NSB's third annual Shrimp and Seafood Festival draws several thousand to Flagler Avenue

NSBNEWS.net videos and photos by Sera Frederick.
Several thousand people pack Flagler Avenue, enjoying affordable food samples and the camaraderie of a festive night out. Matt Clancy is tickled pink to see so many people flock to Clancy's Restaurant and Catina, as well as flooding myriad other eateries and shops.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Several thousand people descended on Flagler Avenue for Thursday's third annual NSB Shrimp and Seafood Festival and nobody had a bigger smile than Matt Clancy, of the family-owned Clancy's Restaurant and Cantina.

 

"Look at all of these people -- this is incredible,"Clancy said, as people rubbed elbows inside the popular Tex-Mex style eatery, with even more on the outside patio and on the front and east sides of the building.

Flagler Avenue, New Smyrna Beach's quarter mile stretch to the beach, had so many people milling around, it looked like a giant ant colony.

But several candidates or their signs could be seen in the sea of people, including Sharon Luebbers, running for School Board district 3 and Ellen Darden for County Council, district 3.

NSBNEWS.net photo by Henry Frederick.
This young woman is among a group of people having a good ol' time outside a drinking establishment on Flagler Avenue where alcohol was permitted by the NSB City Commission for this event only. Behind her is Buddy Davenport, the insurance salesman whose enhanced mug is on numerous park benches.
 

The crowds were inside and outside. Consumption of alcoholic beverages was allowed outside for this event, but moving forward, the City Commission voted unanimously the week before to end sidewalk sales and consumption of alcohol.

Still, police reported no major issues with crowd control or drinking.

NSBNEWS.net photos by Sera Frederick.
New Smyrna Beach police officer Jennifer Fike is on foot patrol during the festival.