Seafood and Eat It! And Listen to the Music! – Florida’s Original Seafood Festival is set to Rock Out!

#Column: What do tequila, government meetings, and Key deer have in common? - A close up of a sign - Logo

It’s time for our town’s biggest event, and it’s the Florida Keys second largest event behind only Fantasy Fest. That’s right – it’s Seafood Festival Weekend! While everyone knows that the real star of the show is the fresh Florida Keys seafood, and the Festival itself is a celebration of our commercial fishermen and their contribution to our community throughout the years, there are a few other things going on as well! Grab a lobster dinner and some fresh fish, add a refreshing beverage or two, and be sure and shop the more than 200 vendors in our tropical marketplace.

There’s also a great lineup of live music, and the Seafood Festival Committee (comprised of members of both the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce and the Organized Fishermen of Florida, Marathon Chapter) has created a stellar lineup! Here are some highlights from the upcoming schedule, starting with Saturday…

• 10 a.m.: The Eric Stone Band – Sprinkled through the titles of Eric Stone’s 13 CDs lie a string of island adventures that every salty sailor hopes to have. His music is a comfortable mix of rock, pop and country but since all that he writes is water-related he likes to describe his art as Nautical Americana. www.islanderic.com

• 11 a.m.: Misery Loves Company – This band of Marathon High School seniors continues to amaze as they keep getting better and better with each performance. Their music covers the entire spectrum of rock music from the early sixties through today. Find them on the web at www.miserylovescompanyflkeys.com

• 1 p.m.: The Doerfels – Acoustic, electric, and totally energizing – this family-based band has been rocking Keys stages with their blend of progressive music that’s a blend of rock, bluegrass, gospel, country and jazz. The music is performed at an incredibly high level, combining the energy of youth with the seasoning of experience far beyond their years. On the web at www.thedoerfels.com

• 3 p.m.: I-land Vibe – Not just reggae, mon – I-Land Vibe plays a great mixture of reggae, soca, calypso and other island riddims. I-Land Vibe has serious fun on stage, and the fun is as contagious as the great musical performance the band puts out each year! On the web at i-landvibe.com

• 5 p.m.: John Bartus & Storm Watch – I’m very excited about the band this year. With Glenn Faast on drums (one of the best anywhere), the talented Rob Garza on bass and vocals, and very special guest Christian Davis on guitar (a Marathon High School graduate coming home), my band will perform a set of original songs and some classic rock and blues tunes. On the web at www.johnbartus.com

• 7 p.m.: The Regs – Modern Rock, Alternative Rock, Classic/Heavy Rock – simply put, the Regs rock! The Regs are the hardest working band in South Florida – find out why! On the web at www.theregsband.com

 

Sunday…

• Noon: Howard Livingston & Mile Marker 24 – fire up the Johnson outboard blender and kick back with Buffett-inspired trop rock that will whisk you away to the islands! www.milemarker24.com

• 2 p.m.: Amber Leigh – Amber will bring her world-class band back to the Seafood Festival! Her music combines the flavors of Country, Celtic, Rock, Pop and Singer/Songwriter styles to produce an energetic sound all her own. Proficient on the fiddle, mandolin, and guitar, Amber’s abilities as a performer and songwriter have won her many devoted fans. It’s no surprise that Amber was voted South Florida Female Vocalist of the Year! www.amberleigh.com

• 4 p.m.: High Tide Band – a new band that combines fresh talent with some Marathon veterans! Ken Fairbrother, Jesse Jett, Leah Orlikowski, Mike Corvette, and Glenn Faast join forces to combine into one cool groove the various influences of reggae, rock, folk, hip-hop, and more!

See you at the Festival!!!

 

Very few towns or cities could ever claim that their Mayor was a smokin' hot guitar player. The island city of Marathon in the Florida Keys is one of those towns. While politics is a temporary call to service, music is a life sentence. John Bartus, a more-than-four-decade full-time professional musician, singer, and songwriter, continues to raise the bar with his groundbreaking solo acoustic show. It’s easy to catch John on one of his more than 200 shows a year throughout the Keys on his Perpetual Island Tour. His CD releases include After The Storm, Keys Disease 10th Anniversary Remaster, and Live From the Florida Keys Vol. 2. John’s music is available wherever you download or stream your music.