🕺 Dancing Queen Meets Catering Dream: A Fresh Connection at Gourmet Feastival 2025 💃

Mark your calendars and dust off your platform shoes — the 33rd Annual Gourmet Feastival is bringing the flavor and the funk back to Tampa Bay! On Thursday, August 7, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM, foodies, philanthropists, and ABBA fans alike will gather at Higgins Hall in Tampa for a night of delicious bites, disco vibes, and community impact.

This year’s theme? “Almost ABBA – Having the Time of Your Life” — and at A Fresh Connection Catering, we’re ready to groove our way back into the spotlight.

We’ve been proud participants in Gourmet Feastival for years, and 2025 is shaping up to be our most fabulous appearance yet. From the moment you step through the door, you’ll be surrounded by the region’s top caterers, restaurants, and beverage pros, each serving up mouthwatering samples with a side of good vibes.

✨ Great food. Great cause. Great outfits. It’s the ultimate recipe for a night you won’t forget.

So whether you’re a longtime client, first-time taster, or just someone who loves a little disco with their dinner, come find our booth and experience why we’re known for turning catering into an art form. 🎨🍽️

🎟️ What Is Gourmet Feastival & Why It Matters 💛

Sure, it’s Tampa Bay’s tastiest ticket — but Gourmet Feastival is much more than a food event. Now celebrating its 33rd year, this beloved annual tradition brings together 35+ of the area’s top culinary vendors for an unforgettable evening of flavors, fundraising, and community spirit.

Hosted by the Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women, the event serves a powerful purpose: raising funds to support women and families across Tampa Bay. From career coaching and counseling to entrepreneurship programs and emergency resources, the Centre’s mission is all about empowerment and support — and every Gourmet Feastival ticket directly fuels that mission. 💪

So when you sip a craft cocktail or sample a delicious bite at the Feastival, you’re not just treating yourself — you’re helping someone else rise. That’s what makes this event so special.

What to Expect This Year:

• 🎤 Live ABBA Tribute Show – Get ready to dance to “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” and more!

• 🍷 Unlimited Tastings from local restaurants, caterers, and drink purveyors

• 🎁 Raffles, Silent Auctions & VIP Perks

• 💃 A Themed Night to Remember – Think disco, sparkle, and everything in between

  
  

Whether you're attending as a die-hard foodie or as someone who simply wants to support a good cause, Gourmet Feastival delivers on both. It’s the one night a year where Tampa Bay’s culinary creativity meets its philanthropic heart — and that’s a combo we’re always hungry for.

👨‍🍳 A Fresh Connection’s Annual Tradition 🌟

At A Fresh Connection Catering, Gourmet Feastival isn’t just an event — it’s a tradition. We’ve been proud to participate for many years, and if you’ve attended in the past, chances are you’ve seen (and tasted) us in action. This event has become a core part of our calendar — not just because it showcases Tampa Bay’s vibrant food scene, but because it aligns with our values: community, creativity, and giving back.

We show up every year ready to serve something fresh, flavorful, and unexpected — and let’s be honest, we love the challenge of matching our food to the year’s theme. Whether it's beachy bites, elevated classics, or playful hors d’oeuvres with a twist, we always aim to bring the wow factor to our tasting table. 🤩

Over the years, we’ve:

• Earned a reputation for running out early (which is both a compliment and a warning — get in line fast!)

• Connected with new clients, community leaders, and fellow foodies

• Witnessed firsthand the amazing work being done by the Centre for Women

  
  

More than just a catering opportunity, Gourmet Feastival is a night where our team gets to shine — and share. It’s about good food, great people, and a greater purpose.

We don’t just serve meals. We serve moments. And this one? It’s one of our favorites.

🍽️ You’ll Have to Taste It to Believe It (And You’ll Want To) 😋

We could try to describe what we’re planning for this year’s Feastival table... but where’s the fun in that?

At A Fresh Connection Catering, we like to keep things fresh — literally and creatively. While the full menu for Gourmet Feastival 2025 is still under wraps (and under development), one thing’s for sure: we never show up empty-handed or uninspired.

