Get outside! Outdoor festival season is in full swing on the Space Coast
The weather is warming up, and the season of outdoor festivals is upon us! Get outside and enjoy what the Space Coast has to offer. We've rounded up fourteen fun fairs and festivals happening around Brevard in March, 2024.
Event details are subject to change, so we encourage you to check with presenting organizations about the status of their events.
1. The ‘Worst’ Film Fest on Merritt Island
This triple feature of cult classic movies from the ‘50s and ‘60s will be at Field Manor, 750 Field Manor Drive, Merritt Island, on Saturday, March 2 from 5 to 10 p.m., weather permitting. The featured films are “The Killer Shrews” at 5:30 p.m., “Plan 9 from Outer Space” at 7 p.m. and “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die” at 8:45 p.m. Bring your own chairs or blankets. Outside snacks are permitted, but there will also be food trucks and a concession stand. Tickets are $5, or free for children 10 and younger. Proceeds will benefit the Field Manor Foundation. Visit zeffy.com or fieldmanor.org.
Movies so bad, they're good: Field Manor hosts The 'Worst' Film Fest
2. Grant Seafood Festival
The longest running seafood festival in the Southeast will be at the event grounds at 4580 1st Street, Grant on Saturday, March 2 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Event organizers recommend using the free shuttle that will whisk guests from ample parking near Valkaria Airport. Live entertainment is a staple of the festival. More than 125 crafters will be selling unique gifts and souvenirs. All proceeds help fund community projects like scholarships for high school seniors, the Grant Historical House and the Grant Community Center and Library. Parking and admission are free. Food tickets will be available for $1 each, sold in increments of 10. Most items range from 1 to 7 tickets. Visit grantseafoodfestival.com.
3. Poocharella in Wickham Park
This celebration of all things dog will be at Wickham Park, 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne, on Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. With specialty vendors, activities, and food trucks, this year’s event will include the Swift Paws lure course, a Best in Rescue competition, live music, beer, the Easter Bunny and more. Proceeds will benefit Touch of Grey Rescue, which supports senior and special needs dogs residing in shelters. Admission is free. Visit facebook.com/events/1112346290135321 or facebook.com/touchofgreyrescue.
4. Spring Fine Art and Craft Fair in Cocoa Village
The free kid-and-pet-friendly event will be in Cocoa Village on Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday, March 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be street food, live entertainment and more. Over 200 artists and crafters will showcase their wares. Visit visitcocoavillage.com.
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5. Chocolate Festival in Melbourne
A rite of spring for chocoholics is Zonta Club of Melbourne’s annual Chocolate Festival, happening from 1 to 5 p.m., Sunday, March 3, at The Grand Manor, 1450 Sarno Road, Melbourne. Local chocolatiers will attempt to win the crown of "Brevard's Best Chocolate Fix of 2024.” Guests will get to sample chocolate confections, cakes and desserts, and vote for their favorites. The fundraiser assists Zonta Club’s local scholarship and community service projects, as well as in its fight against human trafficking and violence against women. Admission is $40 in advance, $45 at the door. Visit zontaspacecoast.org.
6. Pollinator Fair in Indialantic
The Garden Club by the Sea will host a free, family-friendly Pollinator Fair at Nance Park, 201 N Miramar Ave, Indialantic, on Sunday, March 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event celebrates the birds, bees, bats, butterflies and plants that support our local ecosystem. There will be jazzy music, children’s crafts, food trucks, plants for purchase and master gardeners to answer questions. Admission is free. Visit sbgca.org.
7. Beach ‘n Boards Fest in Cocoa Beach
Beach 'n Boards Fest, presented by Ron Jon Surf Shop, opens Wednesday, March 6 at Shepard Park, 299 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, with surf competitions in four major categories: men's and women's pro, and men's and women's junior pro. Finals are Sunday, March 10. Admission is free. Visit beachnboardsfest.com.
