REEF Fest is nearly here, and we couldn't be more excited for our annual marine conservation celebration in Key Largo! If you're planning to attend, we look forward to seeing you soon. If you haven't yet registered, you can still make plans to join us Oct 17-20 for ocean presentations, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and fun evening socials. Check out all the details and register for REEF Fest at www.REEF.org/REEFfest.
Don't miss the REEF Campus Open House on Thursday, Oct. 17 from 4:30-6:30pm. This event is free and open to the public, and all are invited to drop by to visit our historic Headquarters building and walk the Native Plants Trail. Local craft beer from Florida Keys Brewing Company and wine will be available, as well as light snacks. There are still tickets available to For the Love of the Sea, our annual REEF Fest celebration held at stunning waterfront location overlooking Florida Bay. There will be dinner, drinks, and a silent auction featuring marine life artwork and photography, jewelry, vacation packages, and more. Tickets are available for $105 per person and include appetizers, dinner, desserts, coffee, and an open bar with local craft beer from Florida Keys Brewing Company, wine, liquor and non-alcoholic beverages. You can purchase tickets to For the Love of the Sea online by visiting the link above.
Finally, be sure to join us for the free ocean seminars at Murray Nelson Government Center on Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19. If you aren't able to watch in person, all of the REEF Fest seminars will be live-streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. The seminar schedule is below. All times listed are in ET.
Friday, October 18
• 2:45 pm: "Upside-down Jellyfish As Bioindicators" presented by Natalia López Figueroa, Ph.D. Candidate, University of South Florida College of Marine Science
• 3:30 pm: "Diving With a Purpose: Restoring Coral Reef Ecosystems and Documenting Maritime History" presented by Kramer Wimberley, Founder, Diving with a Purpose-Collective Approach to Restoring our Ecosystems (DWP-CARES)
• 6:15 pm: "The Reef Fishes of Gainesville, Florida: How the Florida Museum Fish Collection informs our understanding of reef fish communities" presented by Rob Robins, Ichthyology Collection Manager at the Florida Museum of Natural History
Saturday, October 19
• 2:30 pm: "Fisheries Science with a SMILE: Citizen Scientists contribute to marine conservation one photo at a time!" presented by Dr. Alli Candelmo, REEF Director of Conservation Science
• 3:00 pm: "Key Largo... The New Normal" presented by Stephen Frink, Underwater Photographer and Publisher of Alert Diver Magazine