It may be the month of October, but unlike the rest of the country, that doesn’t mean that the weather is going to be getting chilly here in Florida.
In fact, we are planning to enjoy warm weather and outdoor festivals filled with amazing art, delicious food, classic blues music, and all kinds of different ways to enjoy nature.
So no matter what type of outdoor fun you might be looking for, you can definitely find something to keep you busy here in the Sunshine State just about every weekend in October.
Art & History
Clearwater Beach Chalk Art Festival
The sidewalks of Gulfview Boulevard in Clearwater Beach will be the canvases for local artists to display their skills at the Clearwater Beach Chalk Art Festival on the weekend of October 18 to 20. You won’t believe what these artists can create out of chalk, and everyone who attends will have a vote in the “Peoples’ Choice Award.”
Coral Gables Hispanic Culture Festival
There will be a wide range of Hispanic culture on display at the Coral Gables Hispanic Culture Festival on October 26 and 27. Whether you are interested in arts and crafts, amazing food, or passionate dancing, this event is all about celebrating the Hispanic culture scene in South Florida.
Mattie Kelly Festival of the Arts
Another big event happening on October 26 and 27 will be the Mattie Kelly Festival of the Arts at the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village in Destin. This is the 24th year for this popular arts and crafts festival, and they are expecting more than 200 artists to display their work this year.
Food & Beverage
Oktoberfest Tampa
It’s hard to make it through the months of September and October without attending at least one German Oktoberfest celebration, and the big one to focus on this month is Oktoberfest Tampa at Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa on October 11 to 13.
This fun event will feature all of the cold German beer and traditional German dances you can handle, plus plenty of delicious bratwursts.
South Florida Seafood Festival
One of the best things about living in Florida is that we have access to fresh seafood throughout the entire calendar year.
One of the biggest seafood festivals in the month of October is the South Florida Seafood Festival, which will be taking over Miami Marine Stadium on October 19 and 20 this year. Many of the area’s top chefs will be serving up some of the best seafood samples you have ever tried at this event.
Naples Stone Crab Festival
Speaking of opportunities to celebrate the amazing seafood here in Florida, crab lovers won’t want to miss out on all of the fun at the Naples Stone Crab Festival from October 25 to 27.
This event happens right in the heart of Downtown Naples, and there will plenty of live music entertainment to go along with the stone crab claws.
Music & Film
Blues and Booze Festival
Just like we find one or two great seafood festivals every month here in Florida, we can also find a fantastic blues festival with relative ease in pretty much any month. In October, the blues are going to be on display in Miami at the Second Annual Blues and Booze Festival at Miccosukee Resort and Gaming on October 5.
2019 Florida Guitar Festival
One of the more unique twists on a music festival this month will be the 2019 Florida Guitar Festival at Florida State University College of Music on October 11 to 13. There will be a wide range of styles represented at this festival, but all of them will be focused on the guitars that drive the music.
Naples International Film Festival
The Naples International Film Festival will be taking over various locations in Downtown Naples on the weekend of October 24 to 27. In addition to showing the premieres of a number of international films, the festival will close with a screening of Raiders of the Lost Ark that will be accompanied by a live orchestra performance.
Nature Festivals
Gulf Coast CPR Kayak Fishing Tournament
Technology will meet up with fishing at the Gulf Coast CPR Fishing Tournament in Taylor County on Saturday, October 12. The “CPR” for this event stands for “Catch, Photo, Release,” so just about anyone with a kayak, a fishing rod, and a cell phone is eligible to participate.
Reef Fest
Anyone who enjoys scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, or paddleboarding will certainly enjoy spending some time at Reef Fest in and around Key Largo on October 17 to 20.
This entire event is focused on enjoying and protecting our local coral reefs, and there will be lots of free informational seminars to attend throughout the weekend.
Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show
Fort Lauderdale is the place to be at the end of the month when there will be more than $4 billion worth of boats on display at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show starting on October 30. This five-day event will be hosted at the Bluewild Ocean Adventure Expo with related events planned all over the city.
With all of these exciting festivals happening in the month of October, there really is no excuse not to get out and have an amazing time all over the state of Florida this month.
Let us know which events you are most excited to attend, and don’t forget to tag us @floridaforboomers when you post those pictures on social media!
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