Little Village Conch Shell Festival Returns to Historic St. Andrews September 19 |
Live music, conch shell blowing, island-inspired food and family fun come together for one of St. Andrews’ quirkiest coastal celebrations. |
Historic St. Andrews will be sounding a little more tropical on Saturday, September 19, when the Little Village Conch Shell Festival 2026 returns to Panama City for its fifth year.
The all-day celebration runs from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Little Village, 2808 W. 12th Street in Panama City, bringing together live local music, food, children’s activities and, of course, plenty of conch shell blowing. The festival is held in honor of Cap’n Scuba and celebrates the fun, laid-back coastal community that has long defined Little Village and St. Andrews.
The Cap’n Scuba Memorial Conch Shell Blowing Contest
The centerpiece of the festival is the Cap’n Scuba Memorial Conch Shell Blowing Contest, scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
The contest is open to all ages, giving festivalgoers the chance to put their conch-blowing skills to the test for prizes and bragging rights. For anyone who has never tried blowing a conch shell before, organizers are also planning on-the-spot conch shell blowing lessons during the event.
Adding to the festival tradition will be the return of the Queen of Conch and Conch Princess, helping give the event the kind of playful personality that fits right in with Little Village.
Live Music Throughout the Day
Music is a big part of the festival, with two local acts scheduled to perform beneath Little Village's Palapa.
Jeffery Bouet & The Barefoot Gimlets will perform from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., providing the afternoon soundtrack leading into the conch shell contest.
Later in the day, Nothing Short of Pure takes the stage from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for the festival’s sunset jam. The Panama City group is associated with a mix of reggae, indie rock and ska, making it a natural fit for the waterfront island atmosphere.
Food from FINNS and Activities for the Kids
Festivalgoers should plan to arrive hungry. FINNS Island Style Grub, located at Little Village, is preparing special Conch Festival food offerings created specifically for the celebration. Organizers describe the menu as featuring tropical and island-inspired flavors that won't normally be available on an everyday visit.
FINNS and Little Village have long shared the waterfront property.Little Village describes itself as a place to shop, snack, listen and relax, offering fair-trade goods, locally made art, live music and food from FINNS Island Style Grub.
Families will also find something for younger festivalgoers. Panama City arts organization Floriopolis will host kids' arts and crafts during the day.
The event is also promoted as pet-friendly, so four-legged family members are welcome to join the celebration. Little Village itself is listed as a family-friendly and pet-friendly destination with outdoor dining and live entertainment.
A Celebration That Fits St. Andrews
One of the things that makes the Conch Shell Festival stand out is its location. Little Village sits along the water in Historic St. Andrews, surrounded by trees, decks and the relaxed atmosphere for which the neighborhood is known.
Rather than feeling like a traditional large festival, this one embraces the personality of the venue: local musicians, creative activities, island food and a crowd gathered around the waterfront to see who can make the loudest sound from a conch shell.
Little Village Conch Shell Festival 2026
Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026 Address: 2808 W. 12th St., Panama City, FL 32401
Also: Kids' arts and crafts, conch shell lessons, Queen of Conch & Conch Princess, and FINNS festival food specials.
For Bay County residents looking for something a little different to do on a September Saturday, the Little Village Conch Shell Festival offers a distinctly St. Andrews combination of music, food, family fun and coastal character.
|
Spotlight Sponsor |
FINTITAN |
| ★★★★★ |
FICA Tax Tip Credits for Restaurant Owners |
|
|
📺 Panama City Spotlight YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@PanamaCitySpotlight
🎬 YouTube Playlists https://www.youtube.com/@PanamaCitySpotlight/playlists
👍 Like and Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PanamaCitySpotlight
👥 Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PanamaCitySpotlight
🍴 Panhandle Fork - Like and Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PanhandleFork
🍴 Panhandle Fork - Join our Facebook Group: |
50 Comments
Join the conversation
Great place to catch up with folks from the neighborhood. See ya Saturday!
Gonna try the conch this time, even if it sounds like a dying goose
Decks, trees, live ska… my perfect afternoon
Rain or shine? Anyone know?
Would love to see more food vendors, just saying!
Never been but this sounds too fun to skip. Might bring my mom.
Hope Jeffery Bouet plays that beach song again!
never been, might check it out for the food and music
love that Floriopolis will be there, they always have cool crafts
Finally something to do here that's not the beach or the mall
Is anyone else bringing their dog? Hope there’s water bowls out!
Been coming five years now, gets better every time.
Our kids look forward to the crafts every year! Thank you Floriopolis.
looks like a real community party, not just another festival
Glad it's all ages! My teens and my mom will both enjoy
Love seeing all the fair-trade goods at Little Village. Always something unique.
Do I need to sign up early for the conch contest or just show up?
Kinda pricey for food last time but the music makes up for it.
rain or shine event? Florida weather can be wild
saw last year's contest, some folks can really blast that conch!
St. Andrews really knows how to throw a chill party. Just good vibes.
Wish I could hit that conch note like Cap'n Scuba used to!
bring your own lawn chairs, trust me on that
Love that Floriopolis is bringing crafts for the kids. Our little ones always love it.
Hope they got enough parking this time! Last year was wild.
Can’t beat live music by the water. Hoping for some good weather.
First I’ve heard of Nothing Short of Pure. Are they good live?
Pet friendly is a big YES from me. See yall there with my pup.
Glad FINNS is doing a special menu, always love their tacos.
Queen of Conch always cracks me up every year lol
never tried a conch shell before, might have to learn this year.
conch shell contest is the best part, hands down.
fun for the whole family!
seen Barefoot Gimlets last year, they're really good
We always stop by Little Village for gifts, glad they're local art vendors again
reggae and ska on the waterfront is perfect
will there be vegetarian options at FINNS this year?
conch shell lessons? Finally someone will teach me
wish they had more parking down there, always crowded
palapa keeps everybody cool, love how shady it is at Little Village
9pm is a bit late for kids but daytime looks good
cap'n scuba was a legend, miss seeing him around
does it cost to enter the contest? Or just show up?
arts and crafts for kiddos is a great idea, hope there's painting
queen of conch sounds fun, wonder who will win
nothing short of pure is awesome live, good vibes all day
happy to see pets are welcome! Coming with my dog
never tried blowing a conch shell but maybe this is my year lol
FINNS is the best spot for fish tacos, can't wait for the special menu
conch contest is always fun, my kids love it