Found along Florida’s Forgotten Coast, Apalachicola is nothing to forget about! With miles of untouched, pristine beaches and plenty of forests to explore, there’s so much to discover. Throw in some of the best oysters and seafood in the country and your visit will be even more memorable.
Experience what the Forgotten Coast is all about with the Florida Seafood Festival! Held annually in Apalachicola, this Festival gives you an authentic taste with a mélange of seafood, history and charm. This year’s Festival will take place Friday, October 31 through Saturday, November 1.
Kick off the Festival on Friday at the blessing of the fleet. Considered one of the most colorful events during the Festival, it happens at Battery Park on Friday afternoon at 4 P.M. King Retsyo and Miss Florida Seafood will attend while several clergymen bless the parade of passing fishing, shrimping and oystering vessels. After the blessing, enjoy musical entertainment until 9 P.M.
It’s time to lace up your running shows and start your Saturday morning off with a race! Start the Redfish Run at the historic Gibson Inn at the foot of the John Gorrie Bridge. This 5,000-meter (3.1 mile) road race winds it way through the 165-year-old city on the banks of the Apalachicola River and Bay. Registration for the race begins at 7 A.M. and the event starts at 8 A.M.
Make sure you get a good spot to watch the festival parade! The parade takes place on Saturday, beginning at 10 A.M. Proceeding eastward down U.S. Highway 98 to the Apalachicola River, the parade features bands, floats and dignitaries from the region.
An event in which the judging takes longer than the actual event? That’s what you’ll witness during the Oyster Shucking Contest, but remember, it’s not the fastest shucker who always wins! Each contestant – gloved and knife wielding – stands over a tray filled with 18 of the world famous Apalachicola Bay Oysters. After all contestants have finished the shucking, the judges step in. If the judges find a mutilated Apalachicola Bay oyster, you’re done! Anything like a loose shell or nick leads to a penalty time added to your score. Along with the prize, the Florida Seafood Festival champion goes on to compete in the National Oyster Shucking Championships! The contest begins at 1 P.M.
If shucking isn’t your thing, maybe oyster eating is! Watch as men and women compete in the Oyster Eating Contest. The object of the competition is to see how many oysters the contestants can consume within 15 minutes. The oysters are shucked in advanced, counted and placed in paper cups – all the contestants have to do is eat them. The only rule? The oysters must stay down, but for some, this rule can be difficult to follow! Fun Fact: Some of the more competitive eaters will consume anywhere from 250 to 300 oysters during the competition!
Saturday will feature musical entertainment throughout the afternoon including performances by Daryle Singletary at 4 P.M. and Little Texas at 8 P.M. For children under the age of 12, there are hourly crab races!
For more information, call (888) 653-8011 or visit www.floridaseafoodfestival.com.
