REEF Fest returns to Key Largo, Florida, October 15–18, 2026, for four days of seminars, diving, socials, and celebration. Registration is open now, and here is what you will not want to miss.

For the Love of the Sea: Get Your Tickets Now

The highlight of REEF Fest weekend is our For the Love of the Sea Celebration on Saturday, October 17, from 5:00 to 8:30 pm, at a beautiful outdoor waterfront venue on Blackwater Sound (MM 103.6, next to Quiescence Diving Services). Enjoy dinner, drinks, and a sunset over Florida Bay alongside fellow ocean lovers, and browse the silent auction benefiting REEF’s marine conservation programs.

Tickets are $125 per person and include passed hors d’oeuvres (from lionfish bites to tropical caprese skewers), food stations featuring Cuban, churrasco, and vegan tropical curry, and an open bar with signature cocktails, local craft beer from Florida Keys Brewing Company, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. Space is limited and tickets are selling fast, so reserve yours today. Tickets are required and can be purchased when you register for REEF Fest at www.REEF.org/REEFfest.

Meet the Speakers

Our seminar series is free, open to all, and livestreamed on the REEF Facebook page and YouTube channel. Join us at the REEF Ocean Exploration Center for an inspiring lineup of scientists, naturalists, and the REEF team.

From Grass to Reef: Tracing Water and Fish Connections Across South Florida
Dr. Jennifer Rehage, Florida International University

Something Seems Fishy: Applications of Forensic Science in Wildlife Conservation
Aisha Rickli-Rahman, Conservation Biologist

The Role of Fishes, their Niches, and the Success of Mission: Iconic Reefs
Kai Lopez, NOAA Marine Stewardship & Monitoring Specialist

You will also hear directly from the REEF team with a REEF Conservation Science Panel, Reef Encounters: A Photographic Journey through REEF Field Survey Trips with Field Survey Trips Program Manager Stacey Henderson, and One Year of Impact at the Ocean Exploration Center with Co-Executive Director Martha Klitzkie.

Socials, Dives, and More

Every evening brings a chance to connect with our ocean-minded community:

  • Welcome Reception & Lionfish Jewelry Workshop – Thursday, October 15, 4:00–6:00 pm at the REEF Campus. Kick off the weekend, tour the Ocean Exploration Center, and get creative. Free to attend.
  • REEF Fest Happy Hour Social – Friday, October 16, 4:00 pm at the Ocean Exploration Center, followed by an evening seminar. Free to attend.
  • For the Love of the Sea Celebration – Saturday, October 17 (details above). Tickets required.

Mornings are yours: dive or snorkel with a REEF Fest Experience Partner (book directly with the operator), join the Sunday morning nature walk at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, or take in a Mote coral nursery tour. Most events are free and open to the public, but pre-registration is requested so we can plan accordingly.

See the full schedule, speaker bios, and grab your For the Love of the Sea tickets at www.REEF.org/REEFfest. We can’t wait to celebrate the ocean with you in Key Largo!