“Culinary Destination” segment on the North Carolina Seafood Festival

If you love the water, love food, and love to have fun, then this week’s destination is definitely for you. The North Carolina Seafood Festival is a not-for-profit organization of citizens and businesses in Carteret County, along with the town of Morehead City, North Carolina. Their mission is to recognize the importance of seafood to eastern North Carolina, and the results are delicious and meaningful.

So make plans to attend the first weekend in October. It’s a real doozy. While there you can fill your belly at a Low Country Boil, drink unlimited samples from breweries at the Port of Pours, cook with some renowned Chefs, listen to great music and entertainers, and the best part of all is watching a beauty queen compete in a fish tossing contest.

We love the World’s Best Oyster celebration, and that includes an oyster shucking contest for professionals and amateurs brought to you by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and the Shellfish Growers Association. There’s also the Babes and Bubbles event that begins with yoga on the water, followed by brunch and a signature cocktail all to benefit a local healthcare clinic.

There’s also a sailing regatta, a half marathon, 10 and five K races, and so much seafood to savor prepared in more ways than you can imagine. Really there’s something for everyone. Even the kiddos.

You don’t want to miss the important Blessing of the Fleet. The commercial fishing vessels that make their home port in North Carolina continually bring in the many varieties of fish that we have become so used to having in our grocery stores across the nation.

Festival proceeds are shared with community organizations who donate their efforts to the event. Since 1987 over $1.8 million has been dispersed among participating Carteret County non-profit groups as a result of this fun and delicious event.