Englewood shrimp and music festival 2023

Most Florida seafood festivals keep the same relative dates from year to year. Some change, and some move to new locations or even disappear for a few years, as happened during the pandemic.

We do our best to keep up with the changes and update this calendar frequently. Still, you should follow the links for individual festivals and additional details about the events. Individual web sites should also include information for vendors.

Florida Rambler is your No. 1 resource for seafood festivals in Florida.

Regular Florida spiny lobster season: August 6 through March 31

Recreational Bay Scallop Seasons (varies by county), June 15-Sept. 24

September 2022 Seafood Festivals

Sep 3-4, 2022. Florida Scallop, Music and Arts Festival, on the shores of St. Joseph Bay in historic Port St. Joe every Labor Day Weekend. Featuring The Scallop Gallop 5K, Scallop Cookoff.  Admission: Friday, $10; Saturday, $10, Sunday, $5. Weekend pass, $20. Parking is freeGeorge Core Park (Lighthouse Park), Port St. Joe

Sep 23-25, 2022.Pensacola Seafood Festival. The popular Pensacola Seafood Festival returns to its September schedule. Fresh Gulf to Table sampler platters including, Shrimp, Crawfish, Scallops, Crab, Grouper, Alligator, Calamari, Gumbo, Lobster Rolls, Crawfish Mac’n’Cheese, Grits a YaYa, Seafood Skewers, Kabobs, Crab Cakes, Jambalaya, Etoufee, Coconut Shrimp, Seafood Baskets, Paella, Conch Fritters. More than 150 artists will display their work from Fri. 11 am-5 pm, Sat. 10 am-11 pm, Sun. 11 am-5 pm. Rain or shine. Admission free. Seville Square, 311 East Government Street, Pensacola.

Sep 24, 2022. Mount Dora Seafood Festival, The Mount Dora Seafood Festival is a free event on the shores of Lake Dora featuring seafood, music, kids activities and pirates! Rain or shine. Simpson’s Cove, Gilbert Park and the Mount Dora Boating Center & Marina. For GPS purposes: 310 S. Tremain St., Mount Dora.

Related content: Florida Oktoberfests Calendar 2022

October 2022 Seafood Festivals

Stone Crab Season opens on Oct. 15.

Oct 1, 2022. St. Mary’s Seafood Festival, St. Mary’s, Georgia. A full day of family fun in St. Marys, just north of the Florida state line on the Atlantic coast. Restaurants will be offering seafood festival specials and there will be food trucks and vendors with sensational seafood fare Festival proceeds fund Kiwanis youth programs in Camden County. St. Mary’s is just north of the Florida-Georgia line.

Oct. 1, 2022. Zephyrhills Seafood Festival. Fresh seafood, arts and crafts, live entertainment, marine exhibit, boat show, children fun area, seafood market. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Admission: $5-$10. Zepyrhills Festival Venue, 5200 Airport Rd, Zephyrhills, FL 33542, USA

Oct. 6-9, 2022. National Shrimp Festival. Produced by the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber. Free admission. Shuttle from remote parking lots, $5. Thursday-Saturday 10 am – 10 pm; Sunday 10 am – 5 pm. On the beach where Highway 59 meets Hwy 182 (Beach Rd.), Gulf Shores, Alabama. 

Oct. 7-9, 2022.Destin Seafood Festival, Festival showcases the fishing fleet, harbor and community. Fresh caught local seafood provided by local food vendors. Music entertainment features Rock, Reggae, Country and tropical music along the Harbor. Friday, 4-10 pm; Saturday, 10 am-10 pm; Sunday, 11 am-4 pm. Admission Free. Harborwalk, Destin.

Oct. 8-9, 2022. Vero Beach/Treasure Coast Seafood Festival, Marine Flea Market, Cornhole Tournament and Boat Show. Seafood, nautical flea market, arts and crafts, and Treasure Coast Cornhole Tournament (Sunday). Admission $10. Indian River Fairgrounds, 7955 58th Avenue, Vero Beach, FL.

