The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast is actively searching for local restaurants and businesses to participate in a new fundraiser, the area’s first-ever Mac & Cheese Festival, which is set for May 19 at the Destin Commons.

The festival is set to feature gourmet, chef-inspired twists on this South favorite and will pit our area’s favorite restaurants against each other in a competition to see who has the best mac on the Emerald Coast.

“It’s going to be an incredible event,”Shervin Rassa, CEO of the BGCEC, said. “We’ve already received an amazing amount of interest from the community, and I’m excited to see which restaurants get involved.”

Restaurants competing have a chance to win three awards, People’s Choice, Kids’ Choice and Judges’ Pick. People’s Choice is voted on by the attendees at the festival, and Kids’ Choice is voted on by children attending the event. Judges’ Pick is selected by the BGCEC’s panel of esteemed judges: Susan Benton of 30aEats, The Destin Duchess Molly Carter, Kenzie Lohbeck of Rowland Publishing and the 2018 BGCEC Youth of the Year.

In addition to searching for restaurants to compete, the BGCEC is looking for businesses outside of the restaurant industry to participate by becoming a sponsor. Sponsors remain a vital part of this fundraiser, allowing the BGCEC to raise money to further its mission in our area.

“Funds generated from the Mac & Cheese Festival will go directly toward supporting our programs that create great futures for the children of the Emerald Coast.”

To learn more about the vendor or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.emeraldcoastbgc.org or contact info@thehivecreativeconsulting.com. For more about attending this event or to purchase sample tickets, visit www.emeraldcoastbgc.org.