Blessing of the Fleet event celebrating local shrimpers this weekend

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – Mount Pleasant shrimp and fishing boats will be on full display on Sunday for the annual Blessing of the Fleet and Seafood Festival at Memorial Waterfront Park.

“It’s neat to see all of the people see us but we also want to show them the prettiest boats and we want to get the boats all ready so they can see how much we appreciate what they do for us,” said Captain Rocky Magwood, who serves as the president of the South Carolina Shrimper’s Association.

All eyes will be on the boats as they parade through the water before they’re blessed by pastors as part of the beloved tradition.

“And they literally say a blessing for the fleet and then over here in the park we have a big seafood festival, and we want everybody to get used to enjoying local seafood, asking for local shrimp, and supporting our local fleet,” said Mount Pleasant Mayor Will Haynie.

Magwood spends long hours on his boat, Magwood’s Pride, and said he brings back an average of 500 pounds of shrimp daily. His family has been supplying fresh-caught shrimp to area restaurants and stores for four generations now, but in recent years, they’ve had to go up against cheaply priced imported shrimp.

“We’re fighting a big thing with the imports and the price of shrimp and the decline of you know, our help. People wanting to come and work on the boats with us cause the money’s not there that used to be there,” the captain shared.

However, Magwood isn’t losing hope.

“People are wanting to buy local. They’re seeing that, you know, there’s a need for local shrimp. And yes, we can’t supply all of the shrimp in the U.S., but we would like a fair chance because we can supply a lot,” Magwood told News 2.

The festival kicks off at 11 a.m. and will include live music, dancing, seafood, an art show, and other activities. Parking will not be available onsite. Shuttles will be provided from multiple locations .

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