Oct 15-16, 2022. Cedar Key Seafood Festival. This historic fishing village is one of the nation’s top sources of farm-raised clams. More than 100 arts and crafts exhibits, live music, a parade Saturday morning and, lots of great local seafood. Don’t miss Tony’s Restaurant’s world famous Clam Chowder! Saturday, 10 am -5 pm; Sunday, 10 am-5 pm. Sponsored by the Cedar Key Lions Club. More about Cedar Key Seafood Festival from Florida Rambler.

Oct 18-22, 2022. Lobster Festival and Tournament, Huge local lobsters on the weigh-in scales, fresh lobster prepared every way you can imagine, and the Schooners Sand Sculpting Contest. Proceeds benefit the Florida Aquatic Marine Institute and the Toys For Kids Foundation. Schooners Beach Club, 5121 Gulf Drive, Panama City Beach.

Oct 18-22, 2022. SoBe Seafood Festival, Miami Beach. This is not your typical seafood festival, but a high-end experience marking it’s 10th year in 2022. Indulge at pop-up cafes from Miami’s best restaurants with the freshest seafood items to choose from, paired with complimentary open bars for 21 and over, live music, fun and games, culinary demos. Benefits EAT SMART program, providing healthy meals and nutritional guidance to youth. General admission: $49; VIP: $150. Both include open bar. Advance sale discounts. Noon to 7 p.m., Lummus Park (14th Street and Ocean Drive).

Oct 22, 2022. St. Marks Stone Crab Festival. Gulfside fishing community serves up fresh, local delicacies, and vendors selling everything from custom jewelry to hand-crafted furniture. Every year on the 4th Saturday in October. Festival proceeds go to charitable organizations in St. Marks and the surrounding area. 10 am to 5 p.m. 788 Port Leon Dr, St. Marks.

Oct. 23, 2022. Marathon Stone Crab Eating Contest, Be the first to eat 25 stone crab claws, and you could be a winner. Every year, the Keys Fisheries restaurant in Marathon sponsors this event to mark the opening of stone crab season. How fast can you crack and cleanly consume 25 stone crab claws? Test your munching mettle at this zany contest. Individuals must be at least 18 years old to enter. Registration starts at 11 am and contest begins at 12 noon. Keys Fisheries, 3502 Gulfview Avenue, Marathon.

Oct. 25-26, 2022. Gainesville Seafood Festival. Fresh Seafood, Arts & Crafts, Live Entertainment, Swamp Show, Marine Exhibit, Children Fun Area, Seafood Market. Admission: $5-$10. 11 am-7 pm. Alachua County Fairgrounds, 3416 NE 39th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32609

Oct 26, 2022. Dunedin Stone Crab Festival. Serving stone crabs, blue crabs, shrimp, grouper, ceviche, fish tacos, hot dogs, pizza, craft beer & wine and live musical entertainment. Free admission. Chairs and blankets OK. “Socially conscious pets are very welcomed.” Olde Bay Cafe and Hog Island Fish Camp.

Related story: Pinellas Trail: Treasured bike trail from St. Pete north

Oct 28-29, 2022. Frenchy’s Stone Crab Weekend.Every October, for one weekend only, Clearwater Beach closes Baymont Street for Frenchy’s annual Stone Crab Weekend. In addition to fresh-off-the-boat claws the two-day block party features live music on stage.The block party is from 12 noon – 10 pm both Friday and Saturday. Admission is free. Food, drinks and merchandise will be for sale. Parking at North Beach Park Plaza (600+ spaces, $3 per hour.) Also, public street parking and metered lots are available within several blocks.

Oct. 28-30, 2022. Naples Stone Crab Festival.Celebrate the kickoff of stone crab season on the waterfront in Naples.  Sponsored by the Old Naples Waterfront Association, the festival shows off the historic center of Naples.  It also helps that this area of the Gulf Coast, especially the Ten Thousand Islands, is one of Florida’s prime stone crab harvesting regions. Most of the events are hosted at waterfront businesses. Free water taxis will transport you to all waterfront locations participating in the festival. Tin City, Downtown Naples.

