The 54th edition of Swansboro’s Mullet Festival got off to a soggy start on Saturday with dreary weather ruling the day. Even Saturday’s night events had to be canceled. Improved weather conditions greeted festival attendees on Sunday.

No – We Don’t Pay Homage to a Bad 80’s Haircut!

For my faithful readers who are not from around North Carolina’s Crystal Coast communities, no the folks in Swansboro, NC do not pay homage to the 1980’s “mullet” haircut with an annual festival. A “mullet” is a fish.

Stop Moving and You’ll be FRIED!

By 10:00am many of the food vendors had fired up the grease in preparations for doling out massive quantities of fried funnel cakes, fried blooming onions, french fried potatoes and fried fish (mullet and whiting). Please pass the fried okra. Where is my Lipitor? :>)

Where’s the Mullet Stew at the Mullet Festival?

Boy, this event was screaming for something unique and different to eat. I kept expecting to find something new at this year’s  event. Why hadn’t the menu expanded to include maybe a “Cajun Mullet Sandwich” or maybe a “Grilled Mullet Fillet”, or how about a “Mullet Stew”. Now that would have been sumptuous for Saturday’s dreary weather.

The Mullet is the Rodney Dangerfield of Fish

Obviously, the poor Mullet just doesn’t get the respect it use to (if it ever received any respect at all  – although they do host a festival in its honor!). Could it be that the Mullet as a “delectable delicacy” really is overrated? Obviously those frying up the Mullets thought so. The Swansboro Rotary Club even offended the Mullet by offering a “whiting” fish plate as an alternative to the poor Mullet. Me thinks the Mullet is the Rodney Dangerfield of fried fish.

Interesting Blend of Vendors at the Mullet Festival

I did enjoy the bar-b-que sandwich and a plate of fried fish. Later in the day as temperatures began to rise the big hit was the Hawaiian shave ice. Even the vendor was from Oahu and I noted he used the same shave ice machine the local Hawaiians used to make shave ice on the island of Maui. There were ample things to do for the children and the assortment of craft vendors made the festival interesting. Pam even purchased gifts for the children and grandchildren. Of course, we had to buy a couple of Mullet Festival tee-shirts to celebrate the occasion.

What’s Your Mullet Festival Favorite?

Be sure to leave your comment. I would love to read your Mullet Festival favorites.

Until my next post,

Bobby