Every year, we craft something special for the Feastival crowd — and every year, we hear the same thing:

“Whatever that was... I need more.”

From elegant appetizers to bold bites with local flair, we aim to surprise, delight, and maybe even start a few food obsessions. If you’ve been before, you already know: we bring our A-game. If you’re new this year, we promise you’ll want to make a beeline for our booth.

Here’s What You Can Expect:

• 🌱 Fresh ingredients and chef-crafted flavors

• 🍴 Creative presentation that fits the festive theme

• 💬 Lively conversation with our team — we love talking food

• ⚠️ And yes... a real risk of us selling out early (again)

  
  

Come early. Come hungry. Come curious. We can’t wait to serve you something unforgettable.

❤️ The Bigger Picture: Food That Gives Back 🌍

At its core, Gourmet Feastival is about more than flavor — it’s about impact.

Every dollar raised at this event helps fund the vital work of the Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women, a nonprofit organization that’s been empowering women and strengthening families in Tampa Bay for over four decades. From career counseling and business support to mental health services and housing resources, the Centre is a lifeline for thousands each year.

That’s why we keep showing up — year after year. Not just to share our food, but to be part of something bigger than ourselves.

At A Fresh Connection Catering, we believe that food is a powerful connector. It brings people together, opens doors, and in the case of the Feastival, helps create real, lasting change in our community.

We’re proud to stand alongside fellow vendors, volunteers, and supporters who all believe in this mission. And we’re proud that, through our work, we can give back in a way that’s both meaningful and delicious.

Because when you feed people well — whether it’s on a wedding day or a Wednesday night fundraiser — you’re doing more than filling plates. You’re feeding possibilities.

🎫 Get Your Tickets & Join the Party 🕺🍷

Whether you're a die-hard ABBA fan, a Tampa foodie, or just someone who appreciates a good cause (and an even better bite), Gourmet Feastival 2025 is where you want to be on Thursday, August 7.

Held at Higgins Hall in Tampa, this year’s event promises to be as unforgettable as a glittery jumpsuit and a karaoke night combined — and we’d love to see you there.

🎟️ Ticket Options:

• General Admission: Includes unlimited tastings and access to all the fun starting at 6:00 PM

• VIP Admission: Early entry at 5:00 PM, VIP lounge access, exclusive tastings, and a killer swag bag

  
  

🎟️ Tickets are available now via the Centre for Women’s website — and trust us, they sell out fast.

👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gourmet-feastival-2025-almost-abba-having-the-time-of-your-life-tickets-1096410345859?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Pro tips:

• 🧥 Wear something festive — it’s an ABBA tribute, not a tax seminar.

• 📸 Bring your camera — you’ll want to document the food and the outfits.

• 😋 Save room — with so many vendors and sips to sample, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

  
  

Whether you're rolling solo, bringing friends, or networking your way through Tampa Bay's culinary scene, Gourmet Feastival is your invitation to eat well, give back, and dance like nobody’s watching.

🪩 See You at the Disco (Booth) 🎶🍴

Whether you’re coming for the food, the music, the mission — or let’s be honest, all of the above — we hope you’ll make your way to the A Fresh Connection Catering booth at this year’s Gourmet Feastival.

We’ll be there doing what we do best:Serving bold bites, connecting with the community, and bringing the flavor — with flair.

So throw on your best disco threads, grab a group of fellow foodies, and join us for a night of sparkle, soul, and serious culinary satisfaction. Let’s raise a glass to Tampa Bay, to giving back, and to one very groovy evening we won’t soon forget.

👉 Get your tickets now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gourmet-feastival-2025-almost-abba-having-the-time-of-your-life-tickets-1096410345859

And while you’re at it:

• 📲 Follow us on Instagram & Facebook @afreshconnection for behind-the-scenes updates

• 📸 Tag us in your Feastival photos — we’ll be watching for the best-dressed disco kings and queens

• 💬 Stop by our booth, say hi, and let us know what brought you to the dancefloor (and to the buffet line)