Related story: Discover Hidden Beach at Clam Pass

2022 plans unknown. Mims Mullet Festival, Mims. Fried and smoked mullet (and other southern dishes), music, crafts, kids events, car show. 5k race and golf tournament at Indian River Preserve Golf Club. Raffle for Predator MX Kayak. Sponsored by Mims United Methodist Church. Festival at 3302 Green St, Mims. 10 am-4 pm

November 2022 Seafood Festivals in Florida

Nov 4-6, 2022. Fort Pierce/Treasure Coast Seafood & Music Festival, In addition to seafood, nautical vendors will offer merchandise and services, artists and craftsmen will display and sell original works, live music both days, kids rides and kid’s zone  Sat-Sun, 9 am-5 pm. Admission $10. Causeway Cove Marina, 601 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce.

Nov. 4-5, 2022 Florida Seafood Festival. One of Florida’s major seafood events in one of Florida’s most historic fishing villages.  Seafood, oyster eating and oyster shucking contests, blue crab races, parade, 5k Redfish Run, Blessing of the Fleet, musical entertainment. Battery Park, Apalachicola.

Nov. 5, 2022. Stone Crab Jam. Historic Downtown Crystal River is closed off for this festival. Features fresh stone crabs, cold beer and wine, 6 live Bands on three stages, craft vendors, artists and food trucks along the historic downtown streets of Crystal River. Nearly 10 thousand attendees support this 100% non-profit event presented by the Kings Bay Rotary Club Charitable Foundation. General admission: $10 (12 and under free). 560 North Citrus Ave., Crystal River, FL.

Related article: Florida Seafood Festival, Apalachicola

Nov 10-12, 2022. Sponge Docks Seafood Festival. Tons of local seafood, arts and crafts, live music all weekend. Free admission. Friday, Noon to 9 pm; Saturday, 10 am-10 pm; Sunday, 10 am-5 pm. Sponge Docks, Tarpon Springs.

Nov. 12-13, 2022. Homosassa Seafood Fest. Stone crab, grouper, shrimp, gumbos, chowders, lobster rolls, seafood platters. Civic Club Festival Grounds, 5530 South Mason Creek Road, 9 am-5 pm. Homosassa.

Nov. 15-16, 2022. Ormond Beach Riverfest Seafood Festival. Fried shrimp to fresh fish tacos, poke bowls to authentic Philly cheesesteaks. Held along Ormond’s riverfront, the event features activities, a popular kids fishing clinic, chef demonstrations, a kids’ zone, vendors and . Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm and Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm. Rockefeller Gardens and Fortunato Park, Granada Blvd. at the Intracoastal bridge, Ormond Beach.

Nov. 19-20, 2022. Yankeetown Arts, Crafts and Seafood Festival – If you’re looking for “Old Florida,” this could be your destination on the banks of the Lower Withlacoochee River, just three miles from the Gulf. The festival, which usually takes place on the weekend before Thanksgiving, features locally caught Gulf seafood, entertainment, arts and crafts. Free admission and free parking. Riverside Drive on the banks of the Lower Withlacoochee, Yankeetown.

December 2022 Seafood Festivals

Dec. 2-4, 2022. Siesta Beach Seafood and Music Festival, Siesta Beach. Fresh seafood creations sourced in the Gulf of Mexico. Musical performances by local and regional musicians in a diversity of genres from R&B, blues, jazz, rock and Caribbean sounds. Arts and crafts. Friday 12 noon-9 pm; Saturday, 11 am-9 pm; and Sunday, 11am-6pm. Admission, $5. 948 Beach Road, Siesta Beach, FL

Dec. 16-18, 2022. Brandenton Riverwalk Seafood & Music Festival. Admission free. Friday, 4–10 pm, Saturday, 11 am-10 pm; Sunday, 11 am-6 pm. Rossi Park, 452 3rd Ave W, Bradenton.

