Traffic advisory for Williston, FL, Saturday, April 24, due to promoted Williston Crabfest
A sign on Change.org for a petition by Next Generation Williston, to promote the annual event. Others have been protesting against the event bein held.
The Levy County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) is alerting the public of potential traffic delays in Williston, Florida on Saturday, April 24, when the Levy County Sheriff's Office will have checkpoints in at five intersections, due to the annual Williston Crabfest event that has been advertised for April 24 and 25, 2021.
Accordng to a LCSO press release, "The public should be aware of an anticipated traffic detour and delays on U.S. Alt. 27 northbound near the intersection of CR 316 and on CR 318 at the intersection of CR 335. The Sheriff’s Office will have additional checkpoints established at all county roads entering into the planned event site on CR 318, and access will be restricted at this location to residents only."
These Williston, FL intersections are as follow:
• CR 318 at CR 335
• CR 335 at NE 35th Street
• CR 331 A (NE 205th Avenue) at NE 50 Street (Mixon Road)
• US Alt. 27 A at CR 318
• US Alt. 27 A at NE 35th Street
Crabfest has been held for more than twenty years, and was initially a small community gathering for friends and family members to enjoy seafood, but in recent years, the event has drawn thousands of attendees, and with the increase in numbers, an increase in misconduct, even violence. In 2013, a shooting left one peson dead and four others injured. Three people were arrested at the 2017 event, 23 at the 2018 event, and 14 at the 2019 event. The arrests were made by the Levy and Marion County sheriff’s offices and the Florida Highway Patrol as part of a mutual agreement between the three agencies due to the increased traffic in the area.
The event was not held in 2020, like many other events due to the Covid 19 pandemic, but the event has been promoted to return on April 24 and 25, 2021, and no information has been released as to a legal injunction the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners voted, April 6, to file if a special entertainment permit was not obtained for the event.