Florida Manatee Festival, Crystal River, Florida, March 27-28

Crystal River, Florida - The 34th annual Florida Manatee Festival will be held in downtown Crystal River, Florida in the area of U.S. Highway 19 and Citrus Avenue, on Saturday and Sunday, March 27-28, 2021. Hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday, and 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday. The entry fee is $5 for ages 13 and older, and free to ages 12 and younger. Free parking and a shuttle service (a mask is required to ride the shuttle) to and from the festival will be available at the Crystal River Mall, located north of the festival, at 1801 U.S. Hwy. 19.

The festival will offer a variety of fine arts and crafts along the streets, two food courts, each with a wine and beer garden, in Little Springs Park, and Kings Bay Park near the Waterfront Stage. A Hippie Village off N. Cirus Ave. will feature bohemian crafts and other themed vendors, food, and groovy entertainment from the Heritage Village Stage. A Kids Zone will feature inflatables, sand art, face painting, dance and other family activities.

Water activities will include 1-hour rentals of single and tandem kayaks and paddle boards at $10 per person; a guided 1-hour kayak tour of Kings Bay and Hunter Springs from Hunter Springs Kayaks for $10, but please sign up in advance (phone 352- 228-4715 or in person at 36 NE 4th St.). Manatee Boat Tours will run on Sat., 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, and on Sun., 9:30 am to 3:30 pm; buy tickets and tour from Kings Bay Park at NW 3rd St.; tours are 25-30 minutes long, and the cost is $10 for ages 13 and older,$5 for ages 6-12, and free to ages 5 and younger.

Enjoy music from four stages.

MUSIC SCHEDULE

Kings Bay Park - Waterfront Stage
Sat., 9:00-10:00 am - Disc Jockey John "D.J. Diorio"
Sat., 10:00 am-12:00 pm - "Bad Luck Penny" blues rock trio
Sat., 12:30-2:30 pm - "Gypsy Sparrow" alternative, Americana, acoustic rock duo
Sat., 3:00-5:00 pm - "Stonegray" rock band
Sun., 9:00-10:00 am - Disc Jockey John "D.J. Diorio"
Sun., 10:30 am-12:30 pm - "Barefoot Bob and The Hope" beach, soul and rock band
Sun., 2:00-3:34 pm - "Moonflower, Spirit of Santana" band

Little Springs Park - Gazebo Stage
Sat., 10:00 am-2:30 pm - "The JoJo & Jay Experience" jazz, country, rock and R&B duo
Sun., 11:00 am-1:00 pm - "Jeffrey Eckhoff Studios" choral group
Sun., 1:30-3:30 pm - "The Lecanto Jazz Band"

Heritage House - Hippie Village Stage
Sat., 10:00 am-2:00 pm - "Rob Nichols"
Sun., 10:00 am-1:00 pm - "Palomino Blonde" country and rock duo

Kings Bay Park - Bandshell
Sat., 11:00 am-3:30 pm "Comedian/Magician Todd Bogue"
Sun., 1:00-3:00 pm - "Nature Coast Dulcimer Players"

Festival-goers are urged to stay home if feeling ill, to practice social distancing, wash their hands regularly, utilize the on-site sanitation stations and wear a mask if social distancing is not possible.

For more information visit GoManateeFest.com, Facebook.com/FloridaManateeFestival, or phone 352-795-3149.