January 2023 Seafood Festivals

Jan 6-8, 2023. Fort Myers Seafood Festival. (Not to be confused with the Shrimp Festival in March) First weekend in January in the River District Seafood dishes are prepared using fresh, local and sustainable resources from Florida’s Gulf Coast waters. Beer, wine and mixed drinks available, and a variety of musical entertainment all weekend features rock, blues, country rock, jazz, Caribbean and tribute bands. Friday, 4-10 pm; Saturday, 11 am-10 pm; Sunday, 11 am-6 pm. Admission is free. River District, 1400 Hendry St., Fort Myers, FL 33902.

Jan 14-15, 2023. Islamorada Seafood Festival and Art Show, Hosted by Islamorada Moose Lodge & Morada Way Arts & Cultural District. 11 am-5 pm. Admission: $5 donation requested. Benefit Moose Charities. 8173 Old Highway, Islamorada.

January 19-22, 2023. Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival, 23 South Orange St, Fellsmere. Frog leg and gator tail dinners. Hundreds of booths for unique gifts. Hear some great music and enjoy fun rides. Free parking and shuttle from Mesa Motocross Park, 100 Mesa Park Blvd. Hours: Thursday and Friday, 4 pm-11 pm; Saturday, 10 am-11 pm; Sunday, 11 am-6 pm. Covid protocols in place.

Jan. 20-22, 2023. 3rd Annual Englewood Seafood & Music Festival.  Diverse menu of seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes cooked fresh by local restaurants and food purveyors. Seafood dishes are prepared using fresh local and sustainable ocean resources from the Florida Gulf Coast. Friday, 4pm – 10pm; Saturday, 11am – 10pm; Sunday 11am – 6pm. Free admission. Dearborn Street Plaza, Englewood, FL

Jan 27-29, 2023. Sarasota Seafood & Music Festival. Downtown Sarasota at JD Hamel Park. Local restaurants serving grouper, mahi-mahi, stone crabs, oysters, shrimp, soft-shell crabs and more.  Alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. Musical entertainment features R&B, rock, soul, jazz and Caribbean. Admission FREE. Friday, 4-10 pm; Saturday, 11 am-10 pm; Sunday, 11 am-6 pm.

Jan. 27-29, 2023. St. Petersburg Seafood and Music Festival. Seafood offerings celebrate Florida and Gulf waters. Friday, 4-10 pm: Kara Nally Band (blues, rock), Albert Castiglia (blues), Pat Travers.  Saturday, 11 am-10 pm: Joshua Scott Jones, Selwyn Birchwood (swamp blues), Black Honkeys, ARS, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Sunday, 11 am-6 pm: Hummingbirds, Sean Chambers (blues, rock), Ronnie Dee & The Superstars (funk, soul, rock n’ roll). General admission is FREE. Williams Park, 350 2nd Ave. North, St. Petersburg.

2023 Dates tba Riverwalk Stone Crab & Seafood Festival, Fort Lauderdale. Seafood and beer garden. Feature some of Fort Lauderdale’s favorite seafood restaurants, including Kelly’s Landing, Finster Murphy’s, The Downtowner, Southport Raw Bar, Fry Head Miami, Popo’s and Tarpon River Cafe. Admission is FREE. 11 am to 5 pm. Esplanade Park, Downtown Fort Lauderdale. 

