I spent the afternoon today at the annual Manatee Festival which is held in Crystal River in Citrus County, Florida. It’s a celebration of the manatees, which are a threatened species of marine mammal. Manatees spend most of their time in the warm weather living in the coastal seas, but in the winter, when the ocean water gets colder, they come up the rivers into the springs where the water stays 72 degrees all year. The Crystal River is one of the main rivers that the manatees frequent during cooler weather (and occasionally at other times of the year as well), and the city of Crystal River, Florida has become pretty well known because of the manatees.

Manatees are related to dugongs (a marine mammal found in the oceans around Australia) and elephants. They are generally slow moving, are strictly vegetarians, and very gentle. Some people think that manatees may have inspired the legend of the mermaid. Unfortunately, because manatees are slow moving and gentle, they are often hit by boats, and many of the manatees you will see if you come to Crystal River have scars on their backs from boat propellers. In the head spring area of the river, where the manatees tend to congregate in the winter, boats are required to go at a very slow speed (this is true in many of the other rivers where they go in winter, too), but still each year there are still manatees injured and killed by boats.

The Manatee Festival provides something for just about anyone who decides to attend. There are plenty of food vendors offering all kinds of food, and there are several restaurants along the route if you prefer a sit down type meal. There are also plenty of booths with crafters and artists showing their wares. There were also two stages for musical entertainment. Different bands playing a variety of types of music play perform throughout the day. There are food and beer vendors as well as comfortable seating around the stages, so you can stop, take a break, and listen to some music. If you’ve got kids, there are bounce houses, carnival type games, and a playground. The festival only runs for one weekend, so if you live in central Florida and want some fun on Sunday, think about a trip to Crystal River. If you can’t make it this year, give it some consideration for next year’s spring activities.