John's Pass Seafood Festival

In an annual ranking determined by an online poll of thousands of locals and visitors, Visit St. Pete Clearwater has announced the John-s Pass Seafood Festival as the #1 festival in Pinellas County! One of the longest running seafood festivals in the United States is now gearing up for their 35th annual event to take place October 27-30, 2016. New this year, the event will offer a beach kids zone, extended hours and more remote parking options than ever before. The 3? day outdoor festival features continuous musical entertainment, competitive challenges, an art and craft show, and more local seafood vendors than ever before. The first grouper sandwiches (and over 100 other seafood options) will be served, beginning at 12:00pm Thursday this year, with classic rock on the main stage and Local Chef Competitions for the best seafood dishes in Pinellas County. Friday evening, things heat up with Tampa Bay-s largest Halloween block party and costume contest (for those over 21), from 7:00pm until 11:00pm, with over $1000 in cash and prizes. Saturday offers country music artists, the Battle in the Gulf Fishing Tournament, and a kid-s costume contest. Sunday opens with the World's Largest Bloody Mary Toast and beach party music on tap all day long. Ongoing family fun throughout the weekend will include fiddler crab races, trick or treating, an art & craft show, a beach kid-s zone and more seafood cuisine than ever before. Healthy menu options will consist of steamed, grilled, smoked, and sautéed dishes, as well as traditional fried foods and non-seafood items for the landlubbers. Extended hours of operation for this year-s festival are Thursday 10/27 from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM, Friday 10/28 from 10:00 AM ? 11:00 PM, Saturday 10/29 from 10:00 AM ? 11:00 PM and Sunday from 10:00 AM ? 8:00 PM. Five-dollar festival parking is available in both Madeira Beach and Treasure Island this year, with complimentary shuttle service to and from John-s Pass Village. Parking locations include Madeira Beach Fundamental School ? 591 Tom Stuart Causeway, Gators Café & Saloon (best bus parking) ? 12754 Kingfish Dr., and the Treasure Island Recreation Center ? 10315 Paradise Blvd. Parking proceeds benefit local non-profit organizations, including but not limited to, Madeira Beach Fundamental School, Pinellas Culinary Art Programs and other local charities. Limited parking may be available within John-s Pass Village with prices in the $10-$15 range. The John's Pass Seafood Festival, founded by the John-s Pass Village Association in 1980, celebrates the abundance of fish in John-s Pass, the "Grouper Capital of the World?. Since its inception 34 years ago, the festival has lured hundreds of thousands of visitors and continues to be a popular favorite with visitors and locals alike. The event is held annually on the last FULL weekend in October at the Historic John-s Pass Village & Boardwalk (12902 Village Blvd.) located in tropical Madeira Beach, FL. Admission to the event is complimentary. For general information visit www.JohnsPassSeafoodFestival.com, http://www.Facebook.com/JohnsPassSeafoodFestival/or call 727-322-5217.