'The island is open': Stone Crab Fest returns to Pine Island this weekend

John Lynch and Jesse Tincher will be ready for this weekend’s Stone Crab Fest at Bokeelia.

The owners of Blue Dog on Matlacha are determined to have plenty to go around for the Sunday, Nov. 12, event in the field at the Publix-anchored Shoppes at Calusa Cay.

“We’re going to have close to 400 pounds,” Lynch said. “We won’t have an unlimited number, but we’re confident we will have enough.”

And that’s despite it not being a great stone crab season so far in Southwest Florida, according to Lynch.

“(Stone crab) season is going well for us at the restaurant, but they are hard to come by here,” said Lynch. “It’s good in Tampa and Miami, but it just hasn’t been big here. I’ll know the day before if I have to go to the Everglades or somewhere to get them. Hoping these cold nights stir them up and get them moving. But we should have plenty.”

That wasn’t the case during the first Stone Crab Fest two years ago on Pine Island.

“It turned out to be way bigger than we expected,” Lynch said. “We were in the empty field next to the VFW in St. James City. It got so busy. I believe we had about 250 pounds or so. We sold out early afternoon. It’s hard to gauge when you buy hundreds and hundreds of pounds.”

More than 1,000 people showed up for the inaugural event, according to Cynthia Welch, an administrator for the Greater Pine Island Chamber of Commerce, which runs the event.

“With a little luck we hope to do more than 2,000 this year but we will see,” she said.

This will be the second year of the event after the 2022 one was canceled due to Hurricane Ian.

The idea for the festival goes back way before that though.

“When we opened (Blue Dog) nine years ago, the offseason wasn’t nearly as busy as it is now,” Lynch said. “We talked to local fishermen and the idea of a stone crab festival came up. It’s tough to get an idea implemented. Three years ago it got going with the chamber.”

Stone crab claws and more

Stone crab is the star of Sunday’s event from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. rain or shine. Blue Dog and Island Crab Co. will be selling cracked claws ready to eat, and it will be sold wholesale to go from another vendor.

“We will have a good range of food,” Welch said. “Pizza, hot dogs, Philly cheesesteaks, ice cream. There will be something for everyone at all budgets.”

Blue Dog will also sell peel-and-eat shrimp and shrimp salad in a split roll, while Salty Girls Island Café will have stone crab chowder, crab cakes and more. Fine Swine, Tropical Island Pizza and Pine Island Spice Co. will be among the 60 vendors participating.

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“Of the 60 vendors, I think 58 are from Pine Island,” Lynch said. “Artists, musicians — it’s super local. That’s my favorite part. I know almost everyone there. It helps the local islanders — the mullet fishermen, the stone crabbers.

“It lets people know the island is open for business. Some businesses can’t get open yet, but lots are. We can use people coming over the bridge.”

Parking is free and plentiful at the pet-friendly event. A $5 donation (not mandatory) will gladly be accepted at the gate to benefit the island’s food pantry, the non-profit FISH (Fellow Islanders Sending Help), island businesses and more.

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“There will be live music so you can come, hang out in shade tents, eat food, drink beer and rum,” Welch said. “We encourage everyone to see us. Pine Island is open for business and hungry for visitors. Stop by, then go explore the rest of the island.”

Stone Crab Fest

When: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12

Where: 5100 Pine Island Road, Bokeelia, in the field at the Publix-anchored Shoppes at Calusa Cay

Parking: Free in the Publix parking lot

Admission: $5 suggested donation

Live music: Jumping Fences at 11 a.m., Matt Lee Crew at 1 p.m. (ish), Brother Love at 3 p.m. (ish), Deb & the Dynamics around 5 p.m.

Information: pineislandchamber.org or (239) 283-0888

Robyn George is a food and dining writer for The Fort Myers News-Press. Send news to rhgeorge@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Stone Crab Fest returns to Pine Island, 'helps the local islanders'