Fairchild's Mango Festival

 

WELCOME TO THE 18th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL MANGO FESTIVAL

Saturday and Sunday, July 10 and 11, 2010, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

India is the birthplace of the mango. From the foothills of the Himalayas to the shores of the Indian Ocean, the Indian people have nurtured and improved the mango for over five centuries. To walk among the trees and its people – the Spartan earth beneath your feet - is to understand the ancient mango and its hold on this land. Our history with the mango is a mere century and a half; yet, we have learned much, putting our mark on this jewel of the East. Now we look back to India and the centuries of tradition for secrets new and old; the synergy of East and West creating something truly special.

This July 10 and 11, 2010, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden will once again celebrate the mango at the 18thAnnual International Mango Festival. Over the two days of the festivities we will celebrate the mango as an object of beauty and admiration, a subsistence crop for the people and as a niche and mainstream commercial fruit of the future. Mango experts and enthusiasts of the world will gather at Fairchild for formal learning in our Grower’s Summit 2010, which will deliver specific recommendations on varieties and directions for the growing of the Indian mango in the Americas. A Chef’s roundtable will convene eastern and western ideas and feature the Indian variety infused with a western pragmatism.

Two full days of mango festivities will feature a wide range of products, ideas and of course the star of our show, the mango itself in all its glory. Mangos have been collected from the far reaches of the globe and nurtured in South Florida, following in the footsteps of David Fairchild, the most venerable mango collector of them all. Mangos in every culinary creation, work of art and on every flat surface. India will be honored through fruit, tree and ideal by the dedicated staff and volunteer army of Fairchild. You will never look at the mango in the same way, as we draw a veil of paisley over the summer and Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

Like Ganesha, Shiva, Lakshmi and the host of Hindu Gods, the mango will be at Fairchild in a myriad of forms, but at its heart will be a common energy, and it is this commonality of mango and India that we celebrate.

View information on this year's Curator Choice Mango Trees.

Read new information on mango tree care.

Download the full program.

Download the 2010 Mango Poster.

Sponsorship opportunities

Mango Lectures and Workshops

Saturday – July 10, 2010 (Garden House) 

1:00 p.m.           The Mangos of India,  Madhur Jaffrey with Dr. Richard J. Campbell
                            and Noris Ledesma,  FTBG                                                   

2:00 p.m.           Research Update: National Mango Board,  William Watson, National Mango Board 

2:30 p.m.           Grower’s Perspective of Mango Improvement Programs,  Noris Ledesma, FTBG 

3:00 p.m.           'Alphonso', 'Kesar' and the Indian Grower,  Bhaskar Savani of Savain Farms and Ajit Shirodkar 

3:30 p.m.           Growing Locations and Varieties for Indian Mangos in the Americas: Recommendations
                            Dr. Richard J. Campbell, FTBG

4:00 p.m.           Summary and Discussion,  Panel of speakers and experts.
                            Moderator: Dr. Jonathan Crane, University of Florida

Sunday – July 11, 2010  

10:30 a.m .       Grafting Mangos  (Near Cycad Circle), Erik Teitig, Pine Island Nursery 

11:30 a.m.        Selecting and Growing the Perfect Mango (Near Cycad Circle), Jeff Wasielewski, FTBG

1:00 p.m.           Indian Mangos (Mango display tent), Baskar Savani of Savani Farms and Ajit Shirodkar 

2:00 p.m.           Mango Pruning (Near Cycad Circle), Erik Teitig, Pine Island Nursery

 

Cooking Demos

Download Recipes from this year's Festival

Saturday, July 10 

10:00 a.m.      Chef Billo Jolly
                         Green Mango Chutney

11:00 a.m.      Chef David Bracha, River Oyster Bar
                          West Indies Spiced Mahi-Mahi with Mango Chutney

12:00 p.m.      Chef Gail Goetsch, Essensia
                         Mango Blackberry Trifle

1:00 p.m.        Chef John Critchley, Area 31
                         Key West Pink Shrimp Ceviche with Local Mango

2:00 p.m.        Aria Kagan, Food Network Star contestant
                         Fish Tacos with Mango Slaw

3:00 p.m.        Chef Michael Bennett, Bimini Boatyard
                          Mango Red Curry Pork Tenderloin

Sunday, July 11

10:00 a.m.      Brian Collaro, Whole Foods Market
                         Madras Curry Chicken with Mango and Jicama and Mango Salad

11:00 a.m.      Chef Jeff O'Neill, Gibraltar
                          Florida Mango Gazpacho with Rock Shrimp and Coriander

12:00 p.m.      Chef Jay Mariadoss, Indian Palate
                          Indian Mango Dish

1:00 p.m.        Chef Billo Jolly
                         Mango Chutney

2:00 p.m.        Chef Gonzalo Rivera, La Marea
                         Bunuelos, Lime Sugar, Tamarind roulis and 'Fernandin' Mango

Saturday and Sunday

MANGO TASTINGS AND EVALUATIONS
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Corbin Building (Limited quantities)
Taste a variety of mangos and discover your new favorite.

