T-minus 1 hour ’til SoBe 2012 kicks off with The Q

It’s t-minus 1 hour until the 2012 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival kicks off with the Moët Hennessy’s The Q and Moët Hennessy’s The Q After Dark. More than 300 FIU student volunteers (of which approximately 140 are culinary assistants) are setting up 34 stations for the signature event.

Three hundred FIU student volunteers are setting up 34 stations for the signature event.

All the tables will be filled at tonight's sold-out event.

Volunteers spent the day getting the tent ready for its debut.

Refrigerated trucks pulled onto the sand, delivering food for The Q. Here FIU's Chef Mike Moran supervises the unloading of the food.

The four-day Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food and Wine runs Feb. 23-26 on South Beach. It’s powered by nearly 1,000 FIU student volunteers, who participate in all aspects of producing the world-class festival.

Yesterday Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management students stayed busy preparing for tonight’s event while FIU journalism student Nicole Garcia wrote about her anticipation of the event.