Blue Crab Festival 2024

The Blue Crab Festival, held on Memorial Day weekend along the riverfront in Palatka, Florida, honors and remembers the members of the U.S. military who died while serving our country. This year's Blue Crab Festival will be held from Friday, May 24, through Sunday, May 26, 2024, and will feature carnival rides, a seafood cook-off, live music, arts and crafts, and a petting zoo.

Festival Highlights

The Festival kicks off on Friday, May 24 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and features great bands along with excellent food and good times, and will continue from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, and from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 26.

Seafood: The star of the menu is, of course, the blue crab. Harvested from both Florida coasts, the blue crab can be prepared in multiple ways, from simply boiled and served with butter, added to gumbo, or marinated in a salad. Visitors can enjoy lots of delicious and fresh seafood at this event, including shrimp, crabs (including blue crab), and scallops. Food is served throughout the weekend.

For the kids: Carnival rides, a petting zoo, a kid's zone, and waterslides. There will be pony rides and reptile encounters all day Saturday and Sunday, and a foam party for kids.

Arts and crafts vendors will be on-site at the Blue Crab Festival as well. Visitors can browse through the works of artisans from St. Augustine and throughout Northeast Florida.

Live music at the Blue Crab Festival includes hip-hop sensation Trick Daddy, who has been nominated for two Grammys and is known for his hit single, "Let's Go." Country singer, Mark Wills, will also be making an appearance.

Other performances at the Blue Crab Festival include:

• Saturday, 11:00 a.m. — Vange Durst Band
• Saturday, 2:15 p.m. — The Groove Coalition
• Saturday, 6:30 p.m. — Ramona + The Riot
• Saturday, 7:45 p.m. — DJ Naturals Dance Party
• Sunday, 12:30 p.m. — Gatorland Water Ski Team
• Sunday, 3:45 p.m. — Bad Dog Mama
• Sunday, 8:15 p.m. — 106 and Party DJ Q45 and 95 South and the 69 Band

Admission and Parking: FREE

When: Memorial Day Weekend, Friday to Sunday, May 24 - 26, 2024. The Festival kicks off on Friday, May 24 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and will continue from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, and from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 26.

Where: The festival is held in downtown Palatka, at 210 St. Johns Ave. Palatka, Florida 32177.

For more information on this event please visit here, or call (386) 329-0100.