MANGO CULINARY DEMONSTRATIONS
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Visitor Center Ballroom
Cooking demonstrations from top chefs will take place on the hour. Please see schedule above. 

MANGO CUISINE SAMPLINGS FROM REGIONAL CHEFS
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon, Garden House (Limited quantities)
Samplings from Creative Tastes, JoAnna’s Marketplace and Whole Foods

MANGO SMOOTHIES
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Garden House Lawn
Enjoy famous Fairchild Farm mango smoothies made with Indian mango pulp.

MANGO TREE SALES
Shop our great selection of curator choice mango trees while supplies last. Experts will be on hand to help with your selection.

MANGO MEDICS
Our mango experts will be located next to the tree sales this year, and are at hand to help you with any questions you may have about your mango tree or help in the selection of a new tree. You can also bring a sample of your ailing mango tree in a sealed bag and our mango medics will come to the rescue. Workshops will also be presented here.

KID'S ACTIVITIES
Your children will enjoy making art, learning to cook, doing yoga and more! 

  • Art
    Kids can create mango-inspired art all weekend, with Art Studio Miami
  • Cooking Demos for Kids
    Chefs Christina Staalstrom and Alicia Toledo will teach kid-friendly cooking lessons!
  • Yoga
    Little Mango Yogis Class: Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. All ages welcome. We’ll do yoga poses, play yoga games and enjoy the fun of yoga with Rina Yoga teachers! Also, join us for a Rina Yoga Mango Parade!
  • Live Theater
    Art Studio Theatre presents The Fallen Mango, a play for children that is set in India. Sunday at 11:00 in the Chickee Hut.

MANGOS OF THE WORLD DISPLAY
View the greatest display of mangos ever assembled inside the Garden House and in the Mangos of India Tent on the Garden House Lawn. 

FRUIT MARKET AND MANGOS OF INDIA DISPLAY
Our fruit market is filled with mangos from the Fairchild world collection: India, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Haiti, and more. 

MANGOVILLE
9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Garden House Lawn
All things mango can be found in our marketplace! From mango honey and mango soaps to Chef Allen’s mango sauces, ketchup and salsas we have it all. Don’t miss Crackerman Crackers’ delicious mango lentil dip on homemade crackers, mango chutney, jams and jellies, mango teas, spices and more. 

TROPICAL MANGO ALE TASTING
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
by Whole Foods Market and  St. John Brewers

MANGO MUSIC
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Classical instrumental Indian music by Rajesh Ramoutar (sitar) and Rajesh Bhandari (tabla).

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Trio Five (305), Grammy nominated guitar and tres player Jose Elias will play original compositions that showcase a global array of genres. 

BIKE VALET
Green Mobility Network will be here Saturday and Sunday offering their unique bike valet service at the South Gate. Bike and $5! Ride your bike to the Mango Festival and receive $5 off the admission price for adults and $2 for children. It's our way of thanking you for contributing to conservation.

YOGA
Go Mangos with Rina Yoga! This will take place in the Alee on Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. The class is for all levels and will strengthen and stretch the body and mind for overall wellbeing.  

 

Sunday Only

MANGO BRUNCH - reservations required
11:00 a.m., Garden House
The culinary event of the summer! Our Mango Brunch features six of South Florida’s top chefs preparing their favorite mango dish just for you. Staring off with our famous mango bellini and a special mango tasting, this event will have mango lovers on cloud nine. For more information, call 305.663.8058. Purchase tickets online.

MANGO CHUTNEY CHALLENGE
12:30 p.m.        Chutney entries must be received at the Visitor Center Ballroom
1:00 p.m.          Cooking Demonstration by Chef Billo Jolly
1:30 p.m.          Judging begins
2:15 p.m.          Winners announced

Download a entry form

BOLLYWOOD DANCE PERFORMANCE AND MANGO AUCTION
2:30 p.m., Garden House
You won’t want to miss this exciting and colorful dance, performed by Geeta and company.  And then stay seated for the action packed mango auction! Bid on one of the rare varieties of mangos from the Mangos of the World Display and you may be able to win your own plate of irresistible ‘Julie’ or ‘Alphonso’ mangos.  Our dancers will be the models as the prices rise and the drama unfolds.  Who will go home with the best mangos?

Admission: Free to Fairchild members and children 5 and under. Non-members: $20 for adults, $15 for seniors 65 and up and $10 for children 6-17. If you ride your bike to the Festival and use the bike valet, admission is $15 for adults and $8 for children.

Additional Sponsors: