Ocala, FL -- Ocala, Florida, will host its first culinary festival in March 2017. The line-up looks intriguing.

A rural area with a wealthy, horse-breeding population, Ocala isn't known for its good food -- yet the area has solid chefs and the population to support them. To spread the word, industry insiders are collaborating to create the Ocala Culinary Festival. Some participating chefs come from elsewhere in Florida.

The details aren't fully flushed out, but so far the components are as follows:

Friends of the James Beard Foundation Dinner, featuring chefs from La Cuisine Restaurant

Three Chefs and a Maestro, with food by Brian Whittington (Preserved), Jeremiah Goodrich (Trilogy at Ocala Preserve) and Albert Barrett (Stella's Modern Pantry) plus live concert music

Hail to the Ale, a beer-pairing dinner from chefs Adam Volpe (Pi on Broadway) and Stephanie Harrison (Stella's Modern Pantry)

Chefs at the Museum, with food by Chef Jeannie Pierola (Edison) while artist Angela Deplane completes a large-scale painting

Feast at the Farm, an open-air dinner with food by Chef Norman Van Aken of Norman's and 1921 by Norman Van Aken at Wagyu and olive oil producer Clear Creek Farm. 

Gospel Brunch, with spirited music along with Chef Chad Karp's food (La Cuisine)

The Ocala Culinary Festival will also have a grand tasting, grilling seminars, mixology lessons and wine tastings. For details and tickets, visit the website.