Marathon · March
Marathon Seafood Festival
The Original Marathon Seafood Festival is exactly what it sounds like: the town's commercial fishing families cooking the stuff they caught, served to whoever shows up. Fresh spiny lobster, stone crab claws, mahi, conch fritters, all of it pulled from local water by the boats docked a few miles away. It has been running since 1976 and it is the biggest weekend of the year in the Middle Keys.
The 51st festival runs Saturday, March 13 and Sunday, March 14, 2027 at Marathon Community Park, mile marker 49. Gates open at 8 a.m. Saturday and it rolls until 5 p.m. Sunday.
Quick Facts
- Dates
- March 13 to 14, 2027
- Where
- Marathon Community Park, MM 49, 200 36th St. Ocean
- Admission
- $5, kids 12 and under free
- Food
- Local lobster, stone crab, mahi, conch, priced per item
- Extras
- Boat show, 200+ vendors, live music, kids zone
- Since
- 1976, run by the fishermen and the Marathon Chamber
Why locals actually go
Plenty of festivals in Florida serve seafood. This one is put on by the Organized Fishermen of Florida and the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce, which means the people frying your fish are largely the people who caught it. Marathon is still a working waterfront town, and this is the weekend it shows off. Proceeds go back into the community.
March in the Keys is peak season, so the festival lands when the weather is about as good as it gets: low 80s, dry, with a breeze off the ocean.
What to eat and when to get in line
The lobster and stone crab lines are the longest, and they peak at midday Saturday. Go early. Gates open at 8 a.m. and the smart move is to be through them by 10:30, eat your first round before the rush, then wander the vendor rows and the boat show while everyone else stands in line.
- · Fresh Florida spiny lobster and stone crab claws are the headliners. Stone crab season is still open in March, so the claws are as fresh as they come.
- · Cash speeds up the food lines. Bring some.
- · The boat show runs both days, with new and used boats on display and for sale.
- · Live music all weekend: rock, reggae, country and island stuff across the day.
- · The kids zone has rock climbing and face painting, so it works as a family day.
Getting there
Marathon Community Park sits oceanside at mile marker 49, in the middle of town. Parking fills up by late morning on Saturday; carpool if you are coming from up or down the Keys, or bike if you are staying in Marathon. If you are driving down from the mainland, remember it is one road the whole way. Leave margin.
Want more on Marathon Seafood Festival?
Official details from the organizers, plus Keys Weekly's coverage from the newspaper.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Marathon Seafood Festival in 2027?
Saturday, March 13 and Sunday, March 14, 2027 at Marathon Community Park, mile marker 49. Saturday runs from 8 a.m. and Sunday wraps at 5 p.m.
How much does it cost?
Admission is $5 and kids 12 and under get in free. Food and drinks are priced per item once you are inside.
Is the seafood actually local?
Yes. The festival is co-run by the local commercial fishing organization, and the lobster, stone crab and fish come off boats that work out of Marathon and the surrounding Keys.
Is it kid friendly?
Very. There is a dedicated kids zone with rock climbing and face painting, and the whole event is a daytime, family-crowd affair.
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