What it is
The Sebastian Clambake Festival runs the first Friday–Sunday of November at Riverview Park in Sebastian, on the shore of the Indian River Lagoon. It's put on by the Sebastian Area Historical Society and is the primary annual fundraiser for the Sebastian Fishing Museum — a preserved 1927 fish house at the north end of the park that tells the story of the commercial mullet, oyster, and clam industry that built the town.
The signature dish is a steamed clambake (clams, corn, red potatoes, andouille sausage, sometimes shrimp) served out of steel pots the size of a bathtub. It is, remarkably, the only true clambake in Florida.
When
- · Friday: 4pm–10pm (locals' night — smaller crowds, live music, sunset)
- · Saturday: 11am–10pm (main day)
- · Sunday: 11am–5pm (family day, calmer, best for kids)
Admission is typically $5 at the gate, kids under 12 free. Food, drinks, and rides are separate.
What to eat
| Dish | Notes | Ballpark |
|---|---|---|
| Steamed clambake plate | Clams, corn, potato, sausage; the signature | $18 |
| Fried clam strips | Local blue-point mix | $12 |
| Steamed shrimp bucket | Rock shrimp, peel-and-eat | $14 |
| Clam chowder | Both New England and Manhattan | $6 |
| Grilled mahi sandwich | Local catch | $14 |
| Fried oysters | Apalachicola-style | $12 |
| Conch fritters | House-made | $8 |
| Beer / wine | Local craft on tap | $6–$8 |
The move: clambake plate + chowder + a beer on the lagoon-view picnic tables at sunset Friday. That's the whole game.
The Fishing Museum (do not skip)
Admission to the museum is included in the festival gate. The Sebastian Fishing Museum is a 1927 fish house — the last surviving one on the Indian River — preserved with original ice bins, gill nets, mullet-boat models, and photos of the six generations of fishing families who worked out of it. There's a 15-minute oral-history video that alone is worth the entry.
Highlights: - Original 1920s ice-house infrastructure - Full-size restored 24-ft mullet skiff - Photo archive of the 1946 hurricane and how it reshaped the Inlet - Interactive knot-tying and net-mending demos on weekends - A working restored fish-scaling station
Live music and entertainment
Two stages, continuous music all three days — Florida country, blues, and beach-rock. The Friday night acoustic set on the smaller stage overlooking the water is the best-kept secret of the whole weekend.
For families
- · Kids' fishing pier on the north end, free (poles provided)
- · Historic boat rides on a restored 1930s work skiff — $10, 20 minutes on the lagoon
- · Face painting, sand-art, historic knot-tying
- · Petting zoo Sunday only
Parking and getting there
Riverview Park has ~200 spots, filled by noon Saturday. Free shuttle runs from the Sebastian Middle School lot (~1 mi west). From Sunrise on the River it's 12 miles south on US-1 — same drive as the January art festival. Uber is $15 one-way.
Why go
Two reasons. One: this is the last honest, community-funded, historically-tied festival in the region. No corporate sponsors, all volunteer, and the money keeps a genuinely important piece of Florida history alive. Two: it's the only clambake in Florida. Where else are you going to eat one, on the shore of the Indian River, on a 72°F November evening, with a sunset that's Instagram-photograph-of-the-year good?
Pro tips
1. Go Friday evening. Same food, quarter of the crowds, sunset over the water. 2. Bring cash. Cards work at the main food row, but the museum donation jar and side booths are cash-only. 3. Buy a raffle ticket. The historical society raffles a restored wooden fishing boat every year. Tickets $20; the boat is worth $15K. 4. Layer a light jacket for Friday night. November evenings can hit 55°F on the water. 5. Book lodging early. Vero Beach and Sebastian sell out for Clambake weekend; we hold a small inventory for direct bookers.
Combine with a big weekend
Clambake weekend usually lines up with launch season, so you can often catch a SpaceX or ULA launch Friday night after dinner, sleep it off, hit the clambake all day Saturday, and take Sunday for a slow kayak from the dock. That's a genuinely great weekend of Old Florida + modern Florida in one trip.
Related reading: annual events calendar · Grant Seafood Festival guide · Sebastian Riverfront Fine Art & Music Festival · restaurants nearby
Boat and kayak launches near the house
Tap a launch to move the map. Drive times are from Sunrise on the River in Grant-Valkaria.
US-1 at Grant, Grant-Valkaria — Closest launch to the house. One concrete lane, boarding dock, straight into the lagoon with no bridges to Sebastian Inlet.
- Drive to Grant Boat Ramp at that hour: 4 min each way (15 min to unload and rig).
- On the water about 7:19 am, back home around 9:23 am.
- Total trip: 2.4 hours.
- Best departure for flat water and light traffic: 6:00 am — the lagoon is usually glass until about 10am.
| Launch | Drive | Fee | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 min · 1.2 mi | Free | Directions | |
| 5 min · 2.0 mi | Free | Directions | |
| 6 min · 2.0 mi | Free | Directions | |
| 18 min · 11 mi | Free | Directions | |
| 22 min · 14 mi | Free | Directions | |
| 22 min · 14 mi | $4–$5 per vehicle | Directions | |
| 20 min · 12 mi | $8 per vehicle | Directions | |
| 25 min · 17 mi | Free | Directions |
Three ways to stay and paddle
Kayaks are included with every stay at Sunrise on the River, launched from our own dock on the Indian River Lagoon — no rental counter, no trailer, no drive.
Sunrise Paddle Weekend
- · Kayaks included — launch straight off the private dock
- · Paddleboard-flat water from first light to about 10am
- · Fire pit and gazebo for the evening
Lagoon & Spoil Islands Week
- · Kayaks all week, no rental fees
- · Paddle the spoil islands and the Sebastian sandbar
- · Boat ramps under 2 miles for your own trailer
Snowbird Paddle Month
- · Kayaks, dock and screened porch for the whole stay
- · Manatee season on Turkey Creek and the St. Sebastian River
- · Two dogs welcome — $100 per dog per stay
Cleaning $150, dogs $100 each per stay, no resort fees. Check live availability.
Frequently asked
When is the Sebastian Clambake Festival?
First weekend of November — Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon — at Riverview Park, Sebastian FL. Confirm exact dates each year at sebastianclambake.com.
How much is admission?
About $5 per adult at the gate, kids under 12 free. Food, drinks, and boat rides are separate.
Is the Fishing Museum open year-round?
Yes — the museum is open Thursdays–Sundays year-round. Small donation admission (usually $5). Volunteer docents run the tours.
Is the clambake really the only one in Florida?
It's the only true steamed New England-style clambake we know of in the state — clams and corn and potato in one pot, served on the shore. Other festivals do clam chowder or fried clams; nobody else does the full steamed bake.
The river, once a month
Fishing report, rocket launch dates, sandbar and manatee season, local events — plus the open dates we'd love to fill. One email a month, no spam.
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