6th Annual Mac & Cheese Festival Raises $60,000 for The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast

The 6th Annual Mac & Cheese Festival held on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at Destin Commons was a huge success. The event raised $60,000 in support of all local club kids.  

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast is a local non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging, and influence through its programs focused on academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. 


"Our sixth Mac & Cheese Festival was a huge success and thoroughly outperformed our expectations. We are extremely thankful to all who attended, all of our cooking participants, Destin Commons, and all of our sponsors for making this year's event amazing. Every cent raised through this event will make an impact on the over 5,000 youth we serve on an annual basis.  Our team is already working on next year’s event, we look forward to an amazing seventh year." - Shervin Rassa, Chief Executive Officer, The Boys & Girls Club of the Emerald Coast
 
This family-friendly event featured gourmet, chef-inspired twists on the South’s favorite comfort food while local restaurants competed for the best mac and cheese in town. 

Award winners are as follows: 
Judge's Choice: Ruby Slipper Destin
People's Choice: Jackacuda's Seafood and Sushi 
Kids Choice: Emerald Coast Vibe 
 
A big thank you to all of our competitors: Fudpucker's Beachside Bar & Grill, Ruby Slipper Destin, Holi Indian Kitchen, Longhorn Steak House, Ovide at Hotel Effie, Primrose at The Henderson, Emerald Coast Vibe, Boathouse Oyster Bar, Jackacudas Seafood & Sushi, Recess After Dark - R A D Sports, The Salted Pepper. 
 
The 2024 Mac and Cheese Festival would not be possible without the support of many generous sponsors such as Cox Communications, Publix Charities, Emerald Coast Insurance Agency, Dairyland, SimpleHR, Eglin Federal Credit Union, Florida Blue, Anchor Screen Printing, International Paper, The Long Drink, Gibson Beach Rentals, and Old Bay Steamer.