What better way to kick off the world-renowned stone crab season than with the fastest growing seafood festival in Miami Beach? With your toes in the sand and seafood at your hands, kick off the season in style – South Beach style, that is, by attending the 7th annual South Beach Seafood Festival.  From October 22 to 26, the event for seafoodies alike is one that started as a small weekend event on South Beach but has grown into a five-day experience showcasing some of South Florida’s most talented culinary masterminds, as well as interactive events like competitive cook-offs, and beachside tastings.

Brought to you by William Hill and presented by Jack Daniel’s, City of Miami Beach, GOYA Foods, and Baptist Health South Florida, the seafood extravaganza is expected to welcome more than 14,000 seafood lovers to the sands of South Beach.

On Saturday, at seafood week’s main event, what can attendees expect? Aside from a day of fun in the sun, fish aficionados and food lovers can expect an unmatched level of cuisine, wine pairings, and great live music at three different stages, all to benefit a great cause in Miami Dade County with CI Foundation’s EAT SMART program.

In addition to live music and endless interactive events, Saturday’s beachfront festival features pop up cafés from 20 hand-selected premium restaurants, curated to show off 70+ different mouthwatering eats from Florida’s freshest seafood in Miami. And, did we mention the seafood dishes are paired with complimentary all-day open bar for everyone?

Here’s a glance at the 20 pop up cafes from some of our favorite restaurants in Miami:

• A Fish Called Avalon
• Bodega
• Cafe Avanti
• Cafetin (at Shelborne)- Just need this logo
• Dies Y Seis (at Shore Club)
• Dragonfly Izakaya & Fish Market
• Ella’s Oyster Bar
• Joe’s Stone Crab
• Lobster Bar Sea Grille Miami Beach
• Maska
• Miami Smokers
• Naked Taco
• Poseidon Greek Restaurant
• Pubbelly Sushi
• Red, South Beach
• Rusty Pelican
• Stiltsville
• Tanuki
• The Lobster Shack
• Truluck’s Seafood, Steak & Crab house
• Tomorrowland featuring the Bloody Mary Experience

Festival ticket prices start at $49 or enjoy a 1 ½ block VIP experience for $150. As a VIP, enter Doctor’s Hospital VIP Hospitality Village to enjoy exclusive access to Joe’s Stone Crab Miami, live it up in the interactive Celebrity Cruises “EDGE” rooftop, and so much more.

The South Beach Seafood festival is a week of spectacular seafood you won’t want to miss, and by using the promo code DININGOUT, receive an exclusive offer of 20% off ticket pricing.

South Beach Seafood Festival. Tuesday, October 22, to Saturday, October 26, at various venues. Festival ticket prices start at $49 and VIP is $150.  Tickets can be purchased at www.sobeseafoodfest.com. Use the promo code DININGOUT for 20% off.

By Loren Gutentag