The Deering Estate Foundation is excited to announce the highly-anticipated 18th annual Deering Seafood Festival on the Bay

Calling all seafood lovers! Join us on Sunday, April 14, 2024, at the Deering Estate, for the award-winning Deering Seafood Festival. Guests can enjoy everything from cooking demonstrations by top Miami chefs and delicious food from South Florida restaurants to live music, a Bahamian Junkanoo parade, boat rides, a beer lounge, a dedicated kid’s area and more. 

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to once again welcome our neighbors and friends to the 18th Annual Deering Seafood Festival, which is undeniably one of our most anticipated events of the year,” says Nina Zanella, Executive Director of The Deering Estate Foundation. “We have so much to be excited about this year’s festival weekend, starting with a special Chef’s Table on the Bay – Night in the Tropics starring Chef Eileen Andrade of Finka Table and Tap, Barbakoa by Finka, and Amelia’s 1931, and we can’t wait to share it with the community, Board members and generous sponsors and vendors who never fail to make our events so memorable.”    
 
Chef’s Table on the Bay – Night in the Tropics

To kick-off the weekend, Deering Estate will host Chef’s Table on the Bay – Night in the Tropics on Friday, April 12, 2024, the fifth iteration of its wildly successful Chef’s Table on the Bay – Havana Nights that debuted in October 2021. 

This outdoor dining experience will start with a cocktail hour on the lawn presented by Golden Rule Seafood, BreakThru Beverage, La Tropical Brewery, and Sysco South Florida, and move on to cooking demonstrations and a multiple-course dinner by star chef Eileen Andrade. 

Before establishing herself as one of Miami’s most lauded young chefs/restaurateurs, Chef Eileen Andrade spent much of her childhood in the kitchen working with family at their legendary Islas Canarias, one of Miami’s most iconic and culturally relevant Cuban restaurants.  

From an early age, Andrade displayed a keen interest in creative endeavors, especially those with a gastronomic bent. For years she worked in the family restaurant, learning the ropes and absorbing the sights, smells, stresses, and sensations of restaurant life. Seeking an opportunity to strike out on her own–with her family’s blessing, Andrade (with her brother Jonathan) launched the CUBAN CUBE food truck. Described by the chef as both “exhausting and thrilling,” as well as a “self-taught cooking school on wheels,” the truck quickly gained popularity on the streets as well as at event appearances and food truck rallies.

It would be a random trip to South Korea in 2013 that would change the trajectory of her life. “I had lived in a fantastic and loving ‘Miami bubble’ my whole life,” comments Andrade, who was born and raised in the 305 and still calls Miami home. “The trip to South Korea was an amazing and rather unplanned adventure that blew open the doors for me and changed how I cooked and thought about food forever.” 

This special evening is sponsored by Amerant Bank, Smile Institute Miami, Shutts & Bowen, Drew Kern Team, and Tonkinson Financial. Event details and tickets online.     

18th Annual Deering Seafood Festival

Here is what guests can look forward to at the 18th Annual Deering Seafood Festival:

Food & Drink Vendors

At the Deering Seafood Festival, guests will be able to buy food and drinks 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, Catering by Les, Conch Mania 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.  

Chef Demo Tent

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 takes place at Florida International University (FIU) College of Culinary Arts on March 14, 2024.

This year, the Chef Demo Tent will feature, among others, Chef Nivan Patel from Orno, Chef Fernando Salazar from Platea, Chef Jorge Mas, from Kuba Cabana, and the winner of the FIU Cooking Competition.
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 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 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 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, the Deering Discovery Cove will return with fun, educational programming and activities from Deering Estate’s environmental classes and camps! These classes attract more than 17,000 children throughout the year both virtually and in person. 

Tickets

Festival attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance online.  Tickets for adults are priced at $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 every 15 minutes. For those wishing to ride their bikes to the festival, a courtesy bike valet will be available from Heritage House. 

Sponsors

As a nonprofit organization, Deering Estate could not host its year-long calendar of exciting community events without the help of its generous supporters. The 18th Annual Deering Seafood Festival was made possible by over 35 sponsors, including Shaka Kai, Air on Demand, Golden Rule Seafood, Sports Grill, CHI of South Florida, European Collision, University of Miami, Eric's Outboard, McLuskey, McDonald & Hughes, NR Hair Salon, Palmer Trinity School, eTIX, Keyes & Associates/The Devaldivielso Team,  Florida Power and Light, South Florida PBA, SunState Bank, Grove Bank and Trust, Smile Institute Miami, Prestige Windows & Doors, Kaufman & Rossin, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, Eagle Brands as well as media and in-kind sponsors like Kiddos Magazine, Community Newspapers, Diario Las Américas, Go Latino, 6 in the Mix, Florida International University, Miami International Airport, Brand Poets, and more. The festival also has the unwavering support of the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, and the Board of County Commissioners.

The 18th Annual Deering Seafood Festival will take place on Sunday, April 14, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Deering Estate located at 16701 S.W. 72 Ave., in Palmetto Bay. All proceeds will benefit the Deering Estate Foundation and are used to provide funding, advocacy and support for Deering Estate and its initiatives. For more information about the event, please visit www.deeringseafoodfestival.org.

Deering Estate is open daily for guests of all ages to enjoy its open space, wildlife viewing, bay vistas and self-guided access of the museums. For more information, please visit the website. 

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.

About the Deering Estate
Deering Estate, located at 16701 SW 72 Ave. in Miami, 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. Deering Estate is designated as one of seven Miami-Dade County “Heritage Parks” which have a vital role in our community’s history, environment and in providing recreational and cultural experiences.