2023 Dates not set. Apalachicola Oyster Cook Off, Apalachicola. Held every year on the Friday and Saturday before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Historic Apalachicola at Riverfront Park. Silent auction, oysters galore, shrimp, smoked mullet, hot dogs, hamburgers, local beer, live music, kids’ activities, dancing performances and a 5K run! Benefits the Apalachicola Volunteer Fire Department. Friday: Art Auction Preview and Oyster Tasting 6-8pm, at the Apalachicola Center for History, Culture and Arts at 86 Water Street. Live Music throughout Downtown beginning at 8 pm. Saturday, 12-5 p.m. Half-Shell Hustle 5K Run 8am. Cook-off 12-5pm (no gate entrance fee). Art Auction continues, food and refreshments available for purchase throughout the day. Dance Class Performance 1 pm (you don’t want to miss the Fireman dance!) Live Band starts 2pm

Jan. 28-29, 2023. Port St. Lucie Seafood Festival (formerly the Port Salerno Seafood Festival). “The Fish is Fresh, the Beer is Cold, and the Smiles are Always Warm.” Live Music, Arts & Crafts Vendors, a Kid’s Fun Zone, Mermaids, Pirates. Admission: $7 ($10 for both days). 11 am-7 pm. Free on-site parking. Mid-Florida Events Center, 9221 SE Event Center Pl. Port St. Lucie, FL. (Note: The festival was getting too big so organizers moved it out of Port Salerno to a larger venue, the Mid-Florida Events Center, where there is plenty of free parking.)

Future of festival unknown Southwest Florida ClamJam. Chowders, fresh local clams, lobster, crab, fish, shrimp, gator, conch and food for land lubbers. Entertainment, arts and crafts. Chowder cook-off, cooking demos. Daily admission, $10. Saturday, 10 am-7 pm; Sunday, 10 am-5 pm. New location to be announced.

February 2023 Seafood Festivals in Florida

Feb. 3-5, 2023. Naples Seafood Festival. Festivities begin Friday evening from 4pm-10pm and continue Saturday 11am-10pm and Sunday 11am-6pm. Free admission. Italian American Club,  7035 Airport-Pulling Rd, Naples, FL 34109.

Feb. 11, 2023. (Unconfirmed) Panacea Oyster Festival. Showcasing local farm-raised oysters! Featuring live music, oysters, beer and more. 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Woolley Park in Panacea. 2023 plans are unknown at this time. Last year, the Oyster Festival and Craft Beer Festival were combined and held in March.

Feb. 10-12, 2023. Boca Raton Seafood Festival. Seafood from Florida coastal waters, music and a small marketplace of arts and crafts. Festivities begin Friday evening 4pm-10pm and continue Saturday 11am-10pm and Sunda y 11am-6pm. 2023 admission is $15 on Friday, $15 on Saturday, and $7 on Sunday. Children age 14 and younger are FREE.  Mizner Park, Boca Raton.

Feb. 17-19, 2023. Everglades City Seafood Festival, Copeland Avenue in front of City Hall, Everglades City. Fresh seafood, country music, arts and crafts, midway. Music headliners are Ryan Bingham, Ira Dean, Hank Williams IV, Wes Shipp, Whey Jennings, Champ Jaxon. (Music schedule.) Admission is free with limited free parking. Charities offering paid parking. Sponsored by the Florida Stone Crabbers Association. No pets, no coolers and beer is cash only. Read more: Everglades City Seafood Festival

Feb. 17-19, 2023. Port Charlotte Seafood Festival. Inaugural festival. Live music. Arts and crafts. Festivities start Friday evening from 4pm-10pm and continue through the weekend with music, food, art and crafts on Saturday 11am-10pm and Sunday 11am-6pm. Charlotte County Fairgrounds, 2333 El Jobean Rd, Port Charlotte, FL 33948.

Feb 18-19, 2023. Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival. Admission: $5.  Every year there is a something new at the Festival. Boy Scouts will offer on-site parking at the FISH Preserve, one block east of the village, off Cortez Road, for a $5 donation.​ Remote Park and Ride available with $3 round trip on MCAT shuttle bus to Cortez from G.T. Bray Park (5502 33rd Ave Dr West, Bradenton) 34209 — turn east off 59th St onto 33rd Ave Drive) and Saturday only from the Cortez Baptist Church, 4411 100th St W. on Cortez Road.

