Sharkapalooza at Coachman Park (Clearwater)

Sharkapalooza Inc. will stage its 2026 festival at Coachman Park in downtown Clearwater on Saturday, May 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the City of Clearwater and the event’s organizers. The free event is billed as a family-friendly day built around sharks, ocean life, art and conservation, with local artists, nonprofit groups, food vendors and educational displays scheduled to take part. Clearwater Marine Aquarium and OCEARCH are listed among the named participants. WUSF included the event in its Tampa Bay weekend roundup published on May 14. ### When does the event start, and where is it? Saturday, May 16, is the event date, and Coachman Park at 300 Cleveland St. in downtown Clearwater is the listed location on the city’s event page. The City of Clearwater says free parking is available in downtown garages, surface lots and on-street spaces, with additional parking guidance on the city’s downtown parking page. The event website and partner listings also describe the festival as a full-day waterfront gathering in Clearwater. (myclearwater.com) Visit St. Pete/Clearwater says admission is free and identifies Fuzzy Sharks as the host. ### Who is behind Sharkapalooza? Jessica Adanich founded Sharkapalooza, according to the organization’s “About” page. The site says Adanich is the artist and ocean advocate behind Fuzzy Sharks and that the event began as an effort to change how people see sharks through art and outreach. (myclearwater.com) Sharkapalooza Inc. describes itself as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and its transparency page lists EIN 41-2354248. The organization says the festival is built around four pillars — art, community, education and conservation — and that a portion of proceeds supports shark conservation efforts. (visitstpeteclearwater.com) ### What will people actually find at the park? Local artists and marine-themed works are central to the event, the City of Clearwater says. (sharkapalooza.org) The city’s listing describes Sharkapalooza as an art-driven celebration of ocean life that uses creative work to highlight sharks and marine ecosystems. The event’s own materials say attendees can expect artists, conservation organizations, educators, music, food and drinks, raffles and hands-on activities for children and adults. (sharkapalooza.org) The FAQ says participating artwork must be shark-related or ocean-related to match the event’s mission. Clearwater Marine Aquarium said it plans to bring large displays, including a megalodon replica, and to operate guided eco-boat tours from the dock at Coachman Park during the day. (myclearwater.com) The aquarium says the tours will be led by a marine biologist, last 45 minutes and cost $20 per person. Listed departure times are 11 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. ### How is conservation tied to the festival? (sharkapalooza.org) OCEARCH is Sharkapalooza’s official conservation benefactor partner, according to both the city page and the festival website. The organizers say a portion of net proceeds from merchandise sales, vendor fees, sponsorships and raffle tickets supports shark research, tracking and education. The conservation page says OCEARCH will appear on-site with interactive displays and shark science programming. (cmaquarium.org) Clearwater Marine Aquarium separately says its booth will connect visitors with local conservation programs and beach cleanup efforts. ### Is this a new event or an established one? 2022 was the year of the first official Sharkapalooza, according to the organization’s history page. The site lists earlier events in South Tampa, Clearwater and Palm Harbor before this year’s move to Coachman Park. (myclearwater.com) Coachman Park’s 2026 edition is presented as the next scheduled public event in that series. The city calendar, the official event site and partner listings all point readers to Saturday’s program and planning information for attendees. (sharkapalooza.org) ### Where can attendees check details before they go? The Sharkapalooza “Attend” page says visitors can use Eventbrite and the organization’s site for planning details, including hotels, transportation and downtown Clearwater information. (sharkapalooza.org) The City of Clearwater page carries the event time, address and parking guidance. Saturday’s program is scheduled to run until 4 p.m., while Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s final listed eco-boat tour departs at 4 p.m. from Coachman Park. (myclearwater.com) Organizers’ planning pages and the city calendar remain the main sources for last-minute logistics ahead of May 16. (cmaquarium.org) (sharkapalooza.org)