The Pensacola Seafood Festival opens today at 11 a.m., bringing fresh Gulf-to-table seafood, free live music and over 100 arts and crafts vendors to peruse.
The Seafood Festival, hosted by Fiesta Pensacola, is Fiesta’s largest annual event and will run through Sunday, Sept. 28, rain or shine. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your weekend.
Cost to get into the Pensacola Seafood Festival – none!
Admission is free to the Pensacola Seafood Festival, which is held inside the park at downtown Pensacola’s Seville Square at 311 E. Government St. The event is coordinated by Fiesta Pensacola, sponsored by the Pensacola Ice Flyers, and takes over 100 volunteers each year to execute.
Food, drinks and artisan goods are available for purchase upon entry. Coolers are not permitted at the event.
What hours are the Pensacola Seafood Festival open?
The Pensacola Seafood Festival is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 28.
Live music begins at 3 p.m. on Sept. 26, 1 p.m. on Sept. 27 and 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 28, continuing throughout the evening.
What’s new for the 2025 Pensacola Seafood Festival?
One major change will be free access to the event’s children’s area, offering arts, crafts, games and more, thanks to the sponsor, Costello’s Butcher Shop. The children’s area will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 27 and again from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 28. In previous years, families would need to purchase a ticket for their children to access the area located in Bartram Park.
Another change is the increase in vendors, which has risen to about 170, according to Bridget Middleton, executive director of Fiesta Pensacola. Vendors have not been that high since pre-pandemic times, and will now offer more variety for shoppers and wrap farther around the park, according to Middleton.
Where do I park for the Pensacola Seafood Festival?
Parking is available in downtown Pensacola at various prices on a first-come, first-served basis, including nearby Community Maritime Park at 301 W. Main St. Some private lots close to the festival are open to the public for a fee, as designated by the business owner. However, if you’re willing to walk, the Jefferson Street Garage at 53 S. Jefferson St. offers parking spaces available for $1 per hour during normal hours. The garage is susceptible to price increases for special events.
It may also be helpful to download the ParkMobile app, which allows visitors to pay using a credit or debit card and remotely extend their parking duration. Alternatively, customers can use a nearby pay station or text “PARK” to 77223. For a full interactive parking guide, use parkpensacola.com. Any parking fees are not associated with the Pensacola Seafood Festival or Fiesta Pensacola.
What kind of food is at the Pensacola Seafood Festival?
While seafood is in the event name, the festival offers food from a wide variety of Pensacola area restaurants and chefs.
But one of the best ways to get a taste of true Pensacola flavor is through the Gulf to Table section of the festival.
“This is the spot to score the freshest creations directly from the Gulf to your plate, prepared by Pensacola’s best chefs,” the event description states.
Past participants include Flounder’s Chowder House, The Fishing Hole, Café NOLA and more vendors who offer a taste of the area’s best fresh seafood all within the confines of the festival.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to purchase “tapas-style” plates throughout the festival, featuring smaller portions at lower price points, allowing guests to sample creations from multiple vendors.
If you’re looking for traditional fair food and seafood isn’t your style, you’ll still find plenty of favorites such as turkey legs, funnel cakes, corn dogs, burgers and more.
Which Pensacola restaurants are offering live cooking demonstrations at Pensacola Seafood Festival?
Each year, Pensacola area chefs put their talent on full display at the festival, firing up the Fiesta Seafood Grille, presented by Pensacola Energy, where select chefs create dishes in an outdoor demo kitchen.
This year’s chef demo schedule is as follows.
Are pets allowed at Pensacola Seafood Festival?
No, service dogs are the only pets permitted on festival grounds.
Where can I find more information about the Pensacola Seafood Festival?
For a full schedule of events, follow pensacolaseafoodfestival.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Seafood Festival kicks off today. Here’s everything you need to know!
Reporting by Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
