ShrimpFest 2016 will soon join the well-established, well-loved January Fellsmere Frogleg Festival and November Sebastian Clambake Festival to create a North County food festival triumvirate. As part of the festivities, the ShrimpFest 2016 inaugural run will take place Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 27 and 28, on the grounds of Fellsmere’s Historic Public School, now its City Hall.
The idea originated with Sebastian Soccer Association board member Pat Riviezzo, who suggested it as a way to support youth soccer. The concept was developed through a unique partnership between the Exchange Club of Fellsmere, Florida Organic Aquaculture’s Florida Aquaculture Foundation and the Rotary Club of Sebastian, under whose non-profit Recreation Foundation the proceeds will be distributed this year.
As an annual event, ShrimpFest will raise funds for North County youth sports organizations. Major supporters include the City of Fellsmere, Florida Organic Aquaculture and Pareidolia Brewing Company.
ShrimpFest Committee Chairperson is Michelle Napier; other event organizers include Riviezzo, Marc Gingras and Donna Keys of the Sebastian Rotary Club, Joel Tyson of the Fellsmere Exchange Club and Richard O’Conner, who is in charge of the music arrangements. More than a year of planning has already taken place and last-minute details are being seen to in these final few weeks.
With shrimp front and center, the festival will offer something for everyone – foodies, families and children, music and festival lovers and, for that tiny bunch who aren’t seafood fans, some alternative food choices. As with the other festivals, ShrimpFest will offer free admission and parking, and $1 tickets will be sold to purchase food and beverages.
The family-friendly celebration of “All Things Shrimp” will feature live music throughout the weekend, local crafts and plenty of children’s games and activities. Festival T-shirts will be available, emblazoned with the newly created ShrimpFest logo.
A number of select Indian River County restaurants will prepare their most irresistible shrimp dishes, each and every one starring the succulent, locally born-and-raised shrimp from Florida Organic Aquaculture’s sustainable, land-based farm in Fellsmere. Restaurants will provide all the other ingredients and ShrimpFest volunteers will assist the restaurant teams throughout the weekend.
Attendees will be able to purchase a full meal or simply sample each offering and vote for their favorite from among the enticing dishes. Each seafood plate will include a wine or beer recommendation to best enhance the flavor of the dish. Other sampling opportunities will include creations by the area’s outstanding brewers. Craft beers will be featured on Saturday and home brews on Sunday.
“It’s a very exciting time for food frenzy festivals in the Sebastian River Area!” said Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Beth Mitchell, who loves the idea.
“The Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary in January; 25 years of a grass-roots effort by scores of volunteers to serve up frog legs and alligator to hungry crowds. Following that, in February, the inaugural ShrimpFest will surely delight the discerning shrimp lovers. With the growing interest in eating well and eating locally, these events will shine the spotlight on some of the best eating south of the Mason-Dixie line.”
Noting that the Grant Seafood Festival in neighboring Brevard County is celebrating 50 successful years, Mitchell said food festivals draw a variety of visitors who are “curious, adventurous and willing to give their taste buds a new challenge or satiate an old craving. These family events provide great food and great entertainment while raising significant dollars for community causes, all run and organized by a huge cache of dedicated volunteers.”
Event sponsorships are still available; contact Gingras at 772-321-3916 for details.