NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- What better way to celebrate the culinary delights of an oceanfront community than with a street festival? The merchants of Flagler Avenue plan to do just that with the inaugural New Smyrna Beach Shrimp & Seafood Festival on Thursday, Aug. 14.
The 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. event will b hosted by the Merchants of Flagler Avenue Hospitality Group.
"The event promises to be the largest seafood festival in Volusia County," said Adele Aletti, owner of Gone Bonkers and an organizer. "During the event Flagler Avenue will be open only to pedestrian traffic."
The festival kicks off at 5 p.m. on Flagler Avenue with more than 30 restaurants from Southeast Volusia offering their tastiest and most creative seafood dishes to the public. There will be live entertainment both on the Flagler Avenue’s central outdoor stage and at eight locations on Flagler Avenue along with local artisans, beer gardens, crafts, boating companies and more.
The top restaurants from throughout New Smyrna and the surrounding area will compete for New Smyrna Beach's “Best on the Beach” Awards during the event in four categories: “Best on the Beach” Shrimp, Seafood, Fish and Specialty Seafood. Visitors and locals will have a rare opportunity to taste all of the dishes entered into the contest, which will be provided for sale at the event to the public in taste-sized portions and priced between $3 and $5 each.
Among the notable local restaurants competing for this year’s “Best on the Beach” awards are Chases on the Beach, Flip Flop’s Grill & Chill, Norwood’s, South Atlantic Grill and Spanish River Grill.
“New Smyrna has some of the most innovative and talented award-winning chefs’ right here in our own backyard,” said Mark Leone, owner of the OM Bar & Chill Lounge on Flagler Avenue. “New Smyrna is well known for its glorious beaches and eco-tourism. We created this event to let New Smyrna’s best kept secret out of the bag, our superior seafood.”
New Smyrna Beach's own up-and-coming band, Minister Theory, will perform live on the avenue at the main stage at 5 p.m. the corner of Flagler Avenue and Cooper Street. Minister Theory is billed as a soulful feel-good band with hints of Motown, punk, R&B, groove and rock influences, featuring members of the Cuchetti family from the Cuchetti School of Music and Performing Arts.
There will also be live entertainment at eight venues along Flagler Avenue.
The first annual New Smyrna Beach Shrimp & Seafood Festival is the first culinary event hosted by the Hospitality Group. The Group’s events dubbed “Party on Flagler” are aimed at raising the visibility of Flagler Avenue as the premier cultural and historic destination in New Smyrna’s Beachside community. Previous successful events include the Group’s Mardi Gras Parade and St. Patrick’s Day Party & Pot O’Gold Treasure Hunt.
For more information about the event, please contact the New Smyrna Beach Visitor’s Bureau at 1-800-541-9621 or visit http://www.myspace.com/partyonflagler.
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