Seafood lovers, rejoice! Now in its 15th year, the Deering Seafood Festival will return to Miami this Sunday, March 31, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Taking place at The Deering Estate {16701 SW 72 Avenue, Palmetto Bay; 305.235.1668 ext. 263}, this popular event annually attracts nearly 10,000 people for good seafood, cold drinks, fun activities, chef demonstrations, kids games, dancing, parades, and of course, a stunning day in charming Palmetto Bay.
Dubbed “Best Event of the Year” by the Greater Miami Festival and Events Association for the past two years, and an eight-year veteran of BizBash Magazine’s “Top 10 Events” list, this year’s Deering Festival is sure to be another hit.
Here are 9 reasons not to miss the 15th Annual Deering Seafood Festival:
There will be more food and drink than you can consume.
Head to Seafood Alley presented by Golden Rule Seafood, and you’ll find everything your seafood-loving heart could ever crave: like popular snacks and dishes from Golden Rule Seafood, Catering by Les, Don Camaron Seafood Grill & Market, Paella Party, Popo’s Seafood, Rodbenders Raw Bar & Grill, Sports Grill, the Antigua & Barbuda Association of South Florida, and more. Wash it all down with an ice-cold Landshark Lager, a frozen drink, a soda, bottled water, or something else, and make sure to stop by the Chill-N, Gringa Flan, or Wendy’s Chocolates booths for a sweet ending.
You’ll learn how to make tasty seafood dishes from Miami’s best chefs.
Real foodies can gather in Deering Estate’s historic courtyard, where the Chef Demonstration Tent presented by Mercedes Benz of Cutler Bay will feature live cooking seafood demonstrations from five popular Miami chefs. Thanks to a partnership with Johnson & Wales University College of Culinary Arts, a sixth presentation will highlight the winner of the school’s Deering Seafood Competition. This year, the featured chefs include: Angel Leon (Executive Chef, Seaspice), Giorgio Rapicavoli (Owner/Executive Chef, Eating House/Glass & Vine), Stanley Miller (Executive Chef, Lightkeepers at The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami), Demetrios Pyliotis (Executive Chef, Poseidon Greek Boutique Restaurant), Abel Veulens (Executive Chef, Isabelle’s Grill Room & Garden), and lawyer-turned-chef Utpal Dighe (Winner of Johnson & Wales Culinary Competition). Following each presentation, 100 attendees will get a copy of the chef’s recipe, a sample of the prepared dish, and the opportunity to participate in a Q&A with each chef.
There will be a Bahamian Junkanoo parade.
…AND Virgin Island stilt walkers. It’s a really fun part of an already-fun day!
Your kids will be entertained, too.
Worried your kids will be bored? Don’t be. The Deering Seafood Festival offers activities that are both fun and educational for children of all ages, like: Deering Discovery Cove (where children can experiment and explore the wonders of nature) and the Lil’ Shrimp Kids Zone, which has inflatables, creative activities, and booths with kid-friendly food.
You can bike there for free.
If it’s a beautiful day in Miami, there’s no reason not to travel to the festival by bicycle. For those that do, a free bike valet will be offered by the Green Mobility Network. If you get too tired, just catch the free Park and Ride, which will shuttle guests to and from Westminster Christian School and Palmetto Bay Village Center to The Deering Estate for free.
Mr. Nice Guy will be there.
But that’s not all. On the main stage, find continuous live entertainment from Visions Band FL, Caribbean Crew, and like we said, everyone’s favorite local band: Mr. Nice Guy.
It’s not just about food.
When you’re full (yes, it will happen), wander around and see what else the festival has to offer. Artists Lane will have paintings, photography, crafts, and jewelry by local artisans for sale. For those looking for something more active, try the rock-climbing wall or take a Pelican Skipper pontoon boat ride to Chicken Key.
It’s for a good cause.
Proceeds from the festival benefit the Deering Estate Foundation, and are used to support environmental education, preservation, and programming at The Deering Estate and throughout South Florida.
You’ll get to explore the beautiful, 450-acre Deering Estate!
The Deering Estate preserves the 1920s-era Miami estate of Charles Deering—a Chicago industrialist, early preservationist, environmentalist, art collector, philanthropist, and the first chairman of the International Harvester Company. Nestled along the coast in South Dade, The Deering Estate is a 21st-century museum, environmental preserve, a location on the National Register of Historic Places, and an all-around idyllic Miami treasure. From canoe tours and bird walks, to guided museum and Natural Areas tours, special dinners, annual community events, and more, the Deering Estate has diverse activities the whole family can enjoy.
Tickets to this event start at $7 per child (age 4-14) and $20 per adult, excluding food, drink, and access to pontoon boat rides and the rock wall. Members of the Deering Estate Foundation get in for free.
DiningOut Miami is a media sponsor of this event.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor
