The Florida Stone Crabbers Association (FLSCA) will present the 54th annual Everglades Seafood Festival February 2 – 4, 2024 at 102 Copeland Ave. North (just outside Everglades City Hall).
Headlining this year’s event will be Lonestar. Not every musician has the opportunity to revisit and even potentially improve upon their biggest hits. But on the forthcoming TEN to 1 record, the award-winning band Lonestar— Dean Sams (keyboards, acoustic guitar, background vocals), Michael Britt (lead guitarist, background vocals), Keech Rainwater (drums) and Drew Womack (lead vocals, guitar)—are taking a fresh look at all 10 of their chart-topping country songs.
This streak started in 1996 with the band’s second single, the rock-edged “No News,” and continued with the following year’s “Come Cryin’ to Me” and “Everything’s Changed.” The band’s quadruple-platinum 1999 album Lonely Grill spawned four No. 1 hits (including the beloved global smash “Amazed”) and established Lonestar as music’s preeminent pop-country band—a status they’d maintain through the 2000s and beyond.
With these re-recordings, the band members were mindful of striking a balance between preserving the sonic elements fans were familiar with—and not repeating them. Fittingly, TEN to 1 record reflects the ways Lonestar’s hits have evolved over the years during the band’s rousing, high-energy concerts. Such talent has contributed to the band winning many of music’s top honors, including Academy of Country Music awards for New Vocal Group in 1996, Single and Song Of The Year in 2000, along with Humanitarian Of The Year in 2002. They also won Country Music Association’s Vocal Group of the Year and International Artist Achievement award in 2001. All told, Lonestar have sold more than 10.5 million records since their formation.
With the release of TEN to 1 record, the band members are full of gratitude for what they’ve accomplished already, and excited about what the future holds. “It’s amazing that we’re still standing and putting on great shows after all these years,” Sams says. “The fans are still coming out to our shows night after night, to see us and hear our music. That’s almost 30 years of touring, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am—and I’ve never once taken it for granted.”
Following is a summary of the 2024 Everglades Seafood Festival’s complete entertainment lineup:
Friday, Feb. 2, 4 – 10 p.m.
4:30 p.m.— Opening Ceremony, National Anthem
5 p.m. — Ayden Holt
6:15 p.m. — Florida Straits
7:40 p.m. — Pickle Money
9 p.m. — Collaboration Band
Saturday, Feb. 3, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. — Opening Ceremony, National Anthem
12 – 1 p.m. — Gator Nate
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. — Little Jack
3 – 4 p.m. — Rock Republic
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. — Drew Baldridge
6 – 7:15 p.m. — Tuesday’s Gone (Lynyrd Skynyrd Tribute)
8 – 9:30 p.m. — Lonestar
Sunday, Feb. 4, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
10 – 10:10 a.m. — National Anthem
10:05 – 10:35 a.m. — Chokoloskee Church
11a.m. – 12 p.m. — Sam Lowe
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. — Marron Chaplin
2 – 3 p.m. — Jack Shealy Band
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. — Charlie Pace
5 – 6 p.m. — Whey Jennings
Friday’s festival admission is a canned food donation. Saturday and Sunday adult admission is a $10 minimum donation. Visit www.evergladesseafoodfestival.org for information.
Made possible through generous support from the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), the festival will include live music, creative works by local artisans, an array of seafood, a variety of beverages and carnival rides. Beverage and carnival ride tickets will be available for purchase with cash (only), and ATMs will be available onsite. Please note, no pets or personal coolers will be allowed.
Parking will be available near the festival site.
Directions to Everglades City: From the Gulf Coast, take I-75 south to Collier Boulevard (County Road 951), south to U.S. 41 (Tamiami Trail), then east to State Road 29, south into Everglades City.
From the Atlantic Coast, take Alligator Alley (I-75) west to the State Road 29 exit, then straight south to Everglades City.
About the Everglades Seafood Festival
For more than 50 years, the Everglades Seafood Festival has been essential in generating income to improve its community and help its residents. The host, Florida Stone Crabbers Association (FLSCA), is a non-profit organization founded in May 2020 to help unite stone crab fishermen and advocate for their best interests. Everglades City is a major producer of stone crab, and the festival supports local fishermen and the communities that keep them in business. Online at www.evergladesseafoodfestival.org.
