The 2017 Pine Island Mango Mania festival kicks off this weekend, a 21-year tradition that has brought mango growers, preservers, chefs working with the fruit, and more to the area to revel in mangos and other tropical fruits.
The annual event, organized by the Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce, promises food and recipe contests, mango-theme games and contests, and vendors sharing their arts, crafts, and edibles. The event also has educational sessions aimed at informing the public about tropical plants.
This year's "Mango Mania Queen," Jessica Potts, joins the show to discuss the event and how the more-than-two-decade tradition has become a fixture of summer on Pine Island.
Also joining the show is author Jen Karetnick, dining critic for Miami Magazine and author of the 2014 book Mango. She'll share her passion for the fruit, what its like to live with her 14 mango trees, and her tips on everything from cooking with mangoes to the varieties of the fruit.
