Key Largo's premier seafood event, the Stone Crab & Seafood Festival, packs fresh local seafood, live music, cooking demonstrations, contests and kids' fun into a weekend of festivity Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 24-25.

Sponsored by the Key Largo Fisheries and Key Largo Merchants Association, the sixth annual event at Rowell's Marina, mile marker 104.5 bayside, is to feature artisan and vendor booths, fireworks, a car show and musical performances.

Kids' activities are planned including face painting, a magic show, a little mermaid contest, fishing workshops and piratical demonstrations.

Each year, vendors at rows of seafood booths serve up succulent stone crab claws, homemade smoked fish dip, conch fritters, chowders, tuna nachos and lobster. Also on hand are landlubber favorites like chicken, sausage, burgers and hot dogs.

Local chefs take turns manning large cooking tents, offering attendees tips on how to devise and devour favorite Keys dishes and edible samples such as crab cakes, lobster and conch ceviche, grilled oysters and coconut mahi-mahi.

As an afternoon encore, festivalgoers can compete in a popular shrimp- or Key lime pie-eating contest.

Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday with an evening fireworks display. Sunday hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and attractions include an all-day car show.

Admission is $5 per adult and free for children age 12 and under. Pets and coolers are not allowed. Event proceeds benefit Florida Keys charities.

Event information: www.fkrm.com/crabandseafood
Key Largo visitor information: www.fla-keys.com/keylargo or 800-822-1088