5 Best Seafood Festivals

If you are a seafood lover, set your sights on at least one of these top annual seafood festivals. No matter where you turn, you will find mouth-watering fresh seafood delicacies sure to tempt your taste buds and have you singing the praises of these local delicacies.

New Jersey Seafood Festival

At the New Jersey Seafood Festival in Belmar, over 40 restaurants display their finest seafood creations for visitors to sample. The event is fun for all ages, with pony rides for the little ones and wine tasting for the adults. The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel is located close to the festival, and ideal for an evening stroll on the nearby beach.

Maine Lobster Festival

The celebrated Maine Lobster is the star of this event, which focuses on family fun. Compete against fellow festival-goers in such contests as balancing on lobster traps over the water; or just enjoy the parade, carnival rides, food vendors, live music and lobster specialties. The festival is held at Rockland’s Harbor Park. Find a local B&B and explore the area, or stay in a hotel in Portland, which is about two hours from the event.

Texas Shrimporee

The Texas Shrimporee is an annual weekend-long festival in Aransas Pass. Enjoy a wide variety of shrimp delicacies, or just peel and eat your own. There are also carnival rides, live music, craft booths and beer sampling to enjoy. If you plan on spending a night or two in Aransas Pass, the Comfort Inn is a favorite stopover for festival attendees.

Crab Days Festival

It’s hard to be crabby at the Crab Days Festival in St. Michaels, Maryland. Hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, the event features educational demonstrations about the crab, and talks that focus on the history of the local crabbers. And, of course, a wide array of crab dishes to sample. The festival takes place each year in July or August. Rooms fill up quickly, so book early at the nearby St. Michael’s Harbour Inn Marina and Spa.

Port Clinton Walleye Festival

Ohio’s Port Clinton Walleye Festival takes place over the extended Memorial Day weekend along the Lake Erie waterfront. The five-day event features a large parade on Saturday and non-stop live entertainment, while chefs create dishes that feature walleye and perch from Lake Erie. The America Best Value Inn, close to Fisherman’s Wharf, is a favorite lodging choice for attendees.

Each one of these seafood festivals features the freshest regional seafood. Bring the whole family, and enjoy the rides, crafts, music and fun events together.

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This post was posted by TheHipmunk on Hipmunk’s Tailwind blog on 04/11/2015.