PALATKA, Fla. — After recent complaints about high prices and fewer attractions, the Blue Crab Festival is making a comeback in Palatka, but this time, it’s under new leadership. City officials have handed over the reins to a local group promising a revitalized festival experience starting in 2026.
It’s one of Palatka’s most iconic events, but the Blue Crab Festival has taken a hit in recent years. Now, with a new team taking the reins, organizers said they’re ready to crack open a new chapter with fewer claws and more cause for celebration.
After two decades of city management, River&Claw LLC, a local group, will now oversee the 2026 festival. The new committee says they’re working hard to bring back some of the event’s most popular features.
Erin Hewes, a member of the festival committee, said, “I know one of the things that was missing in our community that has become a Blue Crab tradition is the Gatorland Ski Show.”
She added, “We also are looking for a carnival or kid zone attractions that we could get the families talking, give the kids something to do.”
The change in management follows criticism of this year’s festival, which lacked carnival rides and featured crabs priced as high as $50. Hewes says the committee is addressing those concerns with more oversight.
“We are going to be thorough with checking all of our food vendors. We’re requiring that they send in copies of their menus and pictures of their products,” she explained.
Action News Jax also spoke with Jeanetta Cebollero, former director of the Palatka Blue Crab Festival, about this year’s turnout. She reflected, “It’s the worst, but of course, you know, bad news is great news. Because for years, we did the Blue Crab Festival, and it was awesome.”
Local vendors and fairgoers are optimistic about the new team’s efforts. Johnny Brown, owner of Jaybee’s Wings, said, “But with this new group, I think they would do good as long as they can keep that part of it going and fix other little parts about it. I think it would be good.”
Hewes emphasized their commitment to restoring the festival’s spirit.
“We’re looking forward to kind of rebuilding and establishing a reputation that we are going to be tangible and transparent with our efforts,” she said.
The three-day Blue Crab Festival is scheduled to kick off Memorial Day weekend, May 22, 2026.
The new Blue Crab Festival committee currently has 60 volunteers. If you’d like to get involved, click here.
Members of the committee include Kassidy Babcock, who is responsible for marketing; Allyson Futch, serving as the community liaison; Gary French, the vendor coordinator; and Marc Hewes, overseeing stage management and security.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
