Florida Seafood Festival 2024

Each year in early November, Battery Park in the historic city of Apalachicola hosts an unforgettable Florida Seafood Festival. This long-running seafood event has all a foodie can dream of: a thunderous parade, a vibrant carnival, an oyster eating contest, a country music concert, arts and crafts booths, and, of course, a world of fresh, locally harvested seafood.

Parade

The Florida Seafood Festival Parade usually takes place at 10 am on Saturday. The route lies along U.S. Highway 98 to the Apalachicola River. The popular family-friendly event with music bands, colorful floats, and groups from throughout the region is a great way to get to know historic Apalachicola.

Musical Entertainment

The festival stage hosts many musical acts over two days. Live concerts start around noon on Friday and last till late at night. Live music continues on Saturday. The highlight of the festival is a concert headlined by a country music star, performing at 8:30 pm on Saturday.

Competitions

Other festival highlights include Oyster Eating and Oyster Shucking contests, a 5 K Run, Blue Crab Races, a photo contest, and more. During the oyster eating contest, for instance, you can observe how many oysters can be consumed during a 15-minute span and how Redfish runners make their way through the streets of the charming 165-year-old city.

Blessing of the Fleet

The Blessing of the Fleet is one of the most lively traditions at the Florida Seafood Festival. On Friday afternoon, crowds gather at Battery Park to witness the ceremony. Clergy members, alongside King Retsyo and Miss Florida Seafood, offer blessings to the passing boats—fishing, shrimping, and oystering vessels—along with the recreational boats from across the nation that fill the marina.

Arts and Crafts Exhibits

Arts and crafts booths occupy the largest portion of the festival grounds in Battery Park. The region's most talented artists and craftsmanas showcase their unique wares in the booths lining the park alleys. In recent years, the festival has hosted up to 100 exhibitors, with everything having to be handmade in some way.

Thousands of visitors swarm into the Florida Seafood Festival not only to experience the best seafood ever but to learn something about the unique ecosystem, to observe local wildlife a bit closer and, of course, to have fun.