FL Manatee Festival 2015

Annual Florida Manatee Festival – January 17th & 18th, 2015

“Awwwww…” is generally the response we hear when our guests have their first encounter with these gentle giants, the Florida Manatees. The Annual Florida Manatee Festival is the perfect outdoor event to watch these sweet, cuddly creatures play in the beautiful Three Sisters Springs.

The festival takes place on January 17th and 18th in the beautiful, historic downtown Crystal River, Florida, only 10 minutes drive from our award-winning Holiday Inn Express Inverness-Lecanto. There is an entry donation for adults, and children 12 and under are free! Included in your admission is a variety of live entertainment including the Annual Jimmy Buffet Sound-Alike Contest which is always a huge hit!

Three Sisters Springs is holding an open house on Saturday from 9am to 4pm. They are offering a free shuttle service from Kings Bay Plaza to the springs. Three Sisters Springs is a protected sanctuary where manatees may retreat when they feel harassed or stressed by human interaction. All water activities are prohibited in the sanctuary during the winter months. Come take a stroll on the brand-new boardwalk and watch the manatees play and interact with each other. Bring your cameras…these guys and gals love to pose!

The festival will showcase over 50 fine art exhibitors and 150 vendors. Everything from fresh, fried kettle chips to beautiful handmade jewelry will be at your fingertips! Photography, paintings, sculptures and other fine art pieces will be on display and for purchase. We invite you to support our local and visiting artists!

If you’ve always wanted a shot at viewing the majestic Florida Manatee in its natural environment but just didn’t want to get your feet wet…try out the guided boat tours! For a nominal fee, hop on and ride throughout Kings Bay in Crystal River, Florida. The bay is home to hundreds upon hundreds of Florida Manatees year round due to its warm waters.

Be sure to bring the kiddos! The festival is a great event for throwing a little bit of education into your weekend. Volunteers will be on hand with a variety of movies, trivia and fun-filled manatee games that will surely keep your little ones intrigued. In addition to manatee learning you can try your luck at the rock climbing wall! The bounce house and pony rides are sure to be instant hits as well. After the festival, the kids will definitely enjoy taking a refreshing swim in our outdoor heated pool. Our Inverness-Crystal River, Florida hotel is not only convenient to the festival location we also offer all the comforts of home to our guests…adults and kids alike!

The 27th Annual Florida Manatee Festival is the perfect event to meet Citrus County’s most celebrated inhabitants…the Florida Manatees! Book your room today at our beautiful, new Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, Inverness-Lecanto, Florida. We are approximately 10 miles from the festival venue and include a hot, delicious breakfast for our guests!