PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – Businesses along the Tarpon Springs sponge docks are looking to bounce back after the recent hurricanes.

Typically, the city’s tourism industry brings in about $10 million in sales tax each year, according to city leaders. But those numbers will take a hit this year as tourism has been hit by the storms.

What You Need To Know

  • Businesses along the Tarpon Springs sponge docks are looking to bounce back after the recent hurricanes

  • The area sustained damage during the storms and multiple businesses had to temporarily shut down.

  • MORE INFORMATION: 36th Annual Tarpon Springs Seafood Festival

Community leaders and business owners are excited about this weekend’s seafood festival and are looking forward to having tourists back on the docks and in the shops and restaurants.

The 36th Annual Tarpon Springs Seafood Festival is running from Friday through Sunday.

And business owners are urging the community to come back and visit. The area sustained damage during the storms and multiple businesses had to temporarily shut down.

Odyssey Cruises, back up and running dolphin cruises seven days a week, is just one of many businesses at the docks looking forward to more visitors.

“I don’t care if you ride with us on the boat. I’m just happy to see you guys. You bring life back to our town,” said Rick Sutton with Odyssey Cruises. “This is good people. Everybody who works here, their lives have been totally decimated. So, when you come, you’re changing lives - not just mine, everybody who lives here.”

Interim Mayor Peter Koulias describes the sponge docks as “vital” to the city’s tourism and sales tax industry.

“We especially need the locals to support locals more than ever,” Koulias said. “But we as a city have to come together to let tourists know and the world know as well as the nation that Tarpon Springs and the historic Sponge Docks is open for business.”

36th ANNUAL TARPON SPRINGS SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

FREE Admission, Pet & Family Friendly!

The Tarpon Springs Seafood Festival offers a wide variety of delicious food options, including non-seafood dishes. There will also be a variety of arts and crafts vendors, activities, a chefs competition, and more!

Fri, 11/8: 12 PM to 9 PM
Sat, 11/9: 10 AM to 9 PM
Sun, 11/10: 10 AM to 5 PM

The festival will feature a variety of seafood vendors, as well as non-seafood items for land lubbers. There will also be a variety of arts and crafts vendors, activities, a chefs competition and more! A sea-sational time for ALL!

Where: 735 Dodecanese Blvd, Tarpon Springs, FL
Dates: 11/08/2024 - 11/10/2024
Time: 10:00am - 9:00pm, Sunday: 9:00pm