Taste of Exuma (inaugural culinary festival) 2026

Taste of Exuma: An Inaugural Culinary Festival in the Bahamas

Taste of Exuma, the inaugural culinary festival in Exuma, Bahamas, is scheduled for May 14–17, 2026, hosted at Grand Isle Resort & Residences in Emerald Bay with programming also at the adjacent beach club 23° North. It’s designed as a four-day, island-forward food and drink experience with chef dinners, cooking demos, rum tastings, and an Exuma Marketplace that spotlights local vendors and producers.

A New Reason to Visit the Bahamas: Taste of Exuma 2026

Exuma has long been known for water that looks almost unreal, from the sandbars to the calm turquoise bays. In 2026, the islands are adding something else to the travel calendar: a festival that puts Bahamian flavor at the center of the experience. Taste of Exuma is being positioned as Exuma’s first event dedicated entirely to food and drink, bringing together visiting culinary talent with chefs rooted in the Bahamas and ingredients sourced from the islands and surrounding waters.

For travelers who choose destinations based on what they can taste as much as what they can photograph, this festival is a big deal. It’s also timed for mid-May, a period described as having warm water and lighter crowds, which makes it easier to enjoy both the festival and the natural wonders that made Exuma famous in the first place.

Key Dates and Location: When and Where Taste of Exuma Happens in 2026

Grand Isle Resort’s official festival page lists Taste of Exuma as May 14–17, 2026, and describes it as a vibrant culinary festival hosted at Grand Isle Resort. Caribbean Journal, in a January 2026 announcement, also confirms it as a four-day festival running May 14–17, hosted by Grand Isle Resort in Emerald Bay, with additional events at 23° North.

That location matters because Emerald Bay is part of Exuma’s “postcard” landscape: bright water, wide beaches, and an easy connection between resort settings and open-air island experiences. For a first-year festival, having a clear home base helps visitors plan confidently, while still leaving room to explore Great Exuma’s beaches, local eateries, and small settlements between scheduled events.

The Festival’s Purpose: What Makes It “Inaugural”

Caribbean Journal describes Taste of Exuma as the island’s first-ever culinary festival, framing it as a new chapter for Exuma tourism that expands beyond the boating-and-beach identity most travelers associate with the islands. The same report emphasizes that the festival is designed to be interactive rather than staged, and that it’s meant to extend beyond the resort by partnering with local farmers and fishermen and featuring an Exuma Marketplace for local vendors and artisans.

Grand Isle’s festival page echoes this emphasis on local sourcing and a broader island celebration, describing a focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients and noting that the festival is open to the public and “celebrated across the island,” while also stating that priority access and seating will be reserved for Grand Isle guests. For visitors, this is a helpful detail: it tells you the festival aims to feel inclusive, but it also signals that staying on property could make your logistics smoother during peak event hours.

The Festival Experience: What to Do Across Four Days

Taste of Exuma is structured like a multi-event culinary weekend rather than a single-day fair. Caribbean Journal outlines programming that includes nightly dining experiences, interactive cooking demonstrations, rum tastings, mixology sessions, and an Exuma Marketplace. Grand Isle further confirms daily live cooking demonstrations at rotating resort locations, plus nightly dinners and an all-access option that covers three evenings of cuisine.

Nightly Chef Dinners: The Centerpiece of the Festival

The festival is built around evening dining experiences, with Grand Isle stating that guests can purchase individual dinner tickets or opt for an All-Access Pass for all three evenings. Caribbean Journal notes the dinners are designed around Bahamian-inspired menus using local seafood, produce, and traditional flavors.

For travelers, these dinners are the “anchor events” worth planning your daily schedule around. They are also ideal for couples trips, friend getaways, or milestone celebrations, because you get a complete evening experience without needing to hop between multiple restaurants.

Cooking Demonstrations: Learn the Flavors Behind the Plate

Grand Isle states that each day includes live cooking demonstrations from featured chefs at rotating resort locations, listed as Sandy Toes, Palapa, and 23° North, building anticipation for the dinner that evening. Caribbean Journal also highlights interactive demonstrations as part of the program, reinforcing that the festival leans into participation and learning rather than passive watching.

If you love food travel because it teaches you something new, this is one of the most attractive parts of the inaugural concept. You get to see technique, hear the story behind ingredients, and then taste the results later that night.

