More than one thousand people turned out to Public Beach on Saturday 25 July for the fifth annual Cayman Islands Margarita Festival, where tropical cocktails, local food vendors and live entertainment combined for what organizers described as the event’s biggest celebration yet.
The festival, which has grown into one of Cayman’s signature food and beverage events, featured the Margarita Masters showdown, live music headlined by English DJ and record producer Sigala, and food vendors showcasing everything from Mexican-inspired street food to international dishes and desserts.
“The margaritas were flowing, the food was delightful, the music was pumping and the crowd was fantastic,” said Craig ‘Festa’ Frederick of Premier Productions. “If you weren’t there, you missed out.”
The highlight of the evening was the crowning of Lobster Pot bartender Riyad Karbia as the 2026 Cayman Islands Margarita Festival Champion after festivalgoers voted ‘Escape to the Tropics’ the winning margarita. The cocktail was created by Karbia in collaboration with fellow bartender Stori Finlayson.
“This award means a lot to me because it reflects the hard work, passion and attention to detail that went into every aspect of this cocktail,” Karbia said after receiving the title.
“I’d like to thank the organizers, everyone who came out to support the festival and especially my team at Lobster Pot for believing in me and supporting me throughout this journey. Teamwork really does make the dream work.”
Karbia spoke about his inspiration for the cocktail.
“My goal was to create a margarita that captured the spirit of the Cayman Islands – bright, refreshing and perfect for enjoying by the beach,” he said. “I wanted to balance the bold character of tequila with tropical flavours that complement rather than overpower it. The combination of mango, coconut and key lime creates a smooth, refreshing cocktail that’s easy to enjoy in the Caribbean heat while still staying true to the essence of a classic margarita.”
His winning recipe combined Orendain Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, key lime juice, coconut syrup, clarified mango purée, coconut water and a touch of saline solution.
Three other finalists competed for the title – Roger Moreno with ‘Watermelon Sugar Daddy’, Efrain Reyes with ‘Seven Mile Margarita’ and Juan Ignacio González Bretón with ‘Ponche de Agave’.
Festival organizer Brianne Matthias praised both the competitors and the growing support the event has received over its first five years. She noted that while the competition was close, Karbia’s cocktail ultimately proved the crowd favourite.
“The competition was strong, and all four mixologists brought something completely different to the festival, but Riyad’s margarita ultimately won over the crowd,” Matthias said.
Miami bartender Roger Moreno, creator of ‘Watermelon Sugar Daddy’, later thanked Cayman for its hospitality despite narrowly missing the title.
“The Cayman Islands is beautiful,” he said. “The service industry is super phenomenal. I’m grateful to the organizers of the fifth annual Margarita Festival for inviting us to represent our city of Miami and bars.”
Delicious food
Beyond the cocktail competition, food vendors drew steady crowds throughout the afternoon and evening.
Chef Sara n’ Tings served breadfruit tacos and cassava nachos, while Saramsam offered walking tacos, pulled pork and chicken meals alongside Filipino favourites. Pete’s Grill N’ Things served loaded fries and macaroni bowls topped with chicken breast or New York strip steak.
Dessert vendors included Sweet Hilary’s, which featured mango, strawberry and spicy chamoy paletas, mango jam cookies and piña colada cupcakes, while other stalls sold sweet treats including cheesecakes, tres leches cake, brownies, banana pudding, chocolate cake and ice cream.
Chef Sara Mair Doak said supporting local entrepreneurs was one of the reasons she participated. “This is a great event because it’s very community-oriented,” she said. “It’s all mom-and-pop vendors.”
For Sweet Hilary’s owner Bethany Ebanks-Pacheco, the festival provided an opportunity to introduce the business to new customers.
“It’s our first year at the Margarita Festival so we’re really excited to be a part of it,” she said. “We are a small business. We make paletas, which are Mexican popsicles. We partner with farmers, and about 95% of the ingredients we use are locally sourced.”
Festive and fun
Festivalgoers praised both the cocktails and the atmosphere.
Nicholas Salvatore said his favourite entry was the ‘Ponche de Agave’, a margarita inspired by a traditional Mexican fruit punch and made with apple, pineapple and guava, infused with slow-cooked spices and finished with a cardamom salt rim.
“It was the perfect mix of sweet and spicy, and it paired so well with the Cayman-style beef and oxtail breadfruit tacos,” he said. “This was my first time at the festival, and honestly, the experience was unforgettable. The food, the drinks, the vibes and all the amazing people I met made it such a great time. I’ll definitely be back next year.”
Lisa Espinosa said she was glad she had finally attended after several years of intending to go. “I’ve been meaning to go each year and this year I finally came out,” she said. “The margaritas have been amazing.”
Jake Alberga said he came looking for more than just cocktails. “I came to have a great time, enjoy the margaritas and enjoy some local culture,” he said.
Cayman food influencer Yana Koroleva, better known as Cayman Islands Foodie, has attended all five festivals and said this year’s event marked a notable step up.
“I loved that they celebrated the 5th year anniversary by bringing a big international artist as well as two international competitors from Miami,” she said. “The lines from previous years were smaller thanks to pre-batched margaritas. … The food options were great”.
Related Videos
