What started as a beachside tasting in 2011 has become the Miami Beach weekend that opens stone crab season — and the fundraiser behind EAT SMART, the youth nutrition program the festival was created to support.
The festival is owned by South Beach WFF Foundation Inc., a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and produced and operated by CI Foundation Inc.. Proceeds and community partnerships fund EAT SMART — culinary education, healthy-eating, and food-literacy programming across Miami-Dade public schools.
Over the past decade, festival proceeds have funded thousands of student meals, classroom kitchens, and chef-led nutrition programming across some of Miami's under-resourced districts.
South Beach WFF Foundation Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EIN 36-4899790. The Foundation owns South Beach Seafood Festival and supports charitable initiatives focused on youth health, nutrition, education, and community impact. The festival is produced and operated by CI Foundation Inc.. Proceeds and community partnerships help support programs including EAT SMART, Culinary Education + Workforce Pathways, and Restaurant + Hospitality Support.
Through the South Beach Seafood Festival and its year-round community initiatives, the organization celebrates and supports the chefs, restaurants, hospitality professionals, students, and neighborhoods that shape South Florida's culinary identity. Our mission is to promote and grow community-based culinary institutions, create meaningful educational and career pathways for the next generation, and provide young people with the knowledge and resources to EAT SMART, LIVE SMART, and ultimately, BE SMART.
By connecting established culinary leaders with emerging talent, local schools, community partners, and the public, the South Beach Seafood Festival uses food and hospitality as a platform for opportunity, education, wellness, and lasting community impact.
Supporting the businesses and people who make South Florida a culinary destination.
Creating a bridge from the classroom to South Florida's culinary and hospitality industry.
Using food education to build healthier habits and stronger futures for local youth.
Supporting local restaurants strengthens the culinary community students may one day enter. Giving students access to mentors and real-world experiences creates the industry's next generation. Teaching young people to understand food and nutrition gives them tools to build healthier lives. Together, these efforts allow the South Beach Seafood Festival to celebrate South Florida's culinary community today while investing in the people, businesses, and young leaders who will shape its future.
The registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that owns the festival. Charitable programs are operated under its name, and all festival proceeds are directed through it.
Produces and operates the festival: restaurant and chef programming, sponsorships, logistics, marketing, and event delivery.
CIFoundation.orgTicket sales, sponsorship, and partner contributions first cover the cost of running the festival. What remains becomes proceeds, and those proceeds are directed to the Foundation's charitable programs: EAT SMART, Culinary Education + Workforce Pathways, and Restaurant + Hospitality Support.
Explore our programsSame contact details for donation, volunteering, and program enquiries.
South Beach WFF Foundation Inc. · Florida 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization · FEIN / EIN: 36-4899790
Festival produced and operated by CI Foundation Inc.
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"The Miami Beach weekend that opens stone crab season"
