Carrabelle Riverfront Festival

The 28th Annual Carrabelle Riverfront Festival is a two-day street festival on Friday, April 27, 4-8 pm and Saturday, April 28, 10 am – 8 pm on Marine Street along the beautiful Carrabelle River. The fabulous down-home celebration features regional folk life, maritime activities and educational demonstrations, wonderful live entertainment and music, fun children’s activities, a vintage car show, unusual and colorful arts & craft vendors, local seafood, and traditional fair foods. Activities and entertainment like the Tate’s Hell and Back 5K Run/ Walk, a pet costume show, festive knee-slapping, boot-stomping music including the soulful blues sound of the band, “Big Daddy and Red Hot Java”, and amazing live entertainment like the one of a kind Fishy Fashion Show. This year the festival hours have been extended to last until later into Saturday evening. Admission to this family friendly and pet friendly event is FREE both days and open to the public.

Come experience the rich culture, natural resources and local history of the region on Avenue B, hosted by the Carrabelle History Museum.  The Avenue B Experience will feature educational activities, exciting interactive displays and installations, folk craft demonstrations, local and state resource experts, and the wonderful hands-on Sea Mobile with live sea critters galore. Bone up on your survival skills by learning to use a flint to start a fire.  Take a tour and learn to identify edible local plants and natural remedies. Discover the local history through the three history museums of Carrabelle.  Find out how Carrabelle was transformed into a training camp during WWII or what the keeper of a lighthouse recorded in his daily log.  Discover the booms and busts of Carrabelle’s history by stepping back to by-gone eras when local logging and lumber merchants, steamships, party boats and shrimping vessels lined the vast and deep Carrabelle River.   Hold a piece of 20,000 year old pottery at the Carrabelle History Museum.  All this and more can be found within the Avenue B experiences and are free and fun for all.

Next-up along Marine Street is the Pirates of the Carrabellean Academy on Avenue C.  Hosted by the Nest Program, this area is just for the kids.   Pirate Academy classes will be held throughout Saturday for young’uns looking to refine their high sea skills.  This pirate “boarding” school transforms young lads and lassies into well-mannered scalawags ready for adventures on the high seas. This free children’s activity will take them from landlubber to seadog before they can say “Yo Ho Ho”.  A special FREE children’s mini-train ride, a chance to purchase a wristband for all-day bouncy house fun, face painting artist vendors and this year’s newest craze, “Angry Birds” are among the adventures and discoveries awaiting kids on Avenue C.

The Carrabelle Riverfront Festival’s very own crazy Fishy Fashion Show will be making a splash in its 12^th year. Runway models, including the Red Tide She-Devil, the Good Friar/Fryer, Sea Vamp and Maritime Marshall, show off astonishing, nautical-themed outfits made from found and recycled materials like sea nets, old beach umbrellas, oyster sacks, sails, sponges, and washed up debris. And this year there will be several new divine characters making a miraculous appearance in Carrabelle. This signature event – part runway show, part comedy sketch – always delights audiences all of ages and will be making waves on Saturday at 2 pm at the main stage.  Limited seating is available, show up early.

As if the Fishy Fashion Show isn’t extaordinary enough, a variety of live entertainment including great music available throughout the Friday and Saturday at the 28th annual festival. A fabulous performance by the Tallahassee Community College Dancers, the legendary Procession of Tate’s Hell (costumed celebration of Cebe Tate and our native wildlife), and the always hilarious Pet Show sponsored by the Mystic Krewe of Salty Barkers are just a few of the choices. Be sure to bring your furry friend dressed up in his or her best duds. Our talented musical acts include the Naked Water Band (Cody Barber & Phillip Nelson), Low Country Boyle (Susan David & friends), Debi Jordan, Cypress Trio, Frank Lindamood, and Van Johnson. This year the phenomenal band, “Big Daddy & Red Hot Java” will be headlining on the main stage on Saturday from 6-8 pm. This band blends down home Chicago roots and with New Orleans rifts and highlights weaving of mix of blues, jazz and soul is a one-of-a-kind experience.

Take a trip down memory lane at the vintage car show hosted by the Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce and the Forgotten Coast Cruisers on Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. Luckily “memory lane” is just across the street from the festival at 206 Highway 98, next to the Carrabelle Library. If you have a vintage ride, come strut your stuff or just come gaze in awe at the pride and joys of auto enthusiasts from around our region. Prizes will be awarded for Top 20 People’s Choice, Best in Show, Sponsor’s Choice, Late Model, Best Paint, Best Import, Club Participation and more. A link to registration and details of the car show can be found at www.carrabelle.org in the Event Calendar under Things to Do.

Hardy souls will have a chance to make it to hell and back when the Tate’s Hell and Back 5K returns April 28 at 8 am. As the sun rises Saturday morning, participants will run or walk along River Road to the edge of Tate’s Hell State Forest and back. The reward for that brave? Cool medals, lots of race goodies, an awesome race t-shirt and door prizes. Runners can sign up ahead of time or on race day. Registration forms can be found “Things to Do” at www.carrabelle.org.  All proceeds benefit the Franklin County Senior Center in Carrabelle.

This year there are over 60 fabulous and unique arts and craft vendors who have joined the festival and more are still being added.  Gullet’s Cove food court will feature an array of local seafood and festival treats.  Grab a Morsel and sit a spell at the Carrabelle Wharf Pavilion hosted by the Senior Citizens.  It’s a great place to relax, enjoy a meal, and watch the boats cruise by at this home style open air dining next to the food court.

The Carrabelle Riverfront Festival is hosted by the City of Carrabelle.  Community partners including the Carrabelle History Museum, Carrabelle Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with local businesses, sponsors, state and national park and agency partners, non-profits, and community collaborators who make the Carrabelle Riverfront Festival an amazing event.
Get the latest details at https://www.facebook.com/events/506073493125698/ or  www.facebook.com/carrabelleriverfrontfestival. Or for more information, go to www.carrabelleriverfrontfestival.com or by email at carrabelleriverfront@gmail.com.