Florida’s biggest and best Seafood extravaganza returns, Bigger & Better than ever!
By Kenny Spahn
Get a 20% Discount! Just use the Promo Code: BOCATRIBUNE
The South Beach Seafood Festival is almost here! The famed outdoor food & drink Festival (#SobeSeafood) kicks off south Florida’s famed Stone Crab Season, with five days of food, fun, culinary competitions, creative cocktails, South Beach scenery, and general seafood frenzy. This “culinary showcase of epic proportions and curated week-long experience” has already garnered substantial accolades, including: “One of its Top 5 Specialty Festivals in the Country” by USATODAY; “The Top 5 Things to do this fall” by Forbes; and “The Best Seafood Festival in the US” by Travel Channel. And the best part, it all goes to benefit a great cause in Miami Dade County with CI Foundation’s EAT SMART program.
The week of festivities culminates on SATURDAY, October 26, with the spectacular 7th Annual South Beach Seafood Festival along the majestic South Beach. This showcase event spans five full blocks, as over 14,000 seafoodies come to enjoy a day of fun, drinks, live entertainment, and fun in the South Beach sun. It all starts at noon, and goes on for seven full hours — or nine full hours for VIPs~
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to sample seafood sensations from over two dozen of south Florida’s hottest restaurants and top Chefs, including: A Fish Called Avalon, Bodega Taqueria, Cafe Avanti, Chef Adrianne Calvo, Chef Billy G Catering, Cielito Ice Pops, Dies y Seis at Shore Club, Dragonfly Izakaya & Fish Market, Ella’s Oyster Bar, Estiatorio Milos, Goya Foods, Joe’s Stone Crab, Lobster Bar Sea Grille, Maska Indian Kitchen, Miami Smokers, Old Lisbon Restaurant, Papa’s Raw Bar, Poseidon Greek Restaurant, Pubbelly Sushi. Red, the Steakhouse, Rusty Pelican, Sala’o Cuban Bar, Souviou Wine Bar, Stiltsville, Tanuki, The Lobster Shack, Truluck’s Seafood, Steak & Crab House, The Deck at Island Gardens, Tomorrowland (featuring the Ultimate Bloody Mary Experience), Wynwood Kitchen, Wynwood Parlor, Vaitaire Seafood, and more!
So get ready sample Stone Crabs, Stone Crabs, and more Stone Crabs — along with a hundred-or-so other offerings, from Sushi and Ceviche, to Lobster Rolls and Shrimp Gyros; to Shrimp Tacos and Mahi Sliders, to Crab Cakes and Conch Fritters, along with assorted sides, desserts, beverages, and surprises. And it gets even better, with free all-day open bars for everyone!
But there’s a lot more than just great food and drink here, with plenty of fun and festivities throughout the day. In fact, as festival organizer CI Management notes “this year’s South Beach Seafood Festival is even bigger and better than past years, with new and exciting upgrades.”
In addition to all the Food samplings and open bars at Saturday’s Festival, you’ll also get to:
Wine down in the William Hill Wine Lounge
- Party in the all new Jack Daniel’s Club, featuring a live music stage and life size beach games! Jam to the live tunes, win some prizes, dive into some Frozen Jack & Cokes, and more.
- Celebrate with the freshest seafood samplers from GOYA Foods’ Executive Chef, Fernando Desa.
- Hydrate deliciously with all new sparkling water partner, La Croix Beverages.
- Take a seat in luxury and check out the newest models from Cadillac.
- Visit the Coca-Cola Room and refresh with Coke, Zico, Monster, and Core Power.
- Sip on the craftiest Miami cocktails at any of the Finlandia or Herradura, experiences.
- Stop into the Rose All Day zone brought to you by Sunseeker Rose
- Grab a Mimosa with J Vineyards
- Relax in the shade and educate yourselves in the Milam’s Market Culinary Showcase Kitchen featuring pros like Chef Adrienne Calvo, Laurent Tourondel, and many more.
And to get the ultimate festival experience, VIP ticket holders also get exclusive access to the 1½ block VIP Doctor’s Hospital VIP Hospitality Village, featuring:
- Walk-through California Wine Country with William Hill and Talbott Vineyards
- Private VIP access to Joe’s Stone Crab Miami for some of the best seafood in Miami.
- Get jazzy at the Jack & Coke elevated speakeasy featuring all-day live music.
- Live it up in the interactive Celebrity Cruises “EDGE” rooftop.
- Be your best self at Baptist Health South Florida’s Health and Wellness Retreat.
- Cool down at the La Croix hydration station
- Sample dishes from the likes of The Deck at Island Gardens, Wynwood Kitchen & Bar, Souviou Wine Bar, Chef Adrianne, AND…..