Feb. 24-25, 2023. Bonita Springs Seafood and Music Festival. Food vendors and musical entertainment. Admission free. Friday 4pm-10pm, Saturday 11am-10pm and Sunday 11am-6pm. Downtown Bonita Springs on Bonita Beach Road.

Dates tba. Sandestin Gumbo Festival and Seafood Boil, Baytowne Wharf, 9100 Baytowne Avenue. Kick off the weekend Friday with a delicious Seafood Boil at Hammerhead’s Bar & Grill. On Saturday, sample a variety of gumbo and vote for your favorite. Live music from Dikki Du and the Zydeco Krewe, family activities & the best gumbo cook-off on the Gulf Coast.

Dates tba. Jupiter Seafood Festival, Fresh seafood, live entertainment, nautical vendors, rides, $1,000 Corn Hole Tournament. Benefit Rivers Coalition. Admission $10. (VIP Tickets $50, includes open bar.) Carlin Park.

March 2023 Seafood Festivals

Florida’s spiny lobster season ends on March 31. Stone crab season ends on May 1.

March 3-5, 2023. Sun West Crab and Shrimp Festival. Seafood vendors, food trucks, carnival rides, entertainment. Beer. Admission $10-$15. Free parking. Fri 5pm-11pm, Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-4pm. SunWest Park, 17362 Old Dixie Highway, Hudson, FL.

March 4-5, 2023. Grant Seafood Festival, Grant-Sebastian. Community volunteers dish out the seafood at this entertaining festival in Grant’s community park. Craft beers and old standbys available. Saturday, 9 am- 7 pm; Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm on Sunday. Admission is free and there is plenty of free parking. Follow the signs from U.S. 1.

Read more: Annual Grant Seafood Festival

Dates tba. Homestead Stone Crab and Seafood Festival. Fresh stone crabs, seafood, unique arts, crafts and music, a full bar and kid’s play area. Bring lawn chairs. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Homestead Charitable Foundation. Admission $10. Saturday, 11 am to 8 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm. Homestead Sports Complex, 1601 SE 28th Ave., Homestead (near Homestead-Miami Speedway).

March 11-12, 2023. Marathon Seafood Festival, Marathon, Florida Keys. The Marathon Seafood Festival calls itself the “Original” Marathon Seafood Festival to emphasize it’s the real deal – indigenous and authentic, serving fresh-caught seafood from the Florida Keys. The most popular item is a Florida lobster dinner. More than 2,000 pounds of local spiny lobster are expected to be served. Also stone crab, ceviche, mahi-mahi, oysters, shrimp, conchworst, lobster bisque, crab cakes, cuban croquettas, hamburgers, hot dogs, and sausages. Saturday, 10 am to 9 p.; Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm Read more.

March 11-12, 2023. Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival. Dozens of commercial shrimp boats sail out of Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach, so this is an especially community-oriented celebration of the “pink gold” harvested from Gulf Waters and the Tortugas. Sponsored by the Fort Myers Beach Lions Club. Proceeds benefit the local community. Lynn Halls Park, 950 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach. Read more.

March 25-26, 2023.St. Augustine Lions Spring Festival, The St. Augustine Lions Club seafood festival has changed its name in 2022 to the Lions Spring Festival after cancelling it in 2021 due to COVID. Hosted by St. Augustine Lions Club. Saturday, 10 am-10 pm; Sunday, 10 am-6 pm. Francis Field, 25 West Castillo Drive, downtown St. Augustine. Read more

March 25-26, 2023. Gainesville Seafood Festival. Admission: $5-$10. Alachua County Fairgrounds, 3416 NE 39th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32609

Dates tba. Sebastian ShrimpFest & Craft Brew Hullabaloo, Free entry, parking, live music, arts and crafts, kids’ activities. Pair your shrimp with the newest beers created by craft brewers at the Craft Beer Hullabaloo. 26 Florida craft breweries will be represented. Sponsored by Rotary of Sebastian and the City of Sebastian to benefit youth sports. Fri., 2-8 pm; Sat., 10 am-8 pm; Sun., 10 am-5 pm. Admission is free. Parking is free. Craft brew tastings: $35 in advance; $40 at event. Riverview Park, Sebastian

Dates tba. ShrimpaPalooza, Homosassa. Parade starts at 10 a.m. Live music featuring Cajun Dave, Dave Shepard and the Strutt Dance Band, great food all day. Hosted by The Rotary Club. Homosassa Civic Club, 5530 S Mason Creek Rd, Homosassa Springs. 9 am-6 pm.

