For almost 40 years, the St. Augustine Lions Seafood Festival has been celebrating culinary culture and the coastal community that makes St. Augustine so great. A St. Augustine tradition since 1981, the Seafood Festival is the largest, oldest and most family-oriented festival in the Ancient City. With more than 20,000 people expected to attend, the Festival is a cornerstone of the St. Augustine Lions fundraising mission to help those in need. And now they’re back in 2019 to bring more delicious food, awesome music, and family fun to the Ancient City. But there’s a lot going on at the festival, so we’re here to help. We’ve gathered everything you need to know – from who will be on stage to where you should park. This is your guide to the 38th Annual St. Augustine Lions Seafood Festival.
THE BASICS
The St. Augustine Lions Seafood Festival will take place from Friday, March 22 to Sunday, March 24 at Francis Field. Hours on Friday will be 3-9 pm, on Saturday will be 10 am-9 pm, and on Sunday will be 11 am-5 pm. Cash admission for adults is $5. Active duty military and children under the age of 15 are free. Admission covers entry, live music, the arts & crafts village, and other family entertainment. Food, beverages, activities, and merchandise are available for purchase.
THE ENTERTAINMENT
Throughout the weekend, you’ll hear artists of all genres – from Jazz and Latin to Country and Folk, Classic Rock and Motown to Contemporary. The main stage will feature music while the Spanish Landing stage will offer entertainment for the little ones.
Friday
- 3:45pm – Tommy Pricenor, Acoustic Guitar
- 5pm – Jax English Salsa Band
- 7pm – Those Guys Jazz Party of Orlando
Saturday
- 10:15am – Music “N” Motion of Limelight Theatre
- 11:15am – John Dickie IV & Collapsible B
- 1pm – Sunset East Band
- 3pm – Mandalla Music
- 5pm – Those Guys Trio of Orlando
- 7pm – Billy Buchanan Rock N Soul Revue!
Sunday
- 11:15am – Lonesome Bert & Skinny Lizards
- 1pm – Southern Tide
- 3pm – Davis & The Loose Cannons
- 4:45pm – Old City Drum Corp, Closing Ceremony
THE FOOD
As always, the wide array of food is the highlight of the Seafood Festival. Vendors from all over the area come to show off their seafood skills and offer up some delightful menus. You can browse sample menus for this year’s vendors by visiting here.
- Dawg House Holy Macaroni
- Greek Flame
- Strawberry Streets Eats
- Bite Me Baby
- Sherri’s Crab Cakes
- Gina’s Taste and Tell
- Mac Daddy Foods
- Island Girl
- Real Cajun Cooking
- King Octopus Far East Delights
- Good Ones
- Islander Food Truck
- Key West Conch Shack Food Truck
- Planet Philly
- Southern Smoke BBQ by Father’s Heart
- Mother’s Truckin Pizza
- Ubora Coffee Truck
- Zydeco Cajun Grill
THE ACTIVITIES
In addition to great food and music, you can also wander the arts & crafts market where artisans and vendors have set up shop. There you’ll find home decor, jewelry, pottery and glass, painting and photography, bath and beauty goods, and plenty more. You can also participate in the 50/50 raffle in which proceeds are gathered in a single “pot.” After the Festival, a winning ticket will be drawn, and the winner will receive 50% of all ticket proceeds, with the remaining 50% donated to the Lions Foundation for charitable works.
And if you’re bringing along the little ones, there’s no shortage of fun activities for them to try. Hop on one of the festival rides – like the Human Hamster Water Wheel, the rock wall, the kids obstacle course, a fun house, and loads more.
THE PARKING
St. Augustinians know that parking can be a hassle. Luckily, the Seafood Festival has you covered with the Free Park N Ride Shuttle offered by the City of St. Augustine. Beginning at 11am during Festival hours on Saturday and Sunday, the shuttle pickups are every 20 minutes. The shuttle picks up at two locations north of the city:
- St. Johns County Health Department, 200 San Sebastian View
- North San Marco Lot, 301 San Marco Avenue
You can also use the parking garage (it fills up fast!), public or private lots, or find street parking around downtown.
THE BENEFICIARIES
The St. Augustine Lions Seafood Festival isn’t just about fun. Most years, the St. Augustine Lions Club donates more than $100,000 to organizations and individuals providing community services, education, youth services, storm recovery assistance, and veterans’ services. Vision screening and vision therapy are an important focus of the Lions Club – which last year screened 3,080 elementary school children and generated 230 referrals. The Club also helps pay for glasses if families of children in need do not have the funds to cover them. The Festival is a way to further this mission.
Last year, the Club supported a diverse range of charitable causes – everything from The Arc of the St. Johns to Shoes for Hope, from Invest in Kids (INK) Scholarships to numerous local food banks. “The Seafood Festival is one of the most highly-anticipated annual events in our region,” said Lion Dominic Mercurio, Festival Chairman. “It’s the only time you can enjoy boatloads of seafood along with live music, a large arts and crafts show, and family entertainment. It’s fun for all ages, and all net proceeds go to benefit Lions Club charities. We hope to break attendance records this year—so come on out, because ‘We’re Havin’ Fun Now.’”
Learn more about the 2019 St. Augustine Lions Seafood Festival by visiting www.lionsfestival.com.
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