MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) — If you’re into fine food, wonderful wine and lots of fun, this weekend is for you. The South Beach Wine and Food Festival kicks off Thursday night.

There are dozens of events taking place over the next several days, featuring celebrity chefs such as Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, Bobby Flay and a whole lot more.

The festival’s kickoff event is “The Q”, a revamped version of the champagne-soaked Bubble Q.

The Q is hosted by celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse and Guy Fieri.

At the forefront of this new event is a collection of the best BBQ chefs from the across the nation, preparing their signature dishes.

One of those chefs is Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who works at the J&G Grill at the St. Regis Bal Harbour. He owns more than 10 restaurants around the globe and is a full-time consultant for 20 Starwood hotels.

“I am very excited to be at this wonderful event,” Vongerichten said. “The people, the groupies, the food; it’s really wonderful.”

All of the dishes on the menu at J&G and at “The Q” are his own recipes.

“The Q” takes place from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on the sand behind the Delano Hotel at 1685 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.

“This is the place to be, we are ready for the crowd lining up for our pork!” said Chef Jimmy.

Afterward, guests can dance the night away while sipping delicious cocktail concoctions at “The Q After Dark.”

As the festival opens, most of the nearly 50 different events are sold out and organizers have already eclipsed last year’s ticket sales number.

Late Wednesday, there were still a limited number of tickets available for Sunday’s $225 Grand Tasting, select wine seminars and Fun & Fit as a Family.

Click here for our Guide to the South Beach Wine and Food Festival.