Elsewhere, picnics and lawn games may be a perfect Fourth of July tradition. In steamy Florida, we like to stay wet, and these two exuberant saltwater adventures have become traditions for a good reason.
Florida festivals
Prime festival season in Florida runs from fall to spring, with January, February and March being the peak. There are far fewer festivals in the steamy summer.
We offer many articles about individual outstanding festivals as well as several calendars of events:
Craft sodas are stars of the show at the 2026 Sebring Soda Festival, April 11-12
Sebring, a small town along the lovely Lake Wales Ridge in Central Florida, is staking a claim for something new — Florida’s first (and only) craft soda festival, the Sebring Soda Festival. Local small-batch sodas made with real sugar are making a comeback, partly as an outgrowth of the craft beer phenomenon. This Sebring festival is a good opportunity to taste what it’s all about.
Cortez Fishing Festival: Feb. 14-15, 2026
This tiny fishing village wedged between Bradenton and Anna Marie Island celebrates its rich heritage as a commercial fishing hub.
Homestead Rodeo, southernmost rodeo in the continental U.S.
Florida has a surprisingly rich history of rodeos in its small towns, and the one is Homestead is special. It’s the first rodeo of the year where professional cowboys can earn points.
Grant Seafood Festival: March 7-8, 2026
The Grant Seafood Festival is put on by community volunteers and has been held every year since 1966 in this riverside enclave between Melbourne and Sebastian.
Bike Week Planner: Campgrounds, scenic rides, things to do
Bikers converge on Daytona Beach every March for Bike Week, but visitors often have a tough time finding a place to stay or camp and get lost in a sea of things-to-do.
Pensacola Seafood Festival, Pensacola, Sept. 25-27, 2026: Free and fun
The Pensacola Seafood Festival kicks off the festival season in Florida.