What started as a beachside tasting in 2011 has become the Miami Beach weekend that opens stone crab season — and what USA Today calls a Top 5 Specialty Festival in America.
The South Beach Seafood Festival is produced by CI Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Proceeds fund EAT SMART — culinary education, healthy-eating, and food-literacy programs 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 Seafood Festival, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to strengthening South Florida's culinary community while investing in the health, education, and future of local youth.
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.
South Beach Seafood Festival, Inc. · Florida 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization · FEIN / EIN: 36-4899790
"Top 5 Specialty Festivals in America"
"Top 5 Things to Do This Fall"
"Best Seafood Festival in the U.S."
"The Miami Beach weekend that opens stone crab season"
