When talking about food in Jacksonville, it would be a shame to leave out shrimp.

This area is in northeastern Florida, right by the Atlantic Ocean and close to Georgia, so Southern cuisine and seafood culture blend together quite naturally.

Among these, the shrimp that Jacksonville locals proudly claim as their own is Mayport Shrimp.

Mayport is an old fishing village located northeast of Jacksonville, at the mouth of the St. Johns River where it flows into the Atlantic. Even today, fishing boats come in, and there are shops and restaurants that handle seafood, giving it a different vibe from a touristy fishing village. It feels like a real community where people go out on boats to catch shrimp.

So, the Mayport Shrimp Festival held in Jacksonville in the fall is not just an event selling a few plates of shrimp; it's a festival that showcases the local fishing culture. It's an event that promotes shrimp caught in the area while enjoying the history and seafood culture of Mayport, attracting many families.

When I go to such festivals, I always look at the food first. Since it's called a shrimp festival, the star of the show is, of course, shrimp. You can enjoy it in various ways, from freshly fried shrimp to grilled shrimp, shrimp tacos, and a variety of seafood dishes. The atmosphere is completely different from when we buy frozen shrimp at the grocery store and thaw it. Eating shrimp close to the harbor really gives you a sense of being on vacation.

Mayport shrimp is especially famous for its freshness. Since shrimp caught in this area are supplied to local restaurants and markets, you can find restaurants in Jacksonville that specifically list Mayport Shrimp on their menus.

It emphasizes that it's shrimp caught locally rather than just writing shrimp. For Jacksonville residents, it's a kind of local brand.

But a festival isn't just about eating. Local vendors come out to sell handmade crafts and souvenirs, and there are also entertainment options like music performances.

It's a typical American neighborhood festival atmosphere where you can stroll around with your kids, eat various foods, and listen to music. It's not a flashy large theme park event, but it's precisely this simple atmosphere that makes it fun to experience local life in Florida.

If you've recently moved to Jacksonville, I'd definitely recommend checking it out. Visiting such a local festival allows you to feel the vibe of Jacksonville that you might not notice while just visiting tourist spots. You'll naturally learn that it's a coastal city and that fishing culture still remains a part of the local culture.

However, the event dates, locations, and operating hours can change every year, so it's a good idea to check the schedule for that year before visiting. Outdoor events are heavily influenced by the weather, and parking can be more complicated than usual. If you're going with kids, it's easier to go in the morning or relatively early, and even in the fall, Florida can have strong sun, so it's good to bring hats and sunscreen.

Just because you miss the festival period doesn't mean you can't eat Mayport shrimp. You can enjoy a variety of seafood, including shrimp, fish, and crabs, at seafood restaurants around Mayport at any time. If the season is right, it's also fun to look for Florida seafood like stone crab or Florida spiny lobster.

And Jacksonville food isn't just about seafood. Being close to Georgia, traditional Southern foods like fried chicken, grits, cornbread, collard greens, and black-eyed peas are also common. The barbecue culture is strong, with many restaurants serving slow-cooked pork or ribs with sauce.

Still, if someone from out of town asks what they should eat when they go to Jacksonville, I would probably tell them to try Mayport shrimp first.

And if your travel dates align in the fall, be sure to stop by the Mayport Shrimp Festival. You might go for a plate of shrimp, but while checking out the harbor, listening to music, and watching people, you'll truly feel that Jacksonville is not just a big city in Florida, but an old coastal town.