Riverfront Festival Caters to Our Elders

Golf Cart Shuttle Service

This year there will be a free golf cart shuttle service throughout the Festival that will be devoted to helping folks who find it hard to walk a long way move through the festival easily.  It will make continuous rounds from the Carrabelle CARES’ host tent at the intersection of US 98 and Marine Street down through the whole Festival to the Wharf Pavilion at the other end of Marine Street.  Weems Hospital and the First Responders will offer shady rest areas along the way where the shuttle will stop.  A new venue at the corner of Marine Street and Avenue C, the “Carr’s Hill Stage” will be a great place to rest, be entertained by the musical, historical adventures of Ken Horne and Frank Pardue, and still be in the middle of everything.

Special Close Parking for Disabled People

Two special parking areas for individuals with disability tags will be provided this year on Avenue B between the Hometown BP and the Georgian Motel and on the east end of Avenue C between Third Street and Marine Street close to the new Sands Field Park.  You can call 697-2141 on the days of the festival for more information.

Resurrection, Rebirth and Renewal at the Carrabelle Riverfront Festival

Carrabelle Water Plant

The expansion of the boundaries of the Carrabelle Riverfront Festival along its new “Nature Trail” on Avenue C extends from Marine Street to Sand’s Field Park. It has offers the community new opportunities to reach out to its past and its future.

Starting at Marine Street and Avenue C, this year’s Carr’s Hill Stage, the Carrabelle History Society will present a line-up of eclectic music and historical yarns under a giant festival tent. 

 On the other end of Avenue C at SE 3^rd Avenue the resurrection of a historic water plant will be the location for a Country Gospel Concert benefitting the Carrabelle Food Pantry.  George Arthur of Panama City will be performing songs from his recently released album “Destiny”  as well as a number of old gospel standbys to celebrate Easter Sunday.  Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Carrabelle Food Pantry. The concert will begin at 4:30 PM on Easter Sunday but the event will follow a ceremonial tree planting on the grounds of this newly repurposed historic site at approximately 4PM. 

The Carrabelle Water Plant was built in 1942 as part of the infrastructure supporting Camp Gordon Johnston. In recent years it lay dormant as a storage facility for the city’s water department.  The rediscovery of this abandoned utility has taken the community’s imagination to new heights.  In preparation for a special Easter evening program and the 21^st Annual Carrabelle Riverfront Festival the community has rediscovered this central city lot, its buildings and structures. With tireless efforts and cooperation, the City of Carrabelle, the Carrabelle Riverfront Festival coordinators and the local church community, the Carrabelle Water Plant has been reborn to include a venue for outdoor events and performances.  More than an acre of grassy lawn offers the community a place to gather and enjoy live performance both now and in the future. 

The new stage at the Carrabelle Water Plant represents a renewed spirit of community and cooperation.  It’s a real jewel, an extraordinary site on a quiet street in the middle of town.  It connects Marine Street and the new Park at Sand’s Field.  The funky structure is in need of some additional repairs but the recent effort from the city staff to prepare for this year’s festival and special Easter Benefit Concert has awoken the imagination of citizens involved with the project.  Sometimes working together with what you already have you can accomplish great things.

Carrabelle Riverfront Festival-2010

Carrabelle CARES and the City of Carrabelle cordially invite you to attend the 21^st Annual Carrabelle Riverfront Festival on Saturday, April 23^rd and Sunday, April 24^th. 

Please join us as we celebrate the culture, history and vitality of coastal Carrabelle.  Our annual festival offers regional arts and crafts, family friendly attractions and local culinary treats. 

The two-day event held each spring on Marine Street caters to locals and visitors alike and attracts crowds from across the panhandle. 

The unique unpretentious charm of Carrabelle is on display as we celebrate our laid back life style with unique hometown attractions like Carrabelle’s own Fishy Fashion Show, Pet Parade and the Procession of the Species.  The hours of the festival are 10 AM to 6 PM on Saturday and 10:00 AM to 4:00 pm on Sunday. 

