Future of seafood festival uncertain

A long ribbon of new sidewalks will soon stretch down the side of Clark Street near U.S. 19, yet another community project courtesy of proceeds from the annual Hudson Seafest.

But the direction of the community seafood festival appears much less certain.

Seafest was scrubbed entirely in 2008 as the recession grabbed the economy by the throat and sponsors withdrew.

Seafest was resurrected this year, its 25th anniversary, but as a single-day event. The location switched to the Rotary Pavilion on State Road 52 instead of grounds of the USA Fleamarket. The smaller site did not allow for a carnival this time. But the event has pulled up stakes at least five times during the past quarter century.

The 2009 edition of Seafest, long a fixture in early November, had to be pushed back to Oct. 24 because of scheduling conflicts this time around.

Now Seafest board members must decide if the event will return to the three-day format in 2010. The Seafest Web site shows Nov. 5, 6 and 7 as the dates next year, but no decision was reached at a November meeting, according to board member Denise Isaacson.

"We are talking about doing some smaller events throughout the year," Isaacson said. The board is scheduled to meet Dec. 17.

The sidewalk project under construction this week demonstrates the tangible benefits from the Seafest for the community. A Seafest-themed Fish the Fest fishing tournament on Nov. 7 seemed to go over big as well.

The approximately 500 feet of sidewalk being installed along Clark Street will cost about $12,000, according to Al Meyer, a long-time Seafest director. Ray Bammann and Daryl Harmon with D&D Grading in Hudson were among workers at the construction site this week.

Landscaping with palm trees and street lights are among the various other projects paid from Seafest proceeds.