Destin Seafood Festival
Destin, FL -Just as it did in its first year - 1979 - community involvement makes the Destin Seafood Festival the great success it is.
For its 30th anniversary, the Destin Seafood Festival is returning to the spot of its origin, the Destin harbor! On Oct. 3-5, 2008, more than 25,000 visitors and locals will pack HarborWalk Village alongside Destin's docks to enjoy fresh local seafood, live entertainment, arts and crafts booths, children’s activities, and more.
In 1979, the first festival was a 1-day event produced by a small group of local women for the benefit of the small village's fishing industry. "The whole town turned out and had fun and helped," said Fran Beaird, one of the first festival's organizers. She and about seven other members of the Charter Boat Association Auxiliary, including Nancy Cheney, organized a festival on the first Saturday of October that year. "Our husbands were in the business (fishing), and we wanted to encourage more people to visit the docks, take in the Fishing Rodeo, and become interested in fishing. Everything we (the Auxiliary) did was geared to the fishing industry," stated Cheney.
The first festival took place on what was then called "Kelly Hill," where The Lucky Snapper is now located. Mattie Kelly donated the use of this area in which they had about 50 arts & crafts booths, a few food booths, and some activities for kids. They had a flatbed for a stage, where locals provided free entertainment.
The festival was turned over to the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce after the Ladies Auxiliary completed its second year, realizing that it was going to outgrow its small group of organizers.
In addition to live entertainment
and local seafood, attendees may enjoy the arts & crafts area, the kids’ play zone, Live Bait
for Life’s cast net contest, and more. The festival will be held
at the Destin Harbor. More than 25,000
locals and visitors attended the 2007 event. 
For the most recent info on this event and others,
check our Destin Special Event Calendar.
