Have You Had Enough Lobster for the Season?

With the amount of lobsters rolled out during the three lobster festivals at the opening of the season I wondered if there was going to be enough for the rest of the season. Yes, the three giant lobster festivals of Belize have concluded, but that does not mean that it is the end of lobster in your plate!

It’s no doubt that lobsters are in abundance; the season closes for only a few months to let the lobsters reproduce and grow. From June 14 to February 14 we all can enjoy the savory and juicy taste of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster. There are so many way to enjoy and I did not miss out on the opportunity and attended two out of the three festivals this year.

The lobster feasting started in San Pedro on June 15th – 24th, Placencia hosted its 15th Annual Placencia Lobster Festival from June 22nd – 24th and the 17th Annual Caye Caulker Lobster Festival started on June 29th and concluded on July 1st.

I missed out on Placencia’s lobster fest because it was the same weekend as the one here in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. I was called out for the hard job to judge the lobster cooking competition. Dish after lobster dish I sampled some of the best lobster creations from some of the very best restaurants in San Pedro. How could I say no to that?

Dorian Nunez judging lobster dishes for Best Lobster Dish competition

The Lobster Festivals are celebrated in Belize to announce the opening of Lobster Season and it’s a perfect opportunity taste lobster just about any way you like it, whether it is simply grilled, stewed, in a ceviche, a ravioli or sushi.

The three festivals were uniquely different in their offerings. San Pedro was ambitious and offered a record-breaking 10 event-filled days with a special “Lobster Crawl 2012 Passport” opportunity. This granted one lucky participant an all-inclusive trip for San Pedro Lobster Festival 2013! San Pedro celebrates the culinary aspect of the lobster season with one big bash that has everybody celebrating like LobSTARS! It’s gotten international recognition from Frommer’s guide books! How cool is that!

A highlight of the 15th Annual Placencia Lobster Festival was that this year; it coincided with the 50th Anniversary of the Placencia Fishermen’s Cooperative. And at Caye Caulker’s 17th Annual Festival, Sylvia Marie was crowned Miss Lobster Fest 2012-2013. It was one huge beach party at Caye Caulker and the lure of the beach, sun, sea and lobster can’t be beat.

With the success of this year’s festivals, both locals and visitors can look forward to expect an even more festive Lobster Season in 2013. There’s plenty of lobsters out there, so you still have time to come and enjoy a couple, three or four lobster dishes while enjoying the beauty of San Pedro, Caye Caulker or Placencia; all unique in their own special way.