22 Responses

1. I am so excited at the thought of having the mullet festival return!! I am worried that the BIG named bands will bring another downfall. We originally began with local groups and there was no cost for access. As the bands/entertainment became bigger, cost to enter became more and even the vendor spots became too expensive. We began to see a drop with them also. Families could no longer afford to go! You need to have popular local bands for our entertainment to keep it financially possible for families to attend.

   1. They obviously refuse to listen to the locals. The Mullet Festival died because it was too pricey. If they brought it back old school, it would thrive. When you live in a touristy area, you long for local-centric activities. Just look at the brewery, it’s always packed. We want something that is ours. The tourists are always here. This rebirth of the Mullet Festival will not last.

      1. Facts

   2. My thoughts exactly!!!

   3. Agreed

2. The Mullet Festival was a right of passage for so many of us in the Panhandle. “Mostly during the day”, Family Friendly and the locals understand that at night it could get a little wild. But that was part of the aura of the Mullet Festival.
   Great, to honestly not so great LOCAL bands pulled the
   Locals in, but the foundation is the Mullet and the multiple ways it was cooked. Throw in the more traditional carnival food and drinks and it’s a good time for all lifestyles.
   Also, so many of us would use the Mullet Festival for Family Reunions.
   Sadly, I haven’t lived in Okaloosa County in over 20 years, but many a vacation was centered on coming home during the Festival.
   What I’ve seen and what I do believe turned most of us “Old School” people off is that the culture of the Mullet Festival. I say again, it was the LOCAL bands that was a draw and the low prices for FAMILIES. Instead of looking forward to coming to the Niceville area became a burden and eye sore. From the small stage to that of multi million dollar concert effect the bottom dollar. So many of the local artists would do it for nothing to very little compared to today. The big name artists absolutely can draw people in…but at what cost?
   I do believe you can’t turn back time, and it’s difficult to go back home, but the people in charge have a unique opportunity and RESPONSIBILITY to look at history and LEARN from history to make the right decisions.
   Please let this be another opportunity to to center my vacation to come back home in October.

   1. I second this statement keep it like the old days, bring in the newer ones, keep prices low! It’s about the food, families coming together, etc. A decent headliner would be nice, but not at the expense of not even being able to afford to get yourself in, most less your immediate family and the cost of food, beverages, vendor spending, etc.

3. I grew with this tradition and I’d love for my kids to get to experience it, even if they’re almost both adults.
   I just hope it’s the same Boggy Bayou vibe and prices, that’s it’s not turned into something it’s not. This is something that’s always been based for the locals, to boost the economy for the locals, to bring in new people to give them knowledge and the taste of boggy heritage and history. I can’t wait.
   I just hope it’s not the GCJ vibe. I love GCJ, I look forward to it every single year.
   But, that’s not what the Mullet Fest was nor should be.

4. Good lord. Please don’t bring the pop country people here. There’s plenty of fantastic musicians in the area that would love the opportunity to play. Me included!

5. I really enjoy the Niceville Bazaar, if the mullet festival must return, I hope it doesn’t steal the bazaar’s weekend!

6. Bring in Top Christian bands!

7. We would go to the Mullet Festival with our children more than once during the weekend. Invited the grandparents to visit Mullet Festival weekend to enjoy the area and the people. But as it became more and more commercial, it was less and less fun. And it eventually became a weekend to avoid. Take it back to its roots.

8. +1 with all comments so far.

   The best Mullet Festivals were never the ones that became the size of a state fair. Panhandle sourced bands, food, and booths.

   Went to a Niceville Craft Bazaar at the Mullet Festival site a couple years ago. With exception of having no Boggy Boys fried mullet booth, no camouflaged painted Bud truck, and no rock/country live music in the background it was basically a classic Mullet festival.

9. Please we do not want it just to be taken away and change it.

10. Another bunch of money hungry Niceville Officials ruining the real culture of this what use to be Niceville Cultural Heritage Event Festival! It’s all about Money Booze Partying! Outrageous cost at the gate! Who else is going to get caught at getting behind the scenes kickbacks??

11. The old festivals were the best! Local bands kept the price down, and they were just as good. Have to admit though, I loved bringing my own ice chest!

12. Amen to previous comments! My family moved here in 1967 when the area was not yet a tourist destination. The original Mullet Festival at White Point, was a Boggy Boys fish fry with local craftsman and entertainment. In the 1980’s, along with the “big name” entertainment, the festival assumed a carnival-like atmosphere with food trucks and crafters that followed a circuit, definitely NOT local “flavor”. Please restore the festival to its roots or don’t bring it back at all!

13. Keep it simple! Bring back the old Mullet Festival or don’t bother, I came home for the one in 2015 and I was so disappointed on what it became. The amusement rides and entrance fee were ridiculous, the entertainment was ok but I didn’t enjoy my time and I usually stay all weekend. This festival is for the locals not for out of towners. Dollars signs aren’t what matters when it comes to the Mullet Festival. I hope you consider all these comments from born and raised locals!

    1. No worries. With the business model explained in the article, it’ll be a short-lived endeavor.

14. Went to the Mullet Fest since it was down at Whitepoint, which means a very long time. We went every single year and have the most epic memories, from being young teens, young adults partying with friends, then parents, and then getting old enough to think everyone in the center looked 12. We used to see friends there we didn’t see any other time, but could count on that one weekend to catch up. When it started with $1 to go toward fireworks I supported that, as Niceville’s fireworks were one of our yearly highlights as well. When it continued to go up every year we started skipping a year here and there. As everyone above is trying to say the festival is so much bigger than a big-named band or artist. Just give us a big plate of fried mullet, cheese grits, and baked beans, let us bring our coolers or keep the beer prices reasonable, have good music playing in the background, reasonable booth prices, and all of that will equal a positive benefit/profit to all. Everyone will be happy!!!!!!!!!!!!

15. They need to only charge admin for the bands. If families want to shop the vendors it should be free or reduced. My family only wanted to visit the food trucks and crafts stands.

16. I hope Mark Wagner reads ALL the above comments and takes them to heart. The good ole days with local entertainment was fun. I remember when the festival was turned over to an entertainment company (EC Entertainment Group?), and as soon as celebrity singers/bands were brought in, the gate price kept increasing. A lot of families were most likely unable to afford to attend. As a lot of comments reflected, we have really good local entertainment. Why do you think 3rd Planet Brewing has huge crowds every weekend? While I realize we live in a “country” area, we don’t need just country singers to have good entertainment. Also, how much money would Miranda Lambert or Jellyroll cost to come to our local festival? I see a huge increase in pricing in 2025.

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