Deering Seafood Festival

Miami, FL

Website: http://www.deeringestate.org/pages/Seafood-Festival-.aspx

One very special day each year the historic Deering Estate at Cutler is transformed into a magical island with calypso rhythms, colorfully costumed dancers, and mountains of Florida's freshest fish and seafood. The family-friendly celebration begins at 11am on Sunday, March 25th, when the 8th annual Deering Seafood Festival opens its doors to the intoxicating sounds of steel drums and towering stilt walkers greeting each guest.

Local restaurants prepare their specialties featuring scrumptious bounty from the sea. Enjoy an outstanding array of the freshest catch that includes delicious lobster, fried conch, shrimp egg rolls, grilled dolphin, garlic blue crabs and heaping mounds of shrimp that are steamed, fried, or just peel and eat.

Set on the biggest backyard on Biscayne Bay, the festival is non-stop fun. While a parade of Bahamian Junkanoo musicians playfully weave throughout the crowd, emcee Trent Aric, ABC's chief meteorologist, keeps the on-stage entertainment jumpin' with the Harbor Islanders, a lively Brazilian Revue, and the music of the popular VIVA Rock Band to close out the day.

New to the Li'l Shrimp Kids Zone is the Deering Discovery Cove, created by the estate's Educational and Interpretive Staff, where kids experience a simulated underwater archeological adventure. In the Cove, boys and girls build their own seaworthy exploration vessels, and then embark on a journey where they will discover a mangrove shipwreck and pirates' treasures, uncover fossils, and explore the fascinating bioluminescence of creatures that live deep beneath the sea. The Kids Zone also offers unlimited fun on the inflatables, and serves a land lovers menu to keep everyone happy.

Save time for pontoon boat rides aboard the Pelican Skipper to Chicken Key, an Artists' Village featuring local artists and artisans crafters with original paintings, photography, crafts and jewelry, and a limited number of nature hikes and tours of the historic Stone House and Richmond Cottage.