Crystal River, FL – The sixteenth annual Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival for local, regional, national, and international charities and non-profits is Saturday, November 4 from 12 noon until 10 p.m. in the historic, and bayside streets of charming Crystal River, Florida.

Presented each year by the Rotary Club of Crystal River, Kings Bay Charitable Foundation this ever-growing event shares 100% of Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival proceeds with area charities, 501c3’s, scholarships, and more. The proceeds donated from this one-day event for the 2022- 2023 fiscal year were $138,388.

The first Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival was held in 2008 as a Club fundraising effort to protect Three Sisters Springs lands from being developed. The proceeds of $35,000 were donated to the City of Crystal River’s efforts to purchase the land.

Today, Three Sisters Springs is a wildlife refuge for hundreds of West Indian manatees to call their winter home and an educational visitors center that teaches about these gentle creatures and how we can help maintain their environment. Other projects supported by that first Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival included improvements to Copeland Park, Kings Bay Park, and ongoing projects to remove Lyngbya from Kings Bay.

Sixteen Years of Celebrating Stone Crab Season while Helping Charities

Each year, the JAM Festival grew. Every year, thousands of attendees enjoyed “dancing in the streets” as they strolled the open-air, open-container venue with beer, seltzers, and wines while shopping for crafts, arts, and more from hundreds of vendors, and tasting a real variety of delicious foods – including, of course, stone crab claws. All while listening to six great bands playing on three separate stages throughout the venue.

The Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival celebrates the harvest season for the Florida Stone Crab. This festival offers the largest pounds/tonnage of available stone crab claws in the region.

Deciding which is your favorite part of the Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival can be tough! Tempting scents of the wonderful variety of foods and sounds of great music fill the air. Dance in the streets to six excellent bands playing a variety of music throughout Crystal River’s historic downtown and beautiful bayside. This is a full-fledged one-day street party with a Kids Zone, food trucks,150+ vendors, and more. Best of all – the proceeds go to nonprofit Citrus County organizations.

Six Great Bands on Three Stages: Dance the Day and Night Away

This fun-filled event starts at noon, and the music kicks off at 1 p.m. with The TOMMY ROXX Band – Southern Rock Tribute on Stage One, located at Citrus Ave, & Hwy 19/98 North.  The BLUES GENERATORS – Blues/Rock will be playing on Stage Two, located at the corner of NE 5^th & NE 1^st at Norton’s Grill. At the same time, GROOVE 41, a 70’s/’80’s Dance band will be entertaining the crowd on Stage Three along the waterfront at Kings Bay Park.

The second round of great bands starts at 6 p.m. with 22N bringing dance and funk music to Stage One in the historic Crystal River downtown. SOUTHERN BRANDED is playing country on Stage Two outdoors at NE 5^th & NE 1^st at Norton’s Grill. And don’t miss SYMMETRY playing their 80’s/90’s rock on Stage Three while you enjoy the view along the waterfront in Kings Bay Park.

Entrance to the “Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival” is located at 560 North Citrus Avenue in Crystal River, Florida. There is free parking at the Crystal Square Shopping Mall, located at 640 SE 8th Terrace in Crystal River. ADA-accessible shuttle buses will depart and return every 15-20 minutes, with donations appreciated.

Save Time and Money: Buy your Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival Ticket Online before October 26

Buy your tickets online in advance at www.StoneCrabJam.com. Gate admission is $15 CASH Only! Ages 12 & under are free! Save time and avoid the lines when you buy your tickets in advance. The cutoff for advanced ticket purchases is October 26, 2023, at 1 a.m. at www.StoneCrabJam.com.

Pets are not prohibited but are highly discouraged due to the expected crowd size. It can be very difficult for pets in large crowds of partygoers, and about 10,000 attended the Stone Crab Jam in 2022.

You must be 21+ to buy alcohol, and ID may be required, so be sure to bring it. ATMs are located nearby and inside the entrance gates. Be sure to bring chairs to relax while you enjoy the bands! Tables & chairs are available for eating options. Enhanced Security is throughout the JAM and at all entry gates.

An event the size of the JAM (8-10K+ attendees) wouldn’t be successful without the Rotary Club of Crystal River, Kings Bay members, committees, and hundreds of volunteers from ten area Rotary Clubs and over twenty-five local organizations. It takes thousands of hours before, during, and after each Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival to become the largest community event for charities in Citrus County!

Things to Know About the Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival

• The “Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival” is Saturday, Nov 4, 2023, from noon – 10 p.m.
• The ticket gate is located at 560 North Citrus Ave, in Crystal River, Florida.
• Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.StoneCrabJam.com
• Tickets at the gate are $15 CASH only.
• ATMs are available at the gate.
• Admission includes six bands playing on three stages: One set starts at 1 p.m. Another at 6 p.m.
• Over 150 vendors offering food, drinks, arts and crafts are set up throughout the festival.
• Bring chairs to sit and watch the bands. The only seating provided is for the food area.
• Free parking is available at Crystal Square Shopping Mall, 640 SE 9^th Terrace, Crystal River.
• Free ADA shuttles will run every 15-20 minutes throughout the festival to and from parking. Donations are appreciated.
• You MUST be 21+ to purchase beer, wine, and seltzers. ID required. No coolers allowed.
• Pets are highly discouraged from attending.
• The Stone Crab JAM™ Music Festival is put on by the Rotary Club of Crystal River, Kings Bay Charitable Foundation with the help of ten Rotary Clubs and hundreds of volunteers.
• Proceeds benefit charities throughout Citrus County, the region, Florida, and worldwide.

Kings Bay Rotary Charitable Foundation 2022-2023 Donations:

Charitable Donations $107,307

• Academy of Environmental Science
• BFF Society
• Scouts of America – Greater Tampa Bay Area
• Citrus County Abuse Shelter
• Cayla’s Coats
• Citrus County Education Foundation
• Citrus County Family Resource Center
• Citrus County Historical Society – Carver Exhibit
• Citrus United Basket
• Citrus Youth Educational Symphonic Orchestra, Inc
• Crystal River High School Baseball
• Crystal River High School Interact
• Crystal River High School NJROTC
• Daystar Life Center of Citrus County
• Dementia Education Inc
• Friends of Citrus and the Nature Coast
• George Washington Carver Center
• Lecanto Middle School FFA
• Marine Science Station
• Music in Medicine
• National Assn of Retired Law Enforcement Officers
• Nature Coast Ministries, Inc
• The Path of Citrus County
• Rotary Club of Inverness
• Rotary Club of Downtown Inverness
• Save Crystal River
• Seven Rivers Christian School
• Voices for Children of North Central Florida, Inc
• Withlacoochee Technical College Culinary Program
• Young Marines Nature Coast

Service Projects – $20,531

• CART Alzheimer’s Research
• Children’s Holiday Shopping
• Life Camp basic life skills for students
• One Bay at a Time, 3rd grade recycle education
• Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders – S4TL
• Safety Harbor Noon Rotary Club start-up
• Service Above Self – local high school scholarships
• Sherri’s Bare Essentials – clothing for students in all Citrus County Schools
• Upward Bound
• Ray Darling Memorial – recognition for students
• West Tampa Memorial American Legion Aux Unit 248 program for homeless veterans
• Withlacoochee Technical College Joe Turck memorial support for Automotive Program Service Project 6
• Citrus County Club Grants Reserve Fund for 2023-2024

International Projects – $10,550

• Rotary International – polio eradication
• Rise Against Hunger
• Guatemala Literacy Project
• Haiti Clean Water
• The Good Shepherd Foundation free medical clinic in Haiti
• Rotary Club of DeParacatu, Brazil – medical equipment