Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival
The Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival is an annual seafood and arts festival held in Niceville, Florida, United States, beginning the third Friday in October. The main attractions are music, food (especially fried mullet), rides and a wide variety of arts and crafts.
This festival is named after the mullet, a fish found in abundance in the local waters. While it is a common misconception, the mullet haircut is not the origin of the festival's name.
The festival was founded by Walter Francis Spence Jr. in 1976. The first Mullet Festival took place on September 24th, 1977. Now the festival lasts three days, starting the third Friday in October, and ends Sunday after dark. Alcohol is not served on Sunday. In recent years, the festival has typically had attendance over 40,000 for the weekend.
Chantal, Hollywood entertainment reporter for ABC's "Good Morning America," broadcast from the festival on Friday, October 20, 1989. During the broadcast, festival founder, Francis Spence, and local James Campbell demonstrated how to catch and fry mullet.[1]
In 2009, a third annual Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival T-shirt made by Tailgate Clothing Company appeared in Season 2 of the HBO series, "True Blood" (Episode 3 - "Scratches"). A representative from the show said that she found the shirt on a Web site she used to outfit some of the characters. A Mullet Festival T-shirt had also appeared on the CBS comedy "How I Met Your Mother" (Season 4, Episode 1), according to Niceville City Manager Lannie Corbin.[2]
Entertainment History
2016 - Justin Moore, Joe Diffie, Chase Bryant, Confederate Railroad, Farewell Angelina, Brassfield Aly, Troy Laz Band, The Springs, Dan Eubanks, NWFSC Soundsations, Tommy Morse Band
2015 - Joe Nichols, Lonestar, Gloriana, Love and Theft, Dailey & Vincent, Mingo Fishtrap, Waylon Thibodeaux, Vince Vance & the Valiants, Big Water
2014 - Martina McBride, Dustin Lynch, Neal McCoy, Red Roots, Crystal Yates, Hunter Phelps, Mustang Sally, Blackjack Billy, Big Water
2013 - Vince Gill, Justin Moore, Thompson Square, The Swon Brothers, Blackjack Billy, The Isaacs, Ben Portsmouth Ultimate Elvis Tribute, Parker Willingham, Dr. Zarr's Amazing Funk Monster, Tayo Reed Explosion, Big Water, NWFSC Soundsations
2012 - Kellie Pickler, Jake Owen, Colt Ford, Florida Georgia Line, Due West, The Molly Ringwalds, Compozitionz, Brandon Bennett
2011 - Trace Adkins, Jake Owen, Brantley Gilbert, Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, Dr. Zarr's Amazing Funk Monster, The Alabama Blues Brothers, Big Swing and the Ballroom Blasters
2010 - Josh Turner, Joe Nichols, Brantley Gilbert, Jerrod Niemann, Ronnie McDowell, Damon Smith, Dr. Zarr's Amazing Funk Monster, The Tip Tops, The BluesCrabs, Bo Porter, Barry Fish Band
2009 - Billy Ray Cyrus, Blake Shelton, Chuck Wicks, Dr. Zarr's Amazing Funk Monster, Mustang Sally
2008 - Jason Aldean, Sara Evans, Rodney Atkins, Sweetwater Jade, Jeff Fiorello
2007 - Kenny Rogers, Blake Shelton, Gary Allan, Keith Anderson, The Grascals, The BluesCrabs
2006 - Travis Tritt, Lonestar, Blake Shelton, Trent Willmon, The Grascals, The Alley Cats
2005 - The Charlie Daniels Band, Terri Clark, Hot Apple Pie, Rockapella, The Fish Tank Band, Dread Clampitt
2004 - David Lee Murphy, Restless Heart, Craig Morgan, Little Texas, Isis, The Alley Cats
2003 - The Charlie Daniels Band, Dierks Bentley, Montgomery Gentry, The Alley Cats, Air Force Jazz Ensemble
2002 - Ricky Skaggs, Trick Pony, Emerson Drive, Daron Norwood, Mountain Heart, Little Big Town
2001 - Diamond Rio, Little River Band, Trick Pony, Isis, Sons of the Desert, The Clarke Family, The Alley Cats
2000 - Rick Springfield, Rascal Flatts, Tracy Lawrence, Eric Heatherly
1999 - Lonestar, Aaron Tippin, Sherrie Austin
1998 - Dixie Chicks, Rhett Akins, Ricochet, Exile
1997 - Neal McCoy, Exile
1996 - Lonestar, Ty Herndon, Mark Wills
1995 - Ty England, Ken Mellons
1994 - Daron Norwood
1993 - Mark Wills, Daron Norwood
1992 - Billy Ray Cyrus, Daron Norwood
1991 - The Temptations
1990 - The Drifters, The Platters
1989 - New Grass Revival
1988 - New Grass Revival, The Tams
See also
External links
- Official Website of the Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival
- City of Niceville website
- Food Fest! Your Complete Guide to Florida's Food Festivals
- The Original Online Guide to the Mullet Festival