Publix and in partnership with the Woodson African American Museum of Florida — has become a must-attend event in Tampa Bay, featuring over 150 vendors with items ranging from jewelry to clothing to food, free fitness and agricultural demonstrations, a collard greens cook-off, service providers and local entertainment.

In addition, the signature pre-festival event, “Collards After Dark,” will return, featuring two-time James Beard award winner Adrian Miller, known as “The Soul Food Scholar.” At that event, Miller will sign autographed copies of his book, “The President’s Kitchen Cabinet.”

Co-founded by Boyzell Hosey and Samantha Harris, the festival is free and open to the public.

Festival highlights include:

● Musical performances from the Al Downing Jazz Band Association, national recording artist and St. Pete native ShyAnn Roberts, Maiya “Afro Opera” Stephenson and more.

● The onsite creation of the giant “Tampa Bay Salad” where festival attendees can sample a fresh from the garden salad sourced from local community gardens.

● Mike LaBua of Body by LaBua, who will discuss how the body can benefit from a comprehensive 30-minute workout and the advantages of having workplace gyms. TBCGF Fitness Coordinator Natasha Walker, owner of NuBody Fitness and community health specialist with the Jim & Heather Gills YMCA, returns with her group dance fitness workouts.

● Efforts will be made this year to divert food waste from landfills to Eckerd College’s community farms via the City of St. Petersburg, Laica Worms & Vermicast, Eckerd College and the Sustainable Urban Agriculture Coalition. For more information, email SUACTampaBay@gmail.com.

The festival’s signature event, “Collards After Dark: A Liquid History of the U.S. Presidency ft. Adrian Miller” will be held from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 at The Cuban Club, located at 2010 N. Avenida Republica de Cuba in Tampa, Florida. Held in partnership with WUSF Public Media and Tombolo Books, this entertaining and informative event will take you on a journey through time explaining the delicious beverages inspired by iconic moments in American culinary history.

Tickets for “Collards After Dark” are $85 per person or $150 for two people. Tickets include a signed copy of Miller’s book, complimentary drinks and appetizers. To purchase tickets, go to

https://tombolobooks.com/events/32302.
“In a typical presentation, I focus on the men and women who have cooked for presidents Washington, Jefferson, Harrison, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Johnson and Obama,” said Miller.

Both the festival and “Collards After Dark” are the TBCGF’s largest fundraisers of the year, taking place during President’s Day weekend and Black History Month. Funds raised allow TBCGF, a non-profit organization, to raise awareness about healthier living, including highlighting the epidemic of heart disease and stroke in the African American community.