Get ready to party! The team behind this year’s Deering Seafood Festival has planned a non-stop island celebration in honor of the event’s 10th anniversary, complete with delicious catch from the waters of the world, a funfilled kids’ adventure called “10 Leagues Under the Sea,” stilt walkers, a Junkanoo musical parade and on-going live entertainment.
All the fun takes place on Sunday, Mar. 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the historic Deering Estate at Cutler, located at 16701 SW 72 Ave.
Florida’s freshest fish and seafood are always the main event. The top 10 restaurants and caterers lining Seafood Alley are: Golden Rule Seafood Market, Whole Foods Market, Devon Seafood + Steak, Black Point Ocean Grill, Imlee, Shibui Japanese Restaurant, Iggy’s Street Wok, Rodbender’s, Paella Party and the unique Caribbean flavors from Fancy Loaf Antigua Association.
Shrimp, oysters, conch, crab and all types of fish will be steamed, grilled or fried to please every palate. For landlubbers, Sports Grill is on hand with its famous wings and burgers.
Under the big top tent is an all-star lineup of chefs conducting cooking demonstrations. Returning for their command performances are executive chefs Jouvens Jean (Pierre’s at Morada Bay), Kareem Anguin (Oceanaire Seafood Room), Samir Canaan (Truluck’s Seafood Steak and Crab House), Damian Gilchrist (Ocean Reef Club) and crowdfavorite Chef Sean Bernal. Joining the local celebrity chefs is this year’s winner of the Johnson & Wales Student Seafood Competition, Liam Gove, a sophomore from Beverly, MA, whose recipe contains “10” ingredients.
The Seafood Festival offers entertainment for all ages. Kids will enjoy the monstrous hands-on activities in “10 Leagues Under the Sea,” created by the Deering Estate’s Educational and Interpretive Staff. Part scavenger hunt and part scientific exploration, boys and girls seek to find sea creatures whose habitats can be found in various levels of the ocean. For the less intrepid, the Lil’ Shrimp Kids Zone is filled with unlimited fun on inflatables, and when hunger strikes, there is a menu with kid-friendly food.
You won’t want to miss the fun with continuous live entertainment featuring the island groove of the steel drummers, Bushwood Band and Caribbean Crew plus rock ‘n’ roll music to close out the day with Been There Done That. Enjoy pontoon boat rides to Chicken Key, an Artist Village and tours of the historic estate.
The cost is adults, $15 in advance online or $25 the day of the event; children 4-14 years, $5, and Foundation members free, which includes park entrance and all activities, excluding food, drink, pontoon rides and rock wall, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information call 305-235-1668, ext. 263, or log on to www.deeringestate.org/pages/seafood-festival-.aspx. Proceeds from the event benefit the Deering Estate Foundation and are used for preservation and programming.