- Enjoy the guest-favorite 3,200 sq. ft. GOYA Culinary Pavilion featuring tons of VIP experiences during the day, featuring The GOYA Sampling Experience, Papa’s Raw Bar Seafood World, Coca-Cola’s College Game Zone, All-New LIVE MUSIC during the day, Bodega Taqueria Pop Up, Hyde Beach, and by night, the GOYA culinary pavilion turns into the ultimate dance party brought to you by Rockwell Talent with extended hours until 9:00 PM!
“But Wait, There’s More!” In addition to Saturday’s main event, The Festival encompasses 5 days of culinary activity leading up to the Saturday main event, including:
- Tuesday, October 16, 6:30 – 10 PM: An Evening at Joe’s Stone Crab (Sold Out).
- Wednesday, October 17, 6:30 – 9:30 PM: Cooking & Cocktails at Meat Market, hosted by GOYA, Herradura, and Meat Market.
Thursday, October 18, 7:30 – 10:30 PM: Crabs, Slabs, and Cabs at Shore Club, an international showcase of the traditional surf n turf dish with Deis Y Seis, Katsuya South Beach, Lure Fish, Le Zoo, Milos, and friends and presented by Louis Martini and Baptist Health
- Friday, October 19th (7 – 11 PM): CHEF SHOWDOWN. Check out the live culinary battles, as 14 chefs are paired head-to-head to create seven different seafood battles! Guests visit different battle stations to sample competition-level cuisine and vote for their favorite in each battle, and help decide which Chefs take the championship title for showcasing the best seafood in Miam1. This year’s Battles are:
- BATTLE FISH: 2018 Champion, Chef Julian Garriga, Seawell Fish N’ Oyster vs. Chef Rafael Mendez, The Grill on the Alley
- BATTLE SHRIMP: 3-Time Chef Demetrios Pyliotis, Poseidon vs. Chef Alex Olivier, Area 31
- BATTLE OYSTER: Chef Jordan Marano, Ella’s Oyster Bar vs. Chef Chad Wyrosdick, Papa’s Raw Bar
- BATTLE SUSHI 2-Time Champion Chef Erik Melendez, Dragonfly Vs. Chef Rangel Suarez, Katsuya Brickell
- BATTLE SURF N TURF: 3-Time Champion Chef Sean Brasel, Meat Market vs. Chef Danny Ganem, LT Steak & Seafood
- BATTLE LOBSTER: Chef Arturo Paz, Lobster Bar Sea Grille Miami Beach vs. Chef Jarod Higgins, American Airlines Arena
- BATTLE CRAB: 2018 Champion Chef David Salinas, Joe’s Stone Crab vs. Chef Brian Nasajon, Beaker & Gray
- BATTLE TACO – The REMATCH: 2018 Champion #Fireproof Chef Ralph Pagano, Naked Taco vs. 3-Time Champion Chef Bernie Matz, Bodega
See you in SoBe for the best seafood festival ever!
Use the special Promo Code: BOCATRIBUNE for your 20% Discount!
Festival ticket prices start at $49 and VIP is $150.
The South Beach Seafood Festival takes place Saturday, Oct 26 at 14th & Ocean Drive (Lummus Park, along the sand) in Miami Beach from 12:00 noon – 7:00 pm (9:00 pm for VIP ticket holders). Festival ticket prices start at $49 and VIP is $150. But don’t forget your 20% Discount! Just use the Promo Code: BOCATRIBUNE. To purchase tickets or for more information, go to www.sobeseafoodfest.com; email info@sobeseafoodfest.com; or follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter @sobeseafoodfest.
Bundle Weekend passes are available for VIP access to both Friday and Saturday, with additional options for host hotel package inclusions at Shore Club Miami Beach, located at 1901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
The event week benefits the Community Initiatives (CI) Foundation, and its valiant EAT SMART program. For more information about CI Management and its EAT SMART program, visit www.ci-mgt.com
About South Beach Seafood Festival: The South Beach Seafood Festival, kicks off Miami’s globally-recognized stone crab season every October. This high-end experience that showcases the talents of South Florida’s leading chefs and culinary masterminds via a diverse group of events. Visit www.sobeseafoodfest.com; Facebook, and Instagram @sobeseafoodfest.
About CI Management: CI Management Group is a South Florida-based event management company with over 20 years of hosting non-profit fundraising events. In addition to its impressive client roster, CI Management is the managing partner and owner of South Beach Seafood Festival and other South Florida events, including the famed Las Olas Wine & Food Festival. Visit www.ci-mgt.com, Facebook or Instagram @wearecimgt, or call 305-255-3500.
About Restaurant Placement Group: Restaurant Placement Group is the exclusive recruiting, placement, and consulting service for the restaurant and hospitality industry. Visit www.RestaurantPlacement.com