Admission is FREE.

Models show their "catch"

Come spend the day, bring your friends, family or pet to tour Marine Street and the Carrabelle Riverfront Festival.

Returning to grace this year’s Riverfront Festival at the Carrabelle Wharf pavilion stage are the fabulous and infamous models of Carrabelle Riverfront Festival’s original Fishy Fashion Show.   Outrageous "Do’s and Do Knots" of coastal couture are reveiled with festive flair as  local fashionista Joan of Lanark and Jan Neshat of Eastpoint present the 2011 Fishy Fashion Show collection.

"What I enjoy most of all is sharing of creative energy with my friend Jan Neshat", Joan of Lanark says, adding "My biggest hope is  that in showing what we have this year - we can excite others to gather together for their own creative camaraderie and make new fishy fashions for more fashion shows!!! We will need folks brave enough to walk the plank, er, I mean the run way ! Models who can really ham it up will make the show  fun".

This year's collection will be presented in all of its splendor at a new time on Saturday afternoon at 2 pm at the Carrabelle Wharf Pavilion.  If you are interested in sponsoring one of the Fishy Fashion show models or sporting one of the festive fashions, please let us know!

Also returning to the festival as a headline event this year is  Carrabelle’s own home-town version of the wildly popular Procession of the Species. Join in the fun on Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 pm at the Carrabelle Wharf Pavilion on Marine Street. 

The Procession of the Species will begin its springtime parade with an Introduction of the Species.  It will then start  its annual march to the beat of the accompanying percussion, winding its way up and down Marine Street and ending with a jubilant return to the local woods via the Nature Walk located on Ave C.

Folks interested in the wilder side of Carrabelle may want to explore the un-tamed wildness of the Nature Walk.  Touch tanks teeming with marine life and forest denizens including mammals, birds, reptiles and critters will flank the procession’s triumphal return to the pine trees and swamps of North West Florida’s Forgotten Coast.

Speaking of wild, this year’s special guest “Saint” should create quite a stir.  The 1 year old Florida Panther will be in attendance this year to highlight the search for the “Carrabelle CAT”. The Bear Creek Feline Center’s young feline is quite a handful and willl require special accommodations.  In addition to the Feline’s Center special guest, we hope to present the trailer from the producer of the History Channels Monster Quest.  The trailer, shot in Carrabelle, is a video presentation of the search for the 'Carrabelle Cat".  The video trailer is in production and will be showcased at the festival.

Not to be outdone, the four legged friends and family pets will also be on the march in this year’s Franklin County Humane Society's Pet Parade.   The Pet Parade will begin on Saturday morning at 10:30 am.

Ready to Get Their PARADE ON!

This promises to be loads of family fun and laughs as these adorable Forgotten Coast denizens strut their “stuff” up and down Marine Street.  “Pet”-a-cured and pampered, full of fluff and flair, our little family friends are drawing special attention on the behalf of the less fortunate. Not all pets are as fortunate as these with their high fashion ensembles.  So they remind you to "Stop by the Franklin County Humane Society's booth and adopt one of our 'forgotten' friends and provide a warm and loving home."  

This year’s kidZONE is being brought to you by its new festival host, the “Friends of the Franklin County Public Library". In its traditional location behind Sandy Beach Properties, the kidZONE will delight children and the young among us with  its “treasure hunt” and other festival attractions on both Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday promises to be a delight as well.  The Easter Bunny will be gathering up the wee ones for a delightful holiday “Easter Egg Hunt” in Sands Park adjacent to the festival grounds.  The Carrabelle United Methodist Church will host two egg hunts.  The first is at noon for the little ones up to four and then the 5 to 9 group will be at 3:00 pm. The Easter egg hunt and other holiday activities highlighting the meaning of Easter will be presented from several of the churches in the community.