Get on the STICK

LaudyPop melds food on skewers with interactive art.

LaudyPop, a new food and arts festival that will highlight culinary treats on skewers and Popsicle-like sticks, is set to make its debut on Friday, March 10 at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Fort Lauderdale.

The event is scheduled to run from 7 to 11 p.m., and will feature local restaurants, brewers, artists, interactive performers and DJs. Among the scheduled participants: the new Park & Ocean restaurant inside the park, S3 restaurant, Casa Calabria and Ocean 2000 at the Pelican Grand Beach Resort, along with local breweries Funky Buddha of Oakland Park, Khoffner of Fort Lauderdale and Concrete Beach of Miami.

Festival founder Danny D’Apuzzo says he wanted to create “a cool fusion event” to spotlight Fort Lauderdale’s emerging culinary and arts scenes.

“In the last five years we’ve had so much going on here, so many great new restaurants and breweries, and a growing art scene with Fat Village and North Beach Village,” D’Apuzzo says. “It’s really starting to pop.”

Hence the LaudyPop festival, a night for pop-up art, food and drink in a natural setting, the tree-lined park at 3109 E. Sunrise Blvd., near the corner of A1A.

The skewers and lollipop-like treats will allow festival goers to eat as they walk around a clustered, lighted area that will feature interactive displays and performance artists. Among them: an exhibit of mannequins provided by the W Hotel Fort Lauderdale that guests will be able to paint.

D’Apuzzo says eight restaurants are taking part and he expects a crowd of 450. Food offerings will include a “low and slow barbecue” pop from chef Jeff Vincent of Funky Buddha, and a “sushi push-pop” from Ocean 2000. Beer and other spirits will be included. D’Apuzzo’s goal for the festival? Going from a night that pops to an annual event that sticks.