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Pocono Manor, PA (May 20, 2024) – Kalahari Resorts in Pocono Manor, home to Pennsylvania’s Largest Indoor Waterpark resort, hosted its first annual Food and (Not Just) Wine Festival on Sunday, May 19, 2024. The festival, themed “Peace and Love,” featured dozens of food samples from the resort’s on-site restaurants and catering, local and national wine, beer, and spirit vendors, and live entertainment, including the viral TikTok piano sensation NGXB, a variety of live music, mirror ball contortionists, and stilt walkers.
“Many people know Kalahari for our incredible waterpark resorts, so we wanted to demonstrate our commitment to providing beyond expectations culinary and entertainment experiences to the community as well,” said Don Pleau, General Manager, Kalahari Resorts and Conventions, Pocono Manor. “Our inaugural Kalahari Food & (Not Just) Wine Festival did just that; the support from guests and local vendors alike has been sensational. With over 70 beverage partners, 32 food sampling stations and dozens of entertainers bringing this year’s celebration to life, the festival showed its nearly one thousand guests a true taste of what Kalahari has to offer.”
Festival guests participated in chef demonstrations from several of Kalahari Resort’s on-site chefs, a wine sampling demonstration from Caymus winery, and a mixology course.
“Our goal at Kalahari Resorts is to provide every guest a beyond-expectations experience,” Pleau continued. “Guests at this year's festival described the experience as ‘unbelievable’ and ‘not to be missed.’ Guests mentioned they can't wait to come back and experience our restaurants and holiday buffets!”
Todd & Shari Nelson, Kalahari owners and founders, began their business venture with a pizza restaurant in the Wisconsin Dells, where their passion for culinary excellence began.
The Pocono’s resort festival marks the first of three Food & (Not Just) Wine Festivals that Kalahari will host at its resorts nationwide. This September the newest Kalahari Resort in Round Rock, Texas (where the Food & (Not Just) Wine Festival originated) will host its event for a third year. The festival will also be premiering for the first year at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio in October.
About Kalahari Resorts & Conventions
Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, Sandusky, Ohio, the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania, and Round Rock, Texas, and opening soon in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, delivers a beyond-expectations waterpark resort and conference experience all under one roof. The authentically African-themed Kalahari Resorts, privately owned by the Nelson family, is home to America’s Largest Indoor Waterparks. Todd and Shari Nelson, the founders of Kalahari Resorts, were honored with an induction into the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame in 2023. Kalahari Resorts features well-appointed guest rooms and suites, the full-service Spa Kalahari, a fun-filled family entertainment center, on-site signature restaurants, unique retail shops and a state-of-the-art convention center. For more information, members of the media are encouraged to visit kalaharimedia.com.
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POCONO MANOR, PA – MAY 19, 2024
- BRIAN BOSSUYT, EVP, CMO, POCONO MOUNTAIN VISITORS BUREAU [00:00:10] Kalahari has really brought a lot of new people to the Pocono Mountains over the last ten years. They've opened new restaurants throughout those ten years, like Double Cut, Sortino's, and it's really up the game for culinary in the area, not only for the visitors, but for the residents as well. So there's a nice mix of being able to come and enjoy a nice night out for dinner. Also coming in and seeing the property, and they're just great partners in the community as well.
- DON PLEAU, GENERAL MANAGER, KALAHARI RESORT, POCONO MANOR [00:00:39] Kalahari Food and Not just Wine Festival is going to be the premier Food and Not Just Wine Festival in all the Pocono Mountain regions. The guests that are here today are going to be able to experience the entire resort. Every one of the signature restaurants that we have Double Cut, Cinco Ninos, B-Lux, Sortino's and even great displays in the convention center for our banquet food that we have here as well. Along with over 99 vendors, every single venue has its own unique entertainment. So many people don't know this, but the Kalahari Resort started years and years and years ago with our owners, Todd and Sherry Nelson, in a pizza parlor business in the Wisconsin Dells. And that's where their passion for culinary began. So the cuisine in the Pocono Mountains region has really increased in the last several years. A lot of that comes from the commitment that the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau has to improving tourism in this entire area. So if you're not able to come to Kalahari today and enjoy the Food and Not Just Wine Festival, not to worry, because our resort restaurants are all open seven days a week so you can come and make reservations for Sortino's and Double Cut. Come into the lobby and enjoy B-Lux or Cinco Ninos. Just come to Kalahari and enjoy our food and beverage restaurants.
- Wide shot of all tents at the festival
- Guests laughing and having fun
- Stilt Walkers Dancing around the venue
- Guests dancing and enjoying live music
- Acrobats performing in air
- Performer with champagne glasses
- Guests walking around the festival
- Kalahari Food and Not Just Wine Signage
- Guests Checking In
- Guest buying Kalahari Food and Not Just Wine Merchandise
- Wine Being Poured into FNJW Glass
- Sortino’s Signage
- Guest Recording Bartender Performance
- Food Sampling at Sortino’s
- Bartenders preparing drinks at B-Lux
- Food Sampling at B-Lux
- Cinco Ninos Signage
- Guest grabbing tacos at Cinco Ninos
- Double Cut Signage
- Guest tasting Double Cut’s tomahawk
- Display of sushi for guests to enjoy
- Kalahari Shag Cake Display
- Mac and Cheese Sampling
- Guests tasting pizza
- Piano playing excitedly playing
- Guests listening to panel
- Guests tasting wine
20 May 2024