Dates tba. Brandon Seafood Festival — All-You-Can-Eat southern fried fish, boiled shrimp, hush puppies and coleslaw – all day long for the price of admission. (Hot dogs & hamburgers for the kids) Fundraiser for Rotary Club of Brandon ’86. Admission: $30, includes beer tent (Under 12, free). 11 am-3 pm. Rotary’s Camp Florida, 1915 Camp Florida Rd., Brandon.

Dates tba. Longwood Pirate Seafood Festival. Variety of food vendors, pirates and mermaids. Dress like a pirate, wear a mask! Due to social distancing standards, no kid zone or pirate ship this year. Admission is free. Free parking at Orlando Health South Seminole Hospital. Sat 10 am-6 pm, Sun 10 am-5 pm. Reiter Park, 311 W Warren Ave, Longwood.

Dates tba. Dunedin Seafood Festival. Live music from 12 noon-10 pm. Olde Bay Cafe. Edgewater Park, 51 Main St, Dunedin.

April 2023 Seafood Festivals in Florida

April 1-2, 2023 (Est) Florida Keys Seafood Festival, Key West. Fresh seafood caught locally, prepared and served by local fishermen and women. Fried fish baskets, Spiny Lobster platters, sampler platters with fish, stone crab, conch fritter, conch ceviche, Key West pink shrimp. Stone Crab Claws with key lime mustard sauce, smoked fish dip, Bahamian-style conch chowder. Sponsored by the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association. Truman Waterfront Park, [100 – 1199] Southard St, Key West, FL 33040

April 21-23, 2023 (Unconfirmed) Pompano Beach Seafood Festival. One of the most popular seafood festivals in the state, the Pompano Festival adapted to the times in 2020 and held a virtual event online. Hopefully, they will return in 2021 with continuous entertainment all weekend. It is unknown if they will return to the beach in 2021 or continue the event at the Community Park and Amphitheater.

Dates tba Dania Beach Arts & Seafood Celebration, featuring live music, live performance art, a juried fine art vendors and crafters showcase, family activities, and seafood galore. Frost Park, 300 NE 2nd Street, Dania Beach.

Dates tba. Deering Seafood Festival, Miami. 10 am – 6 pm. Admission: $20 in advance, $25 day of event. (Children 4-14: $7 advance, $10 gate) Admission includes entry to the Estate grounds, free activities in the Li’l Shrimp Kids Zone, science activities in the Deering Discovery Cove, and entertainment. Consistently a sold-out event, the festival was named “Best Event of the Year” for the past two years by the Greater Miami Festival and Events Association.

Dates tba. Tampa Bay Seafood & Music Festival. Admission free. Friday, 4:00 pm– 10:00 pm; Saturday, 11:00 am– 10:00 pm; Sunday, 11:00 am– 6:00 pm. Curtis-Hixon Waterfront Park, 600 N Ashley Dr, Tampa, FL 33602.

Dates tba. Fort Pierce Oyster Festival. Festival celebrates the Fort Pierce waterfront with wide selection of oyster dishes, seafood dishes, live entertainment, arts and crafts. Admission is free. Free parking at the City Parking Garage. Saturday, 10 am-6pm; Sunday, 10 am-4 pm. Veterans Memorial Park & River Walk Center, 600 N. Indian River Dr., Ft. Pierce.

