Looking for fun things to do in October on Destin Harbor? Our list will help you with the best things to do to enjoy this perfect month in Destin. From fishing, fireworks, festivals, and more–Destin Harbor has it all!
Destin Fishing Rodeo
Established in 1948, The Destin Fishing Rodeo is the ultimate fishing tournament for saltwater anglers of all ages. Over 30,000 anglers will compete for bragging rights and over $100,000 in cash and prizes during the entire month of October.
You can watch the public weigh-ins daily on the docks in front of AJ’s Seafood and Oyster House on Destin Harbor. Boats will pull up all throughout the day hoping to weigh in the biggest fish in that category and take the lead on the leaderboard.
For more information about the Destin Fishing Rodeo and the other fun events taking place around the weigh-ins, check out our blog post here: Destin Fishing Rodeo: Your Guide to all the Fun
Destin Seafood Festival
The Destin Seafood Festival takes place every year in early October. It’s one of the most popular events on the Emerald Coast with around 70,000 people in attendance each year. The Seafood festival features an incredible selection of fresh seafood including shrimp, lobster, grouper, crab cakes, crawfish, and samples of some of the Florida Panhandle’s signature dishes.
Vendors come from all over the southeast to participate in this event, but there are also many local Destin restaurants cooking up their best seafood dishes for the festival, including Harry T’s, AJ’s Seafood and Oyster House, and Brotulas. The 2022 Destin Seafood Festival will take place October 7-9th. Check out the festival website for more information and other events surrounding the Destin Seafood Festival weekend: Destin Seafood Festival Website
Fireworks
Summer fireworks on Destin Harbor end in early August but they come back again for a month on Saturday nights in October. Look to the sky over Destin Harbor every Saturday night this month at 9pm for a dazzling show over the water. You can see the fireworks from anywhere surrounding the harbor, including Harborwalk Village, Norriego Point, the Destin Bridge, or from the water on a fireworks cruise.
Halloween on the Harbor
Halloween is a great time to be on Destin Harbor with events taking place daily at Harborwalk Village over the weekend. There will be 3 days of Halloween fun including an orchestra performance on the main stage, a Bingo Pub Crawl, Trick-or-Treating around the Village, and a costume contest.
The costume contest will have winners in several categories of different children’s age groups, families and even a pet category. It’s a fun event to enjoy with the whole family!
Deep Sea Fishing
October is one of the best months for fishing in Destin. The weather has cooled off from summer as far as humidity, but it’s still warm and enjoyable temperatures to be out on the water. There are also less crowds in Destin in October even though it’s one of the best months to be here! For an updated guide to October events in Destin, check out this post: October in Destin: Best Events to Welcome Fall
When you book a fishing charter with Pelican Adventures during the month of October, you are automatically qualified to weigh-in at the fishing rodeo if you catch a big fish. So that’s another reason why October is one of the best months for deep sea fishing.
We hope this post helps you plan the perfect visit to Destin Harbor in October! If you are looking for other fun activities on the water, we also offer snorkeling and parasailing in addition to several options for deep sea fishing. We hope to see you soon!
600 Harbor Boulevard, Destin, FL 32541
(850) 650-3825