Pictured: Signature pina colada with Coco López coconut cream and Lugo's handcrafted Pitorro rum Photo courtesy of the Pina Colada Fest.

Frozen, frothy indulgence has claimed its own day since 1978. Every July 10, San Juan's annual festival, now in its sixth year, fills Old San Juan's bars with $5 cocktails. Pubs across the UK host themed nights. Restaurants from Miami to Los Angeles mark the date with specials. This Saturday, July 25, the celebration arrives in Florida for the first time.

"Everybody loves piña coladas," says Frances Vives, founder of VD Brands and producer of Piña Colada Fest, who organized the inaugural event at the Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa. "We wanted to bring that here. It’s something to look forward to every summer."

Vives modeled the festival on Puerto Rico's celebrations with Coco López, the cream of coconut from the original 1954 recipe, as a presenting sponsor. The signature stays faithful to the founding formula: Coco López, pineapple juice and white rum blended over ice until frothy.

The resort's culinary team, led by Chef Anthony Castro, designed a Caribbean menu for the occasion. Boneless chicken thighs with traditional jerk spices hit the skewer. Mahi-mahi comes chargrilled with a tangy mango-pineapple salsa. Crisp tostones, smashed flat and fried twice, meet garlic dip and sofrito aioli. Plenty of rice-n-beans for all.

Festivities center on the pool. Steely Pan opens with Caribbean steel drums and a salsa dance class warms up the crowd. Combo Fusion brings a Latin American set while DJ Platinum closes the fiesta. Sip your way through rum tastings from Lugo's Craft Distillery, a Puerto Rican label producing in Lakeland. Artist Ed Pérez paints coastal landscapes live, and Jing Herman brings her American flag canvases textured with shells and sand.

“We are putting so much effort into making this a great event, for families and people to connect with the culture,” Vives says. "We love an event where people create memories.”

Piña Colada Fest, Sat., July 25, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa, Palmetto. VIP tickets include after-party access at the Oyster River Rooftop. Tickets at pinacoladafest.net.

Pictured: Signature pina colada with Coco López coconut cream and Lugo's handcrafted Pitorro rum Photo courtesy of the Pina Colada Fest.