Travel Channel Celeb to Host Playa Food Festival

Playa del Carmen -- Travel Channel star and food pro Mark DeCarlo will team up with local chefs in the Riviera Maya to present the Taste of Playa food event.

DeCarlo, host of "Taste of America with Mark DeCarlo" will conduct a series of food demonstrations with local chefs highlighting the unique recipes of the Mexican Caribbean.The Taste of Playa event is a community-focused culinary celebration that highlights the creativity and diverse cultural influences of chefs throughout the Riviera Maya. Taste of Playa 2010 will take place on November 21, 2010, in Playa del Carmen’s Parque Fundadores.

The event is open to the public, with tickets and all-inclusive VIP passes available for sale on the official event website. Proceeds from the event will go to a food education program initiated by the Rotary Club in Playa del Carmen that will directly benefit the children and families of the Riviera Maya.

More:
Riviera Maya Hotels
Airport Transportation
Tours & Activities
Riviera Maya Guidebook

Free concert at Mamita's Beach Club kicks off 2010 Riviera Maya Jazz Fest

The organizers of the 2010 Riviera Maya Jazz Fest are holding a free kickoff concert on May 29 at Mamita's Beach Club in Playa del Carmen featuring Caro Montes, Phil Perry and Brian McKnight.

The concert celebrates the announcement of the headliners for this year's festival, which will include performances by The Manhattan Transfer, George Duke, Eugenia Leon, Armando Manzanero, John McLaughlin, Incognito, Aguamala and more.

The Riviera Maya Jazz Fest is free to the public and will take place November 25 to 28, 2010, at Mamita's Beach Club in Playa del Carmen. Last year, some 50,000 people attended the festival, making it one of the Riviera Maya's most popular events.

More:
Riviera Maya Hotels
Airport Transportation
Tours & Activities
Riviera Maya Guidebook

New Riviera Maya Events Calendar Launches

The Riviera Maya Events Calendar is the most comprehensive online events calendar for local events in Playa del Carmen, Akumal, Puerto Morelos, Puerto Aventuras and throughout the Riviera Maya.

Events include local cultural and arts events, food festivals, wine tastings, restaurant specials, local fairs, environmental events and local get-togethers.

Local residents moderate the daily events in various cities to ensure up-to-the-minute information is posted to interested travelers. Both vacationers and residents use the calendar to enrich their experience in the Rivera Maya.

More:
The Riviera Maya Events Calendar
Riviera Maya Hotels
Airport Transportation
Tours & Activities
Riviera Maya Guidebook

Riviera Maya Raising Funds for Haiti Victims

Fund-raising events will take place on Sunday, January 24, in Playa del Carmen and Akumal to raise much-needed money for "Hope for Haiti," a local, grassroots campaign that is supporting the relief efforts.

"Hope for Haiti" Playa del Carmen will take place on Sunday, January 24, from noon to 6pm on the beach at Wicky's (10th Street), which has volunteered their beach and their culinary skills for the event. There will be pulled-pork sandwiches, potato salad, veggies and all the fixin's for $200 pesos per adult, $100 pesos for children 12 and under. Children under 3 eat for free. There will also be a raffle and beer and drink specials running all day.

Playa del Carmen’s J.J. and the Nasty Bastards Band will provide entertainment with guest performances by some of Playa’s favorite visiting musicians. Proceeds from the event will be sent to Doctors Without Borders to support their relief efforts in Haiti.

For more information visit the event's page on Facebook. And for more Riviera Maya events, check out the event's calendar.

"Taste of Playa" Summer Food Festival

PLAYA DEL CARMEN -- The "Taste of Playa" summer food festival will take place in Playa del Carmen on September 5, 2009. The event, which organizers plan to begin hosting annually, will highlight the diverse global influences of Riviera Maya chefs and their cuisine.

Backed by the Riviera Maya Tourism Board and local officials, the event highlights the unique culinary perspectives of local chefs that have made Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya a world-class dining destination.

"The international collection of chefs, flavors and influences is what has made Playa Del Carmen one of the most popular destinations in the area," said Roman Quian, president of the Solidaridad municipality.

This gourmet sampling event will take place in the newly renovated city center plaza and is open to the public free of charge. More than 25 local restaurants have been selected to showcase their unique culinary visions and creativity.

Sponsors and participants include John Gray’s Place, The Glass Bar, Divina, Cocina 38, Buy Playa Real Estate Services, Bric International and Abyss Dive Center.

A portion of the proceeds from Taste of Playa 2009 will benefit Ak Lu’um International School, a non-profit private learning institution in Playa del Carmen that integrates young students with physically and developmentally challenged children in a safe and inclusive learning environment.

MORE:
Official site - The Taste of Playa
Riviera Maya Hotels
Airport Transportation
Tours & Activities
Riviera Maya Guidebook

Riviera Maya Jazz Fest 2009 Artists Revealed

PLAYA DEL CARMEN -- The Seventh Annual Riviera Maya Jazz Festival will take place November 25-28 in Playa del Carmen and will feature such artists as The Royal Band, Colin Hunter, Pat Martino, Al Jarreau, Herbie Hancock, Fernando Toussaint and Aguamala.

The 2009 festival is the best cast ever assembled in the event's seven year history. Like other years, though, the concerts will be entirely free to the public.

According to officials, the festival has already lead to an 18% increase in hotel reservations compared to the same time period last year. Past artists have included George Benson, Tower of Power, Marcus Miller, Hector Infanzon, Iraida Noriega, Lucca Littera, Earl Klugh, David Sanborn and Fourplay.