Vero Beach Seafood Festival, Variety of seafood and a conch chowder contest (Saturday). Entertainment, arts and crafts, nautical flea market, kids zone and craft beer garden. Bring your own lawn chairs; no coolers. Indian River Fairgrounds, 7955 58th Ave, Vero Beach, FL.

Dates tba. Pensacola Crawfish Festival, Cajun fare features include: boudin, jambalaya, etouffee, fresh and fried seafood, gumbo, and more. Friday: 11AM-11PM, Saturday: 10AM-11PM, Sunday: 11AM-5PM. Admission: $5 per day; kids 6-12, $2; 5 and under free. Seville Square and Fountain Park.

May 2023 Seafood Festivals

May 5-7, 2023. Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, Fernandina Beach. One of Florida’s most productive shrimp regions. Enjoy fresh shrimp and seafood throughout the festival site on Front Street near the docks at Fernando Harbor Marina. 102 Centre Street, Fernandina Beach. Festival weekend kicks off Friday night with the annual Fernandina Beach Pirate Parade.

May 20, 2023. Orlando Festival of the Sea. Admission $5-$10. Festival Park, 2911 E Robinson St, Orlando, FL 32803

May 26, 27, 28, 2023 (Memorial Day Weekend). Palatka Blue Crab Festival is back! This year’s comeback event features 34 musical acts on three stages. Headliners include R&B singer Ginuwine, Country music band Little Texas, reggae icons The Original Wailers and many more. Admission and parking are free. Downtown Palatka.

Dates tba. Punta Gorda Crab and Music Festival. Inaugural event. Admission free. Pets are allowed. There is limited on the event-site parking for $15. Laishley Park, 120 Laishley Court, Punta Gorda.

Dates tba. Sarasota Seafood and Music Festival. Free admission. Friday 4pm – 10pm; Saturday 11am – 10pm; Sunday 11am – 6pm. JD Hamel Park.

June/July 2023 Seafood Festival in Florida

Date tba. Aloha Polynesian Culture & Seafood Festival. Polynesian Culture, Live Entertainment, Music For All, Food Vendors, Arts & Crafts, Kids Area. Saturday, 11-7 pm; Sunday, 12-6 pm. General Admission $10, children under 12 free. Jaco Pastorius Park, 4000 N Dixie Hwy, Oakland Park, FL.

August 2023 Seafood Festivals

(Thursday event) New Smyrna Beach Shrimp & Seafood Festival. Thursday, 5-9 pm. Flagler Avenue will be closed to vehicle traffic. Local restaurants serve up sample-sized seafood dishes priced between $3 and $5. Local artists, musicians, and other activities.

Key West Lobsterfest, Lobster boil (Thursday) Reef’n Ritas , Duval Crawl (Friday night), Street Fair (Saturday, 9 am-11 pm) Free Concert (Saturday, 1-11:30 pm) 218 Whitehead Street, Key West.

Summer Rum and Seafood Festival, Tampa. Try different rums and rum cocktails from multiple distilleries. Each distillery will have their own rum bar with their own specialty cocktails.
Plus crab legs, fish tacos, lobster rolls and more from local restaurants and food trucks. Live music. Admission $10. Food and drinks extra. Tampa Premium Outlets, 2398 Grand Cypress Drive, Lutz, FL

More Festival Calendars on Florida Rambler

• Top 75 Florida events, fairs & festivals
• Oktoberfests Calendar

Sources: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs; Florida State Parks; festival sponsors and organizers. Many readers have contributed to this calendar, as well.

A note from the editor:

The information in this article was accurate when published but may change without notice. Confirm details when planning your trip.

This page may include affiliate links from which we may earn a modest commission if a purchase is made. More often, we include free courtesy links to small businesses, such as kayak outfitters, from whom we receive no compensation.

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Bob Rountree is a beach bum, angler and camper who has explored Florida for decades. No adventure is complete without a scenic paddle trail or unpaved road to nowhere. Bob co-founded FloridaRambler.com with fellow journalist Bonnie Gross 12 years ago.