Rum Tastings and Mixology: A Bahamian Spirits Spotlight

Caribbean Journal identifies John Watling’s Distillery as the official spirits partner and notes that rum tastings and hands-on cocktail sessions will be led by co-founder Pepin Argamasilla, taking place at 23 North. Grand Isle also confirms that a featured mixologist will host daily cocktail demonstrations and serve a unique signature drink each night.

This focus is especially relevant in the Bahamas, where rum culture and classic cocktails are part of the island hospitality experience. These sessions turn a beach club setting into a practical “drink culture class” you can bring home in the form of new skills and flavor memories.

Exuma Marketplace: Local Vendors, Crafts, and Edible Souvenirs

Caribbean Journal describes an Exuma Marketplace featuring local vendors, artisans, and food producers, designed to give local sellers an opportunity to showcase and sell goods to attendees. For travelers, this is often where the most “authentic” festival moments happen, because you can talk to makers directly, discover small-batch items, and pick up gifts that feel genuinely tied to the islands.

Featured Chefs: Culinary Names Attached to the First Edition

Caribbean Journal reports that the headlining chef is Alyn Williams, described as a Michelin-star chef who trained under Gordon Ramsay and has visited Exuma privately for more than a decade. The same source states he will be joined by Chef Nigelle Thompson, head chef at Grand Isle and a native of Exuma, and Chef Antonio Williams, executive sous chef at the British Colonial Hotel in Nassau.

That mix is important for the identity of a first-year festival. It signals “destination-level” talent while still grounding the experience in Bahamian chefs and island perspective.

Planning Your Trip to Exuma for Taste of Exuma 2026

Where to Stay: Grand Isle vs. Elsewhere on Great Exuma

Because Grand Isle is the host property and notes that priority access and seating are reserved for Grand Isle guests, staying at the resort may offer the easiest experience if your primary goal is to attend multiple events. If you prefer to stay elsewhere on Great Exuma, it still appears the festival is open to the public, so you can plan day-by-day attendance and treat the festival as one part of a wider island itinerary.

What to Do Between Events: The “Exuma Rhythm”

Taste of Exuma is a natural fit for a split itinerary: mornings for the ocean, afternoons for tastings and demos, evenings for dinners and nightlife-by-the-water. Caribbean Journal frames mid-May as a period with lighter crowds and warm water, which makes it a strong time to plan boat days, sandbar stops, and beach exploration around the culinary schedule.

What to Pack for a Culinary Festival on an Island

• Light resort wear for dinners and evening events, plus a layer for breezy nights near the water.
• Comfortable sandals for moving between venues.
• Sun protection for daytime demos and marketplace browsing.
• A reusable water bottle, since festival days can add up quickly outdoors.

Tickets and Pricing: What’s Confirmed So Far

Grand Isle’s official Taste of Exuma page states “Tickets Available Soon,” and it confirms the structure of individual dinner tickets and an All-Access Pass option, but it does not yet publish final prices. Caribbean Journal’s announcement focuses on the lineup and programming and also does not provide ticket pricing figures.

For travelers, that means the best approach is to lock in travel dates and accommodation first, then purchase festival tickets once the official portal releases prices and availability. If you want the smoothest experience for a first-year event, staying at the host resort may reduce the stress of sold-out seating and transfers between venues.

Verified Information at a Glance

Event Name: Taste of Exuma (inaugural culinary festival)

Event Category: Culinary festival (food and drink), with dinners, demos, tastings, marketplace

Confirmed 2026 Dates: May 14–17, 2026

Main Host Venue: Grand Isle Resort & Residences, Emerald Bay, Exuma, Bahamas

Additional Confirmed Venue: 23° North (adjacent beach club, part of the festival program)

Confirmed Programming Elements: Nightly dining experiences, interactive cooking demonstrations, rum tastings, mixology sessions, Exuma Marketplace

Confirmed Chef Lineup (Announced): Alyn Williams (headlining), Chef Nigelle Thompson, Chef Antonio Williams

Spirits Partner (Announced): John Watling’s Distillery; mixology sessions led by Pepin Argamasilla (as reported).

Ticketing Status: Tickets not yet priced publicly; Grand Isle states “Tickets Available Soon” and confirms individual dinner tickets and an All-Access Pass structure.

Public Access Note: Grand Isle states the festival is open to the public, with priority access and seating reserved for Grand Isle guests.

If you’ve been dreaming about Exuma for the water, consider coming in May 2026 for the flavor too, and build your island days around cooking demos in the sun, rum sessions at 23° North, and chef dinners that celebrate what Exuma can grow, catch, and pour, because the very first Taste of Exuma is shaping up to be the kind of inaugural festival that’s worth saying you were there for.