DESTIN, Fla. The 2024 Lionfish Festival is set for May 18-19 in Destin, according to organizers of the Emerald Coast Open.
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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Destin-Fort Walton Beach invite everyone to celebrate the 10th annual festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar and HarborWalk Village in Destin.
This two-day outdoor festival is free and open to the public. It will include conservation and art booths, live music, an interactive kid’s zone, and the world’s largest lionfish tournament, the Emerald Coast Open.
Emerald Coast Open Tournament Details
The Emerald Coast Open will run May 17–18 and include categories for most lionfish, largest lionfish, and smallest lionfish. Nearly $100,000 worth of prizes are up for grabs! For official tournament rules and registration instructions, visit EmeraldCoastOpen.com.
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Lionfish Restaurant Week
Sample lionfish at one of Destin-Fort Walton Beach’s featured restaurants during the Emerald Coast Open Lionfish Restaurant Week. Local chefs will highlight lionfish in unique dishes in the week leading up to the event to help bring awareness to the lionfish invasion in the Gulf of Mexico.
Lionfish Restaurant Week Schedule:
May 10: The Boathouse Landing, Valparaíso
May 11: La Paz Restaurante & Cantina
May 12: Crab Trap Destin
May 13: Jasmine Thai
May 14: Beach Walk Cafe
May 15: Harbor Docks
May 16: The Harbor Tavern
May 18: AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar
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Lionfish Challenge
The 2024 Lionfish Challenge is approaching quickly. This summer-long tournament is open to everyone and is completely free to enter. Participants in the Lionfish Challenge have removed over 1 million lionfish from Florida waters since the program began in 2014.
Are you up for the Challenge? Visit FWCReefRangers.com to register for the Lionfish Challenge, which begins May 24.
For more information, contact the FWC Division of Marine Fisheries Management at 850-487-0554.
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