When in Naples, Florida we’d assume that you’d like to sink your teeth into some fresh seafood. And we’re sure you won’t be disappointed because the entire region of Southwestern Florida is not only known for its game fishes, here, you can also sink your teeth into some crabby goodness brought to you by the ever succulent stone crab. This little critter has been a favorite for locals and tourists alike for many years. These tasty crustaceans are usually caught in traps set around the shores of the nearby Everglades, processed then goes straight into the fingers of hungry crab fans in the restaurants of Naples.
People here love the stone crab so much they made the annual Stone Crab Festival which brings together all the crab lovers, young and old in two whole days of fun activities and celebration as way of expressing gratitude to mother nature for bringing this soft and tender seafood from the seas to people’s mouths.
Activities for the Stone Crab Festival are spread throughout key parts of the city and in a few private hotels and they will all happen simultaneously. A kick-off party will start late in October this year and this year’s event will culminate by the month’s end. Let’s look at what will happen to a couple of locations in the key parts of the city.
Tin City: It is an open-air shopping center by the bay where you can enjoy buying curious from its many specialty shops. The place is laden with wooden shops built in traditional fashion as well as wooden boardwalks by the shore. At the Stone Crab Festival, there will be a block party to start off the day. This will be marked by live outdoor music, special drinks, food, vendor booths and of course, lots of stone crab.
There will be activities for kids too like basic wall climbing, waterballs and bouncing games. As the day progresses, there will be more and more live bands who will take the center stage and set a lively mood for the guests. And there will be ice cream eating competition too which is nice. This will go on for two days.
Naples Bayfront: This place is a purely upscale oasis. It is laden with great classical European architecture with brick roads which leads to rare and exotic finds from the numerous shops that are found all over this lovely stop.
There will be more than twenty restaurants that will feature the best stone crab dishes brought to you by the finest chefs in town. Outside the restaurants there will be arts and crafts shops that will bring to you the local art and flavor of the region such as clothing, jewelry and furniture. And of course, let’s not forget the live performances from bands and dance-troupes that will wow each and everyone during this two-day event. All this, together with great discounts and freebees from the nearby inns and hotels will surely make this year’s Stone Crab Festival a very memorable one.
