With more than 20,000 attendees, the Marathon Seafood Festival is the premier event for great seafood, entertainment and fun in the Middle Keys. Sponsored by the Marathon Chamber of Commerce and the Marathon Chapter of the Organized Fishermen of Florida, the two days of food and entertainment concluded Sunday evening after serving about 2,500 pounds of lobster and 1,200 pounds of fresh fish.
4-year-old Ava and 3-year-old Cole MacDonald of Marathon like the Turtle Hospital tent.
Isabella Ortiz enjoys the bungie jumping — tree high! — on the trampoline.
Skye Caballero, top, and Aaliyah Ruiz can see everything from atop the rock climbing wall. They were visiting from Miami.
With more than 200 vendors, there was plenty to see.
John Bartus organizes the entertainment and performs.
Scott Bruno keeps the estimated 2,500 pounds of lobster cooking.
The plating assembly line includes Paul Lebo, left, president of the Organized Fishermen of Florida’s Marathon chapter, and David May, right.
Rachel Lebo, left, and Mitch Gale run the fryers. Rachel also designed the logo for this year’s Seafood Festival T-shirt worn by the commercial fishermen.
Volunteers Dick Wuertz, left, Chuckie Burdo and Toni Appell prepare fish and shrimp. Combined they have 31 years of volunteering at the festival.
