This Island in Belize Is Home to One of the World’s Greatest Lobster Festivals 

In San Pedro, July doesn’t start with fireworks—it starts with lobster. The 2025 edition of the San Pedro Lobster Festival officially kicks off on July 1, ushering in nearly two weeks of crustacean-fueled celebration across the island of Ambergris Caye. It’s a now-iconic festival on the Belize calendar, one that brings together locals, travelers, chefs, and bartenders for a singular Caribbean experience.

It begins with the Lobster Crawl, a daily series of parties and pop-up menus at restaurants and bars across San Pedro. Each day, a different venue offers its own spin on the lobster celebration—from grilled tails to ceviche to lobster-infused cocktails—all part of a passport-style event that encourages visitors to collect stamps as they eat and drink their way across town. It’s festive, it’s delicious, and it’s one of the most immersive ways to experience island culture.

From July 1–12, the town of San Pedro comes alive with Lobster Fest, a weeklong celebration filled with chef pop-ups, beach parties, and a lively street fair featuring food stalls, live music, and community-wide festivities. Guests can graze their way through lobster-themed specials at dozens of local bars and restaurants, each offering their own spin on this island favorite.

Staying at Alaia Belize gives guests both proximity and peace, just a short walk or golf cart ride from the heart of the festivities. And for added convenience, Alaia’s concierge team is available to assist with transportation, local recommendations, and event planning to help guests make the most of their time at the festival.

But everything leads to the main event: the Block Party.

Scheduled for July 12 on Tarpon Street, the Block Party is the crescendo—an open-air festival with live music, dancing, a grand prize raffle, and, of course, more lobster than you thought possible. It’s loud, it’s joyful, and it’s pure San Pedro: barefoot dancing on hot pavement, steel drums echoing over the water, the scent of fire-grilled lobster in the air.

There’s a certain energy to San Pedro during Lobster Fest. It’s the kind of energy that starts in the kitchen and spills out into the street. It’s chefs showing off their best tail creations, bartenders competing for the perfect pairing, and revelers from all over the world leaning into the rhythm of the island.

And this year, that rhythm returns from July 1 through 12.

Whether you’re here for the food, the music, the people—or all three—Lobster Fest is a reminder of what this island does best: turning the everyday into celebration, and celebration into memory.