We're counting down to the 2025 Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival this April! This event uniquely combines invasive lionfish removal with vibrant local arts and conservation efforts, aiming to engage the community in ocean conservation through interactive and educational activities. Here's what to expect:
April 24 - Kick-off Party and Captain's Meeting: Registered derby teams will gather at Florida Keys Brewing Company for a Captain's Meeting This session is mandatory for derby participation and will cover rules and safety protocols. Online attendance options are available. The public is also invited to attend the kick-off party to celebrate the start of this community event.
April 25-26 - Lionfish Derby: From sunrise on Friday, April 25, through sundown on Saturday, April 26, teams of divers will compete to remove as many invasive lionfish as possible from Florida Keys waters. Prizes will be awarded to the teams who harvest the most, largest, and smallest lionfish.
April 27 - Family-Friendly Arts and Science Festival: Join us from 12-4pm at the REEF Campus in Key Largo for a festival celebrating the intersection of art, science, and marine conservation. The festival is free and open to all ages, and includes interactive science activities and educational games, live music, lionfish scoring, fillet and dissection demonstrations, and free lionfish tastings, activity booths from environmental organizations and local artisans, food trucks and refreshments, and the Derby Awards Ceremony, recognizing the achievements of participating teams and announcing derby winners.
Non-profits, government agencies, and conservation-minded artisans may submit an application to exhibit at the Festival on April 27. All vendors are encouraged to provide interactive displays or activities to engage festival attendees. Limited booth spaces are available, and vendors can apply online here. The application deadline is March 14, 2025.
Check out www.REEF.org/lionfishfestival for all the details, including how to register your derby team. We hope to see you there!