Fiddler Crab Fest line-up

Posted on January 29, 2021

The 13th annual Fiddler Crab Festival will feature hundreds of arts and crafts vendors, lots of food, fishing, fireworks and fiddler crabs, in addition to a beer and wine garden and live music, ranging from Southern rock, blues, classic country and a Johnny Cash tribute.
Sponsored by the Steinhatchee Chamber of Commerce and local businesses, the annual Fiddler Crab Festival is set for President’s Day weekend (Feb. 12-14). Admission is only $5 for all three days of entertainment.
“We have finalized our exciting entertainment line-up for the main stage, and we have some great musical talent that is guaranteed to put on a good show,” Steinhatchee Chamber President Pam Wessel said.
In addition to more than 200 vendors, the annual festival will feature a fishing tournament, live Fiddler Crab Races, fireworks, live music Friday and Saturday, a beer and wine garden, “Swamp Water Taste of Steinhatchee” cook-off, river tours and more. All available vendor spaces have been filled, as the 2021 festival is limiting the number of booths to comply with social distancing requirements.
Bring a lawn chair and blanket and sit around the bonfire while listening to live music and enjoying the Beer and Wine Garden Friday and Saturday.
The Beer Garden will be open Friday from 6-11 p.m. and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. Tips and donations go to the North Florida Boys and Girls Club.
Friday night kicks off with teen sensation Sadie Miller performing live at 7 p.m. on the main stage set up in front of Steinhatchee River Inn and Marina (formerly River Haven).
The annual fireworks show will light up the skies above the river beginning at 7:30 p.m., with more live music at 7:45 p.m., courtesy of the high-energy Terry Cole Band, specializing in southern and classic rock, old school and new music from every genre.
Regional favorite Travis Prine and Band of Brothers will close out the first night by performing from 9:30 p.m. until 11 p.m.
On Saturday, musical entertainment will continue with the Doc Adams Band at 1 p.m., followed by an Irish River Dance show at 2 p.m.
Next on stage (beginning at 2:30 p.m.) will be Macey Mac, featuring Macey McMurphy, a passionate songwriter who plays guitar, mandolin, banjo and boot-stomping tambourine while channeling a unique vocal combination of Lee Ann Rimes, Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin, and her partner Gypsy Carns, a legendary one-man band with two Grammy songwriting nominations.
A “Forever Johnny Cash Tribute” follows at 3:15 p.m., and the Doc Adams Band will present a “Country Classic Show” from 4-5 p.m.
The Trey Tucker Band – a hard-driving country band with a taste of Southern rock and blues — will perform originals and covers “ranging from current to classic” beginning at 7 p.m.
The Kellen Vincent Band, based out of Lake City, will take the stage at 7:30 p.m., featuring a sweet, soulful, country sound.
The Trey Tucker Band will return for another set from 8-9:30 p.m. before country music performer Jamie Davis closes out Saturday night from 9:30 until 11 p.m.
“Steinhatchee truly does have a big heart! We are so very thankful for our local people that invest so much of their time in making Steinhatchee thrive! The Fiddler Crab Festival is a great testament to just how much our community gives back,” Steinhatchee Chamber officials said this week.
“Prior to the festival, many businesses would close after Christmas and pretty much remain closed until March. It was a hard time for locals who depended on local businesses for their wages,” chamber officials said. “However, the Fiddler Crab Festival changed all that. Now we are a thriving, year-round community, and we couldn’t be more proud of our ‘Little Fishing Village With a Big Heart!’
The Steinhatchee Chamber has a safety plan in place, including requesting those who attend to wear a mask and restricting the number of vendors in order to provide more spacing between exhibitors and allow for social distancing.
“We urge everyone to bring and wear a mask,” Wessels said.
The Steinhatchee Chamber continues to seek volunteers to help staff the event, after some who assisted in the past – many who have cited COVID-19 concerns – will be unable to attend this year.
A lack of community volunteers caused the cancellation of several longtime festival events, including the annual parade, car show and poker run.
Organizers urge anyone interested in assisting with helping staff gates, collecting admission or providing armbands to contact the Steinhatchee Chamber office.
If you would like to help in any way – even if for just a few hours — please contact either Alicia (727-667-4177) or Pam (352-440-1236) at the Steinhatchee Chamber.