Laura Cavaganro stirs together a veggie mix at the St. Pete Beach Seafood and Music Festival on Sunday. The vegetables are used as a base for blackened fish, one of many seafood dishes served at the festival.St. Pete Beach Seafood and Music Festival made its debut on Corey Avenue in St. Pete Beach February 3 and 4. Fest-goers under ponchos and umbrellas stayed dry while purchasing plates of crawfish, fried and blackened fish, mixed drinks, beer and local goods. Music from The Black Honkeys, Act 3, Sarasota Steel Pan Band, RJ Howson and more provided entertainment.
According to event sponsor Ron Soto, forty to fifty thousand people attended the festival on Saturday, exceeding organizer’s expectations by about ten thousand guests. In an interview Sunday, Soto stressed the importance of the festival to the local economy.
“It’s not just about bringing this venue to St. Pete Beach. It’s about bringing commerce to the merchants here,” said Soto. “All of these merchants were jam-packed all weekend, and they’re thrilled about what’s happened. And they want it back next year.”
Soto says talks are already underway with the city of St. Pete Beach to bring the festival back to Corey Avenue in 2019.
