Here is what guests can look forward to during the weekend of the 18th Annual Deering Seafood Festival.

Food & Drink Vendors

At the Deering Seafood Festival, guests will be able to buy food and drink from some of South Florida’s best restaurants and suppliers. Participating seafood restaurants include Golden Rule Seafood, Sports Grill, Catering by Les, Chef Winston Catering, Antigua Barbuda, Popos Seafood, Conch Mania, Mr. Cobbs BBQ, Rodbenders Raw Bar and Grill, Paella Party, and Pub Grill. Other food vendors guests can get excited about are Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream and Sugar Boutique. Eagle Brands will be onsite selling Stella Artois, Kona Big Wave, and Michelob Ultra. And, don’t forget the Frozen Drink Booth courtesy of Bombarda Rum. Food & Beverage Menus

Chef Demo Tent
Location: Stone House Courtyard

Sponsored by the Deering Estate Foundation, the Chef Demo Tent is one of the highlights of the Deering Seafood Festival. It is where six fabulous South Florida chefs present 45-minute cooking demonstrations of their favorite seafood dishes, many of which are from their restaurant menus. Five demos will be led by chefs from popular Miami restaurants, and the final demo will be completed by the student winner of our annual Deering Seafood Festival Culinary Student Competition, which took place at Florida International University (FIU) College of Culinary Arts on March 14, 2024.

All cooking demonstrations are free with admission. Audiences are limited to 100 guests per demo, and spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees will enjoy samples of the food prepared by the chef, get a copy of the recipe, and have an opportunity to ask him or her questions.

11:15 AM
Chef Maria Cummins
The Real Food Academy

12:15 PM
Chef Fernando Salazar & Andres Marmolejos
Platea Miami

1:15 PM
Chef Niven Patel
Ghee Miami

2:15 PM
Raheem Sealey
J & C Oyster, Drinking Pig BBQ & Shiso Miami

3:15 PM
Chef Jorge Mas
Kuba Cabana

4:15 PM
FIU Students
Katelyn Hammond & Nataliyah Magee

Throughout the day, a team of FIU culinary students will serve as sous chefs to those leading the Chef Demonstration, helping them to prepare their dish and clean up the cooking area.

Entertainment & Activities
Entertainment schedule 

While Florida’s freshest fish and seafood are always the main event, nonstop entertainment will keep the family dancing all day long. The festival will kick off with a Bahamian Junkanoo band and Virgin Island stilt walkers parading through Deering Estate, followed by performances by Caribbean Music Farm and Brothers of Others.

There will be a craft beer area and, for the first time ever, a special “Masters” golf area in a shaded area with tables and chairs so that guests can watch the last day of the Masters Tournament or test their skill on a putting green provided by Monster Grass. There will also be Irish Whiskey tasting provided by Cairlinn Bay.

Guests who want to get out on the water can take guided Pelican Skipper pontoon boat rides (for an additional fee) from Deering Estate to Chicken Key. Back on land, arts aficionados can wander down Artists Lane and find handmade paintings, photography, crafts, and jewelry by local artisans.

Just for Kids

Presented by Kiddos Magazine, The Deering Seafood Festival will have a special “Spring Fun Kid’s Zone” with arts and crafts, a DJ, interesting exhibits, games, kid-friendly food, raffles, a magic show, a toddler play area, and lots of other fun activities for the kids!

Also at the festival, Deering Discovery Cove will return with fun, educational programming and activities pulled from Deering Estate’s environmental classes and camps! These classes attract more than 17,000 children throughout the year both virtually and, more recently, in person.

Tickets

Tickets for adults are priced at $25 in advance and $30 the day of, and tickets for children ages 4-14 are priced at $7 in advance and $10 the day of. While Deering Estate Foundation members are entitled to free festival admission, members must go online to obtain a ticket for entry. Members will be prompted to add their member number when reserving their free tickets online. Ticket prices include park entrance and activities, but exclude food, drink, boat rides and vendor purchase.

Festival attendees are encouraged to purchase/reserve tickets in advance online.

Transportation & Parking

In addition to street and area parking, a free “Park and Ride” will be available to all festival guests at Westminster Christian School and Palmetto Bay Village Center. Shuttle buses will go to and from the venue and Deering Estate every 15 minutes. For those wishing to ride their bikes to the festival, a courtesy bike valet will be available from Heritage House.