Eligible entries must be market-ready products made with Alaska seafood and must have been introduced within the last two years.

No! The Symphony is focused on products that utilize Alaska seafood. Your company can be based anywhere. In fact, we want to encourage people to utilize Alaska’s bountiful resources. Maybe you have a product that uses kelp, and you could begin sourcing that kelp from Alaska. As soon as your product uses Alaska seafood, it becomes eligible.

Yes. Companies may enter more than one eligible product. The first entry fee is $500, with additional entries at $300 each.

More entries mean more opportunities to win, and more potential for support. We encourage multiple entries!

To enter the 2026 Alaska Symphony of Seafood:

1. Make sure your product meets the eligibility requirements.

2. Complete the official entry form.

3. Submit the applicable entry fee.

4. Provide product samples for judging and the Symphony.

5. Follow the product shipping and delivery instructions provided by AFDF.

Completed entries are due October 16, 2026.

It depends. If you won first place in your product category, or you won Most Innovative or People’s Choice, you cannot enter that product again. If you won a lesser category award or did not win, you can enter again as long as you still meet the criteria.

For products intended for human consumption, please plan to provide enough product to serve approximately 300 sample-sized portions.

We’re often asked what that means in practice. A sample does not need to be a full retail serving. Depending on the product, it might be a few ounces of soup, a portion of a patty, a few pieces of jerky, or an ounce of sauce served with a cracker.

For example, if you are entering salmon jerky, you would not need to send 300 individual 10-ounce bags. Instead, you would send enough product to portion out approximately 300 tasting samples.

For products that are not intended for human consumption, the amount needed will vary.

Take pet treats, for example. You would want to provide enough product for the judges to properly evaluate the entry, along with additional product for display at the Symphony so attendees can see, smell, and experience it. Because the product will not be consumed by attendees, the quantity required would be much smaller than it would be for a food product.

The same general approach applies to other Beyond the Plate products, such as salmon-skin jewelry, pet meal toppers, skincare products, and similar entries.

If you’re unsure how much of your specific product to send, please reach out to us. We’re happy to help determine an appropriate quantity. asos@afdf.org

Product arrival date is the last week of October. Once your product is submitted, you will receive an email with specific instructions regarding your shipping instructions/requirements.

The Symphony of Seafood brings together a wide cross-section of Alaska seafood champions, including buyers, chefs, CEOs, category managers, media, marketers, and longtime industry leaders. It is an incredible opportunity to build relationships, make meaningful connections, and put your product in front of people who understand the industry and can help support its growth.

As a nonprofit, AFDF’s role is to support and promote the Alaska seafood industry as a whole. We want participation in the Symphony to be valuable for every entrant, whether or not they ultimately take home an award.

Every participating company receives benefits designed to extend the value of the event beyond competition, including:

• Event photography for use in your own marketing

• Access to the judging video

• Curated feedback from our panel of expert judges

• Professional product photography

• Recognition through AFDF’s social media, website, and email communications

• Tickets to the Symphony

• Opportunities to connect directly with buyers, chefs, industry leaders, media, and other seafood professionals

Our goal is for every entrant to leave the Symphony with greater visibility, useful feedback, new connections, and marketing assets they can continue to use long after the event.

Winners receive additional recognition and promotional opportunities.

Product entrants are not required to attend the event, though it is encouraged. If you have concerns about attendance or travel, contact us before entering so we can discuss your situation.

Entries are evaluated by a panel of seafood, culinary, food-industry, and other subject-matter experts.

Judges consider the overall strength of each product, including elements such as the eating experience, presentation, marketability, and commercial potential.

For Beyond the Plate products, judging is adapted to reflect the product and its intended use.

Each year, AFDF brings together a panel of professionals with experience across seafood, culinary, retail, foodservice, product development, and related industries.

The 2026 judging panel will be announced separately.

Yes!

We are constantly finding new ways to add value to Symphony participants. For each product entered, you will receive constructive, targeted feedback from the panel of expert judges that is aimed at improving the overall marketability of your product.

Retail, Foodservice, and Beyond the Plate recognize the strongest products within their respective categories.

Most Innovative looks across eligible entries for a product that represents particularly creative or forward-thinking product development.

People’s Choice is determined by attendees who have the opportunity to experience the entries and vote for their favorite during the Symphony. The voting happens at the tables live via QR code. It is a fast and exciting part of the night. We do it this way to ensure the utmost fairness in voting.

The 2026 Alaska Symphony of Seafood will take place November 20, 2026, in Seattle, Washington. This year’s event will be held at the Grand Hyatt and runs from 5:30pm to 9pm.

The Symphony gives attendees an opportunity to experience the newest products coming out of the Alaska seafood industry while bringing together seafood companies, buyers, chefs, industry leaders, partners, and supporters.

Products are showcased as part of the competition and event experience, giving entrants exposure beyond the private judging process.

Your product will be prepared and presented according to the written instructions you provide. Our team takes care to ensure each entry is showcased thoughtfully and in a way that best represents the product.

If you attend the Symphony, you are welcome to bring marketing materials to display alongside your entry and spend time at your table connecting with attendees as they sample and learn more about your product.

Category winners receive recognition through the Alaska Symphony of Seafood and AFDF's promotional channels.

Current winner benefits include:

• Professional product photography

• Recognition through AFDF's website, social media, and email communications

• Opportunities to connect with the Symphony judging panel and industry

• Use of Symphony winner recognition in product marketing

• Additional promotional opportunities associated with the competition

Retail and Foodservice category winners may also have opportunities connected to Seafood Expo North America in Boston, including Symphony-supported event participation.

Yes. Winning companies are encouraged to share their recognition and leverage the Symphony as part of their product marketing.