8. Indiafest in Wickham Park
Indiafest returns to Wickham Park, 2500 Parkway Drive, Melbourne, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, March 9, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m, Sunday, March 10. The festival includes hands-on activities, shopping for jewelry, arts and crafts, yoga demonstrations and all-day entertainment. Of course, there is the mouth-watering food, cultural dancing and music, and even a fashion show. Proceeds from this year’s Indiafest will support Aging Matters in Brevard and The Children’s Hunger Project. Admission to this mini-trip to India is $8 for adults and $4 for children under 12. Kids under five are free. Visit indiafestbrevard.org.
9. Reggae & Rum Festival in Cocoa Village
If rum is your drink of choice, you cannot miss the Cocoa Reggae & Rum Festival from 2 to 10 p.m., Saturday, March 9, at Riverfront Park Amphitheater, 401 Riveredge Blvd., Cocoa Village. Enjoy international cuisine, rum tastings, live music and more. General admission is $42, but VIP admission for $294 includes a private bartender, unlimited drinks, preferred seating by the stage, a seafood extravaganza, private cigar lounge and a rum tasting master class. Visit reggaeandrumfest.com or eventbrite.com.
10. River Days & Craft Brew Hullabaloo in Sebastian
Pencil in March 15, 16 and 17 for the River Days & Craft Brew Hullabaloo at Riverview Park, 600 U.S. Hwy. 1, Sebastian. Brought to you by the Rotary Club of Sebastian and the City of Sebastian, the festival features craft beers, food prepared by the Sebastian River High School Culinary Arts program, dessert trucks and kid-friendly options. There will also be crafters, artists, music and kids’ games. A car show is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 17. Admission to Hullabaloo is free, but the unlimited beer tastings, scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, are $35 in advance or $40 on the day of the event. Visit riverdaysfl.com.
11. Thousand Islands Fest in Cocoa Beach
The Thousand Islands Fest, a family-friendly educational event celebrating the mangrove islands in the Banana River Lagoon, will take place at the Cocoa Beach Pool Pavilion, 4800 Tom Warriner Blvd., on Saturday, March 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be kayak safety demonstrations, free waterway tours, live music, presentations, kids’ activities, a native plant sale, food trucks and more. Wildside Tours will ferry people to Crawford Island where there will be a Florida native plant tour and native flute playing. Tours are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Email [email protected] or visit friendsofthethousandislands.org.
12. Multicultural Festival in Palm Bay
The City of Palm Bay’s annual Multicultural Festival will be at Fred Poppe Regional Park, 1951 Malabar Road NW, Palm Bay, on Saturday, March 23 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free event will showcase culture, dance, music, food and hands-on activities from countries around the world. Entertainment will include the Spinning Canvas Dance Troupe, the Sifu Och Wing Chun Dancing Lions, food and craft vendors, face painting, glitter tattoos, inflatables for the kids and much more. Admission is free. Visit palmbayflorida.org.
13. Space Coast Mural Festival
Murals and more are in store for attendees to the Space Coast Mural Festival on Saturday and Sunday, March 23 and 24, along A1A and Minutemen Causeway in downtown Cocoa Beach. The event will feature a mural exhibition, a two-day street party, kids’ crafts, mural tours, food trucks and live music. Admission is free. Visit spacecoastmuralfestival.com or facebook.com/events/1774193409766746.
14. East Coast Dog Surfing Festival in Cocoa Beach
The Brevard Humane Society presents the 12th annual East Coast Dog Surfing Festival from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 31. Hosted by the Brevard Humane Society and presented by Ron Jon Surf Shop, this unique dog-centric event takes place at Lori Wilson Park, 1500 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. The day of fun in the sun for people and their tail-wagging friends includes dog surfing lessons, a dog Easter costume contest at 10 a.m., a dog bikini contest at 1 p.m., food and beverage vendors and, of course, the dog surfing championships. Although dogs are not typically allowed on the beach in Cocoa Beach, for a nominal fee dogs can join humans on the sand and surf. Admission is free, dog surfing lessons are $10, beach access for dogs is $5, and registration for the dog surfing championships are $25. Call the Humane Society at 321-636-3343, extension 204, or visit brevardhumanesociety.org.
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Christina LaFortune is the Entertainment and TGIF Editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/christinalafortune or send her an email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Outdoor festivals in Brevard celebrate chocolate, culture, dogs and more
