The 35th Annual John’s Pass Seafood Festival is announcing the 3rd Annual Chef Showdown.We all know St. Petersburg has the best seafood restaurants. But this is a chance for local restaurants to prove they’re the best and be named “Best Seafood in the County.” Local chefs will do battle head to head in an effort to showcase their talent and their restaurant. The Chef Showdown is open to all restaurants offering a seafood item on their menu. The All-Star panel of judges will award prizes for “Best Seafood”.
The Chef Showdown is the Kick-Off event to the John’s Pass Seafood Festival, Thursday, October 27th at the Main Stage Area.
Spots are limited to 12 participants and you don’t want to be left standing on the dock! The entry fee is $100 and must be submitted by September 26th.. Every Chef Showdown participant will be featured on our website and in our VIP advertising.
Proceeds from this event benefit the Pinellas County Schools, as well as a non-profit merchant’s organization that advocates and supports small businesses and the Fishermen Lost at Sea memorial in John’s Pass Village.
Festival Chairperson, Sonny Flynn, started this competition two years ago.
“The John’s Pass Seafood Festival is celebration of our local seafood and culture. We want to showcase the fabulous culinary talent we have right in our backyard. We believe our Chef Showdown is fun way for our local chefs to demonstrate their talent and show festival goers how much work goes into creating a delicious seafood dish.” Flynn said.
For 35 years, the John’s Pass Seafood festival has featured non-stop musical performances from some of the best bands, hundreds of craft vendors, hundreds of local businesses, amazing seafood and has always been FREE to the public.
This year the festival has expanded to four days and includes a Halloween Block Party, featuring an Adult Costume Contest with $5,000 in cash and prizes on Friday, October 28th. The Battle of The Gulf Fishing Tournament on Saturday, October 29th will challenge anglers of all skill levels.On Sunday, October 30th at 12:30 we will attempt to break the official World Record Bloody Mary Toast with over a thousand participants raising their glasses.
The Festival is hosted by The John’s Pass Village Association and is always held on the last full weekend of October. This year the festival runs from October 27th through October 30th. Gates open at 10am and close at 11pm.
For parking and free shuttle service information please visit our website at www.johnspassseafoodfestival.