Palatka festivals: a year on the riverfront

Palatka has a fuller calendar than most towns its size, and nearly all of it happens on the riverfront or in the historic districts, within walking distance of Hummingbird House. Here is the year in order, with the most recent dates we could confirm. Organizers set dates annually, so check the event’s own page before you book.

Palatka Bluegrass Festival: February and November

Held twice a year at Rodeheaver Boys Ranch, about 12 miles south of Palatka on the west bank of the St. Johns. The February 2026 edition ran February 12 to 14, and the fall edition is scheduled for November 11 to 14, 2026. The festival benefits the ranch, which Homer Rodeheaver founded in 1950.

Florida Azalea Festival: late February or early March

Palatka’s signature festival has run for more than 75 years. The 77th annual festival was held February 27 to March 1, 2026, in downtown Palatka and along the riverfront, with arts and crafts, food, live music, and river cruises from the riverfront. Admission was free.

It is timed to the bloom at Ravine Gardens State Park, where azaleas peak between late January and April. The azaleas along the front of Hummingbird House bloom at the same time; see where to stay for the Azalea Festival.

The Mug Race: first Saturday in May

A sailboat race down the St. Johns that has been run since 1954, hosted by The Rudder Club of Jacksonville with the Palatka Yacht Club. Boats start in downtown Palatka just north of the Memorial Bridge and finish 38 nautical miles downriver, just south of the Buckman Bridge at Orange Park. The club bills it as the world’s longest river race.

The 72nd race was held May 2, 2026, and the 73rd is scheduled for Saturday, May 1, 2027. The competitors’ meeting is held the evening before at Riverfront Park, and the start on Saturday morning is worth walking down for.

Blue Crab Festival: Memorial Day weekend

The biggest weekend of the year. In 2026 the festival ran May 22 to 24 along six blocks of St. Johns Avenue and the riverfront, with more than 100 vendors, live music, a kids’ zone, a water ski show, seafood, and fireworks over the river on Saturday night. Organizers in past years have claimed attendance of more than 120,000.

The festival came under new, volunteer-led local management for 2026, so expect the program to keep evolving. Memorial Day weekend is the first to book at the house every year; see where to stay for the Blue Crab Festival.

Bass tournaments: spring and fall

The St. Johns at Palatka is a tournament fishery. The Bassmaster Elite Series has launched from the Palatka City Dock several times, most recently in February 2025, and regional tournaments run here most years. See our guide to fishing and boating the St. Johns from Palatka for the details and the current schedule.

Christmas Parade: the Friday after Thanksgiving

An evening parade down St. Johns Avenue with the whole town on the sidewalk. It was last held on Friday, November 28, 2025, at 7 p.m. and is free.

Porchfest: first Saturday in December

A free, family-friendly music festival where bands set up on the front porches of the South Historic District, which is our neighborhood. In 2025 it ran on Saturday, December 6, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the 2026 date is listed as Saturday, December 5. Our porch is one of the stages; see Porchfest lodging.

Which weekend should you choose?

• For flowers and mild weather: the Azalea Festival.
• For the biggest crowd and fireworks: the Blue Crab Festival.
• For something you will not find elsewhere: the Mug Race start, or Porchfest.
• For quiet: any weekend with nothing on the calendar. See a weekend in Palatka.