Mark your calendar now! October 22-25, John’s Pass Merchants host their 34th John’s Pass Seafood Festival. The premier and longest running seafood festival in Pinellas County is held annually at John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk, an historic fishing village. The village, located where John’s Pass opens up to the Gulf of Mexico, just north of Treasure Island, offers an idyllic setting to savor seafood, whether you like it steamed, sautéed, grilled, fried, peel-and-eat or as ceviche.
The Seafood Festival celebrates the abundant fish and seafood of John’s Pass and to honor the fishermen who work those waters. “This event is so much more than a festival to us – it is a tribute to the rich history of John’s Pass Village and the fishing community,” said Matt Powers, president of the Association. The Festival is not only a fun way to honor the fishing industry, it also benefits great causes too. The Association donates a portion of the proceeds from the weekend events to Pinellas County schools and other local charities.
This year’s Festival promises to be even more exciting, with the addition of new events. The weekend kicks off with a Seafood Showdown on Thursday, October, 22. Beginning at 7pm at the Mad Beach Brewing Company, the Showdown is a competition between up to 20 restaurants with a panel of local celebrity judges deciding who serves the Best Seafood in Pinellas County. Adult Halloween Costume Contest on Friday evening, October 23 is always popular. Hosted by Infinite Skillz, the winner will take home a grand prize of $1,000. Even if you don’t want to come in costume yourself, you won’t want to miss seeing those haunting the Pass that night.
Another new event this year is the Big Fish Celebrity Challenge. Local sports and public celebrities will be competing in contests including casting a fishing line, tossing a mackerel, and racing fiddler crabs. The competition starts at 2 pm on Saturday, October 24. The winning celebrity will receive a donation of $5,000 to their favorite charity. Come see which local celebrities have the courage to step up to the challenge for their favorite charity!
The final new event may be the biggest – Sunday brunch sponsored by Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, highlighted by The World’s Biggest Bloody Mary Toast. The Toast, sponsored by Tito’s Vodka, will take place at noon on the roof top of Bubba Gump’s. A great way to start a Sunday afternoon—sipping on a Bloody Mary, setting a world record, all while enjoying the gorgeous view of John’s Pass and the Gulf of Mexico.
Of course, the star of the Festival is the same as every year—Seafood! Beginning at noon on Friday, Oct. 23 and 10 am Saturday, Oct, 24, seafood restaurants, food trucks, and related vendors from all over Florida and the Southeast US will be selling their best seafood dishes through-out John’s Pass Village. The Festival concludes Sunday afternoon at 4pm with a competition among the vendors for the awards of “Best Grouper”, “Best Seafood Dish”.
There is plenty to do in addition to indulging in seafood delicacies. More than 100 arts and crafts vendors will be displaying and selling their wares. There will be a children’s area with activities available throughout Saturday and Sunday. In addition, the main stage will host live music all weekend. Saturday will feature country music bands and Sunday will feature rock-reggae, headlined by well-known local band Resinated.
For those who like to catch fish, the second annual Battle in the Gulf fishing tournament will kick-off Saturday morning at sunrise. Visit www.anglerarmory.com for more.Food, music, competitions, arts & crafts, Halloween costumes, fishing tournaments, and more, there is something for everyone at John’s Pass the weekend of October 22-25. Don’t miss it!
Written by Sonny Flynn