Mark your calendars! The 16th Annual Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Arts Festival is coming up this month, on April 24-27, 2025. This event blends ocean conservation, art, science, and community fun, and it's free and open to the public! Join us for a weekend of lionfish hunting, eco-art, ocean education, and family-friendly festivities. The Lionfish Derby engages divers in a thrilling competition to remove as many invasive lionfish as possible, helping protect native marine ecosystems. Teams of 2-4 people can register online to compete in the derby at www.REEF.org/derby. Not a scuba diver? You can still make an impact! The event concludes with a Festival on Sunday, April 27, featuring music, lionfish tastings, cooking demos, marine science and activity booths, local artists and environmentally-minded vendors, raffles, and the derby award ceremony. Festival-goers can support REEF’s Invasive Species Program by sampling lionfish dip, entering the raffle, making a donation, or grabbing limited-edition derby merch. Check out all the event info at www.REEF.org/lionfishfestival. We hope to see you there!
