Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival
The Boggy Bayou Mullet Festival was an annual seafood and arts festival held in Niceville, Florida, United States, on the third Friday in October from 1977 to 2019. The main attractions were music, food (especially fried mullet), rides and a wide variety of arts and crafts. This festival was 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 24, 1977, and soon lasted three days, starting the third Friday in October, and ended 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. 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. 2019 was the 43rd & final. The next year, the COVID-19 pandemic, along with declining revenues & attendance in recent years, caused their doom. 2018 - Montgomery Gentry, Tracy Byrd, Tyler Farr, The Chee-Weez, Doctor Zarr's Amazing Funk Monster, Sweet Tea Trio, The Mulligans, Parker Willingham & Friends, Dan Eubanks, Roger Strickland 2017 - Tanya Tucker, Frankie Ballard, Chris Janson, The Molly Ringwalds, Troy Laz, Pelican212, Dan Eubanks, The Mulligans, Roger Strickland 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, Chandler Mason 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 List of Florida food festivals Official website City of Niceville website Food Fest! Your Complete Guide to Florida's Food Festivals The Original Online Guide to the Mullet Festival