Destin Seafood Festival Admission Now on Sale at Chamber

     Destin, FL, Sept. 19 - Stop by the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce today to pick up your admission passes for the 29th Annual Destin Seafood Festival sponsored by Legendary, Inc. The festival, to be held at the Morgan Sports Complex on Oct. 5-7, is set to be the best yet with four headlining acts and 10 local seafood restaurants.

     Admission is $5 per day or $10 for the entire weekend. Children under 12 are admitted free.

     Friday night’s headliner is Telarc Recording Artist Tab Benoit at 8 p.m. Saturday features a headliner triple shot with Ambrosia at 4 p.m., Atlanta Rhythm Section at 6 p.m., and Mark Farner, fomerly of Grand Funk Railroad, at 8 p.m.

     Local favorites, including Dread Clampitt, Chuck Lawson and the Coconut Crew, Sal Salaz Project, and Jones and Company, also pack the entertainment line up. Most have played in previous festivals and are back by popular demand.

     Friday night’s headliner Tab Benoit, who played on Saturday night at last year’s festival, won Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year and B.B. King Entertainer of the Year at the 2007 Blues Music Awards. His 2006 release Brother to the Blues received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album.

     Ambrosia has earned five Grammy nominations and multi-platinum status. Past hits include Biggest Part of Me, How Much I Feel, You’re the Only Woman, and Holdin’ on to Yesterday.

     After its release of 15 albums and more than 30 years of live shows, the Atlanta Rhythm Section is a major player in the Southern Rock movement. Its biggest hits include So Into You, Champagne Jam, Imaginary Lover, and Spooky.

     Mark Farner is the former voice, guitarist, and songwriter of one of the 1970s biggest bands, Grand Funk Railroad, which earned 12 platinum and 15 gold albums. Hits include We’re an American Band, Foot-Stompin’ Music, and I’m your Captain (Closer to Home). Farner has also released critically acclaimed albums as a solo artist.

     The Southern Restaurant Group’s five local restaurants, The Back Porch, Café Grazie, Fisherman’s Wharf, Louisiana Lagniappe, and Pompano Joe’s, will return this year with great local seafood. They will be joined by three of Legendary’s local restaurants, including Grande Vista Bar & Grill, Rutherford’s 465, and Tony’s Ristorante. Hammerhead Fred’s and Landry’s Seafood House will also serve favorite dishes.

     Legendary, Inc., signed on as the festival’s Corporate Sponsor, and ResortQuest Real Estate and Vacation Rentals is the Official Accommodations Sponsor and Sunday Host. Embarq and Embarq Yellow Pages published by R.H. Donnelley are the Saturday Hosts, and Goldring Gulf Distributing / Miller Lite is the Friday Host.

     In addition to live entertainment and local seafood, attendees may enjoy more than 60 booths in the arts & crafts area, fun activities in Tadpole Town sponsored by The Emerald Coast's Family Magazine On the Coast, Live Bait for Life’s cast net contest, and more.

     The 29th Annual Destin Seafood Festival sponsored by Legendary, Inc., was recently named a Top 20 Event for October by the Southeast Tourism Society. More than 25,000 locals and visitors attended the 2006 event. Event parking is available at The Track Recreation Center, Emerald Coast Centre, and Grace Lutheran Church. Parking is available at the Church Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after 12:30 p.m.

     For more information on how you can volunteer for this community event, please contact Risa Garner, the Event Coordinator at the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce, the official event organizer. Garner may be reached at (850) 837-2711 x2 or rgarner@DestinChamber.com. For more festival information, please visit www.DestinSeafoodFestival.org.