Port St. Joe Hosts Second Annual "Golden Scallop Contest!"

Port St. Joe has injected some additional fun into the 2024 scallop season with its second annual “Golden Scallop Contest.” For decades, locals and visitors have flocked to the shallow waters of St. Joseph Bay to search the grass beds along the bay floor to harvest scallops. This year’s scallop harvesting season runs from August 16 th through September 24 th . For the second consecutive year, Point South Marina – Port St. Joe has given swimmers and snorkelers alike something extra to search for during the annual hunt.

Six “golden scallops” have been placed in the bay as a sort of Willy Wonka-inspired treasure hunt. The six lucky scallop hunters that discover them are encouraged to bring them back to the marina where they will be rewarded with a $100 shopping spree in the marina’s outfitter shop.

“We did this for the first time last year and the community really responded to it, so bringing it back was a no-brainer” explained Preston Sutter, General Manager for Point South Marina – Port St. Joe.

“Scallop season has always been a special time here and the Golden Scallop Contest adds another fun element to, what for many families is, a cherished annual tradition.”

Point South Marina – Port St. Joe opened in 2022 after an extensive reconstruction following Hurricane Michael in 2018. The marina’s 252 dry slips, 48 wet slips and well-appointed outfitter shop have quickly become a popular gathering place for the water-loving community of Port St. Joe. “We want to be more than a place to store boats,” Sutter continued. “This a place where families and friends can come to gather and access the great waterways of our area. The Golden Scallop Contest gives us another reason to bring people together to get out on the water during scallop season, which is already such a special time of the year in Port. St. Joe.”

The Golden Scallop Contest will conclude when all six golden scallops are discovered.

Golden Scallop Contest.Photo byJoe Canto