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Franklin County’s Coastal Harvest is Festival-Worthy!
Franklin County celebrates its maritime heritage and coastal bounty with several seafood celebrations throughout the year, including the state’s oldest seafood celebration – the Florida Seafood Festival.
The Florida Seafood Festival is a two-day event annually drawing tens of thousands of visitors to Apalachicola the first weekend in November. The festival is held at the mouth of the Apalachicola River under the shady oaks of Apalachicola’s Battery Park. The festival pays homage to Franklin County’s maritime history interwoven with the resources that abound in this fragile paradise.
The Florida Seafood Festival is considered the State’s oldest maritime festival with origins dating back to the early 1900s. It was the Apalachicola Mardi Gras celebration in the early 1900s that first introduced King Retsyo (Oyster spelled backward) as its reigning monarch. Retsyo was described as the guardian of inland waters, bays and estuaries and the opening ceremony of the early Mardi Gras celebrations saw King Retsyo and his court arriving by steamboat to open the ceremonies. Apalachicola’s Mardi Gras Festival continued until sometime around 1916.
Harbor Day, a celebration started in 1946 to promote development along the Apalachicola River, evolved into a celebration of the area’s maritime culture. By 1963, the event was referred to as the Apalachicola Seafood Festival and, by the 1970s, the celebration was renamed the Florida Seafood Festival.
Today, this iconic celebration draws locals and visitors alike to indulge in an array of freshly caught seafood, lively entertainment, and a vibrant atmosphere.
The festival features delicious seafood, arts and crafts exhibits, seafood related events, Musical Entertainment. Some of the notable events include Oyster Eating and Oyster Shucking contest, Blue Crab Races, Photo Contest, Parade, 5k Redfish Run, The Blessing of the Fleet, History of the Festival Exhibit and Tonging For Treasure.
The Florida Seafood Festival features much of you would expect for a small town festival. It also features events you will rarely see at any other festival.
Oyster Eating Contest
At most events the early bird gets the best seat. Not necessarily so at the Apalachicola - based Florida Seafood Festival oyster eating contest. Front row and center can sometimes be less than appealing. You see, the object of this contest is to see how many oysters can be consumed by contestants during a 15-minute span. This is not casual pick an oyster from the shell and put it on a cracker competition. The oysters are guzzled. The big, juicy, slightly salty oysters are shucked in advance, counted, and placed in paper cups. Combatants then shovel them down. The only rule is that they must stay down. Contestants have been known to disobey this prime directive. A dozen or more men and women usually compete in the Saturday mid-day event which draws thousands of cheering spectators. Some of the more competitive eaters consume more than 250 to 300 oysters during the competition.
Oyster Shucking Contest
Prior to the Florida Seafood Festival's oyster eating contest is its equally famous oyster shucking contest. Don't blink! This event happens so fast that the judging takes longer than the actual event. The fastest shucker isn't necessarily the champion. Each gloved, oyster knife wielding contestant stands poised over a tray filled with 18 of the World Famous Apalachicola Bay Oysters. Often within two minutes a pair of hands have flown into the air - signaling completion. Others continue to be timed. When all contestants have completed their chore the judges take over. Mutilate a succulent Apalachicola Bay oyster and get off stage - you're through for the day. Nick it, leave unsightly loose shell, or commit one of a dozen other dastardly deeds and penalty time is added to your score. In addition to prizes, the Florida Seafood Festival champion goes on to compete in the national oyster shucking championships.