19th Annual Deering Seafood Festival

The Deering Estate Foundation looks forward to welcoming families of all ages to experience fresh seafood, chef demos, live entertainment and kid’s activities at the award-winning Deering Seafood Festival presented by British Virgin Islands Tourist Board on Sunday, April 13, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

FESTIVAL PROGRAM

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, Chef Winston Catering, Antigua Barbuda, Popos Seafood, Conch Mania, Mr. Cobbs BBQ, Rodbenders Raw Bar and Grill, Pubbelly Sushi, Chef Dosworth Samuel, and Pub Grill. Other food vendors include Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream and Sugar Boutique. Eagle Brands will be onsite providing Stella Artois, Kona Big Wave, Michelob Ultra, and Nutrl Seltzer.  Craft beer will be Golden Road Mango Cart.  The Frozen Drink Booth is courtesy of Bombarda Rum, Azteca Azul Tequila, and Q Mixers.  The Whiskey Bars are courtesy of Cairlinn Bay Irish Whiskey, and the Wine Bar is courtesy Republic National Distributors.

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. Six fabulous South Florida chefs will 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) Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management on March 21, 2025.

This year, the Chef Demo Tent will feature student Chefs from Miami Springs Senior High, Chef Hector Pagan from bartaco, Chef Kenneth Molyneaux from Tortola, British Virgin Islands, Chef Pedro Mederos from Kojin 2.0, Chef Omar Martinez from Naked Taco, and the winning student chefs from the FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management culinary competition, William Assee & Adrian Mangano.

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.

All cooking demonstrations are free with admission. Audiences are limited to 140 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 questions.

Entertainment & Activities
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, Cutler Stew, and Brothers of Others.

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, jewelry, and much more by local artisans.

Just for Kids
Presented by Kiddos Magazine, The Deering Seafood Festival will have a special “Spring Fun Kid’s Zone” with an art station, toddler area, hula hoop contest, Easter egg hunt (1:00 p.m.), potato sack race, exhibitors, music, fun, educational activities presented by our exhibitors and delicious food. Games, raffles, and much more!

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 30,000 children throughout the year.

Tickets
Advanced tickets: Festival attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance online.
Adult (15+): $25
Child (4-14): $7
Member: FREE festival admission, please obtain a ticket for entry online

Tickets day of event: 
Adult (15+) Day Of: $30
Child (4-14) Day Of: $10
Member: FREE festival admission, please obtain a ticket for entry online

Tickets for adults are $25 in advance and $30 at the gate, and tickets for children ages 4-14 are priced at $7 in advance and $10 at the gate.  While Deering Estate Foundation members are entitled to free festival admission, members must go online to obtain a ticket for entry. Ticket prices include park entrance and activities, but exclude food, drink, boat rides and vendor purchases.

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.

To the North: Westminster Christian School, 6855 SW 152 Street
To the South: Palmetto Bay Village Center, 18001 Old Cutler Road
Bike Parking: Near the Main Gate in the area between SW 168 Street & SW 167 Street along 72nd Avenue.
Arrival by boat or watercraft is prohibited.

Sponsors
The Deering Estate Foundation is proud to announce British Virgin Islands Tourist Board as the Title Sponsor of the 2025 Deering Seafood Festival!

This year’s event is made possible by over 41 sponsors, including Air on Demand, Golden Rule Seafood, Sports Grill, Jaguar Land Rover South Dade, Sandy McCarthy, Community Health of South Florida, European Collision, Baptist Miami Cancer Center, Peterson’s Harley Davidson South, McLuskey, McDonald & Hughes, Palmer Trinity School, eTIX, Eric’s Outboard, Grove Bank and Trust, The Keyes Company, The DeValdivielso Team, Florida Power and Light, South Florida Police Benevolent Association, Sunstate Bank, Smile Institute Miami, Prestige Windows & Doors, Kaufman & Rossin, Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm, Kutner Personal Injury, 711, Verano MUR, The Florida Villager, Diario Las Americas, Miami New Times, Go Latinos Magazine, Community Newspapers, Florida Keys Media / Radio, Miami International Airport, Clear Channel Outdoor, Drew Kern – The Kern Team, Shutts and Bowen, LLP, Tonkinson Financial, Michael Alan Fine Architect, and the Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs Tourism Development Council.

All proceeds will benefit the Deering Estate Foundation and are used to provide funding, advocacy and support for Deering Estate and its initiatives.

Hotel Reservations 
Coming to town for the 19th Annual Deering Seafood Festival on the Bay? Want to make the festival part of a long weekend getaway? Aloft Miami Dadeland is offering festival goers with a special rate. Last day to book is April 5, 2025. Simply click here for details and to make your reservation. 

What items/activities are prohibited on-site?
Pets, balloons, balls, BBQ’s/barbecues/grills, bicycles, coolers, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, confetti, candles/flames, glitter, drones, frisbees, fireworks, hammocks, kites, remote-control boats/cars, rollerblades/skates, scooters, skateboards, tents/canopies, in ground umbrellas, fishing, and swimming are not allowed onsite.

Additional Notes:

– Historic Museum Homes are closed during this event.
– Bugs & mosquitos are very common throughout the year, please come prepared.
– No pets allowed.

About The Deering Estate Foundation

For those who treasure the Deering Estate, who advocate for its preservation and wish to invest in its future, The Deering Estate Foundation provides opportunities for individuals and corporations alike to partake in membership, signature events, and one-of-a-kind experiences, all in service of providing vital funding and support to the Deering Estate. Through these efforts, the foundation fulfills its mission to uphold the legacy of Charles Deering’s cherished 1920s-era property, to provide funding for the cultural, educational and recreational experiences it offers, as well as its significant scientific and archaeological endeavors to conserve its diverse flora, fauna and the eight native ecosystems that thrive on its 450 acres, and to ensure its longevity as a prized American heritage site. Established in 1989, The Deering Estate Foundation, Inc. is a community-based charitable 501(c) 3 Florida Corporation and the philanthropic partner of the Deering Estate. Interested individuals can become a member here!

About Deering Estate

The Deering Estate is a 21st Century house museum, cultural and ecological field station, and a national landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, owned by the State of Florida, and managed by Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department.