The Flora-Bama Mullet Toss 2027 runs Friday through Sunday, April 23-25, 2027, at the Flora-Bama on Perdido Key, right on the Florida-Alabama line. It costs $20 to toss a mullet (a T-shirt comes with it), daily cover starts at $10, and kids 17 and under get in free until 6 p.m. From the Flora-Bama, it’s roughly 47 miles to Splash RV Resort near Pensacola, which works out to just over an hour in the car.
Here’s the catch: rooms on the Key go fast. The Flora-Bama’s own event page puts it plainly: “Hotel bookings are done months, if not years in advance for this event.” So if you’re reading this in November, you’re right on time to lock in a place to stay.
When is the Flora-Bama Mullet Toss in 2027?
The 2027 Flora-Bama Mullet Toss is April 23-25, and the timing never really changes: the venue’s official Mullet Toss page says the tossing happens “Always on the last full weekend in April!” The 2026 edition ran April 24-26, according to the Flora-Bama’s 2026 preview post.
Each day follows the same rhythm. Kids toss first, starting at 10 a.m. At noon the adults step up and keep throwing until 4 p.m., which is when the owners and celebrities get their turn. Awards for children and adults 61+ go out daily at 2 p.m., and adult awards follow at 4:30 p.m. The Flora-Bama notes that times are subject to change, so take one more look at its page the week before you go.
What actually happens at the Mullet Toss?
You stand in a 10-foot circle in Florida and throw a dead mullet across the state line into Alabama. That’s it. That’s the event! The official rules lay out a course that’s 200 feet long, and your fish comes out of a water bucket. Gloves aren’t allowed, and neither is sand on the mullet. Step out of the circle mid-throw or sail your fish out of bounds and you’re disqualified. Once you’ve thrown, you fetch your mullet and toss it back in the bucket for the next person.
Technique is up to you. The tossers Fox 10 talked to in 2026 said it’s all about strategy, from bending the fish in half into a ball to holding it by the tail and tossing it underhanded. Want a number to chase? AFAR’s feature on the toss names Michael “Woody” Bruhn as the record holder, with a throw of 189 feet and nine inches.
The whole thing started in 1985, according to Alabama Public Radio. Flora-Bama owner Joe Gilchrist and his friend Jimmy Lewis had been at a party throwing cow chips, and they wanted to bring a similar contest to the Gulf Coast with a local fish. APR reported in 2024 that the event brings in around 30,000 people over the long weekend.
It’s for a good cause, too. On its Mullet Toss page, the Flora-Bama says it has “raised and contributed over $40,000 to local charities, especially youth organizations on both sides of the state line.” Its 2026 preview named the Community Drug & Alcohol Council (CDAC) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Escambia County and Baldwin County among the groups the money supports.
Wait, what kind of mullet are we talking about?
The fish, not the haircut. Striped mullet is a silvery coastal fish that’s common to 3 pounds, according to the state wildlife agency’s striped mullet profile. Around here it’s also a snack. Authentic Florida says smoked mullet dip is the favorite when you want “the quintessential taste” of old Florida, and it’s traditionally paired with saltine crackers.
How much are Flora-Bama Mullet Toss tickets?
There isn’t one Mullet Toss ticket. You pay a daily cover charge to get into the Flora-Bama, and then $20 more if you want to toss. Cover starts at 9 a.m. Friday through Sunday, according to the venue’s Mullet Toss FAQ.
After 6 p.m., the Flora-Bama is 21 and up. Already carry a Flora-Bama membership card? The venue says membership cards are good for entry for Mullet Toss.
Is the Mullet Toss a good trip with kids?
It can be, as long as you go early. The kids’ toss runs first thing each morning, anyone 17 and under gets in free, and the Flora-Bama gives out awards for “ALL age groups, male and female!” Plan to wrap up before 6 p.m., when the crowd switches to 21 and up. Then head back to the resort for a float on the lazy river before dinner.
Where do you park for the Mullet Toss?
Probably not at the Flora-Bama. Its Mullet Toss page warns that “Parking will be extremely limited,” asks visitors not to park at private condos or on the side of the road, and highly suggests rideshare. Escambia County backs that up in a notice on Perdido Key Drive parking: parking along the road and on private property isn’t allowed, and vehicles in the right of way may be ticketed or towed.
Traffic is the other headache. Visit Pensacola’s Mullet Toss guide warns that traffic to and from the Flora-Bama “will back up very quickly” and that there’s very little on-site parking. Our advice from 47 miles out? Leave early, carpool, and settle who’s driving home before the first round.
Where to stay for the Flora-Bama Mullet Toss
If the Key is booked solid, base yourself at Splash RV Resort, near Pensacola and roughly 47 miles from the Flora-Bama, and drive over for the day. Perdido Key’s lodging leans toward what Visit Pensacola calls “beachside resorts, condos, and hideaways,” and those go quickly, since the Flora-Bama says hotel bookings for this event happen months, if not years, in advance.
So what should you look for in a Mullet Toss home base? Space for your whole crew, a calm spot to crash when the party’s over, and plenty to do on the days you aren’t on Perdido Key. That’s our sweet spot.
Our full-hookup RV sites come with 50-amp service, and every pad and road in the park is concrete. With over 280 sites to pick from, pull-thru spots are available, and rigs up to 111 ft fit. Want to stream the highlights that night? You’ll get free high-speed WiFi at your site. Rolling in with friends? An RV site holds up to 8 guests: 4 are included, and you can add up to 4 more for $20 apiece each day. Pets are allowed in RVs, too.
No RV? All 34 of our luxury cottages have a full kitchen, and the bigger floor plans sleep up to 6 people. Our 8 Conestoga glamping wagons are heated and air-conditioned, and each one sleeps 4.
Nurses and healthcare workers, this one’s for you! The 2027 discount calendar on our specials page lists a Thank You weekend just for healthcare workers and nurses on April 23-25, the same weekend as the toss, at 50% off with the code HEALTHHERO.
Back at the resort, the fun keeps going. Float the lazy river, warm up in the heated family pool or the adults-only pool, ride the water slides, or soak in the seasonal hot tub. Mini golf is free for guests, all 18 holes of it.
How far is the Flora-Bama from Splash RV Resort?
The Flora-Bama is about 47 miles from Splash RV Resort, roughly 67 minutes in normal traffic, and the trip starts with a run west on I-10 toward Pensacola. Here’s how the rest of the area stacks up from our gate.
Those are clear-road estimates, so give Perdido Key Drive some extra time on toss weekend.
What else is there to do near Perdido Key that weekend?
Plenty, because most of the island is protected. The Perdido Key Area Chamber of Commerce says more than 60 percent of the Key is preserved for public use.
- Johnson Beach: For Johnson Beach, part of Gulf Islands National Seashore’s Perdido Key Area, the Park Service lists beach crossovers, a small boat launch, restrooms at the day-use pavilions and an accessible nature trail on a boardwalk. From March through October it opens at 5 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m. The park also warns it can close once it hits capacity between April and September, so get there early. A vehicle pass is $25 for 1-7 days.
- Perdido Key State Park: Swimming, fishing, picnicking and wildlife viewing, per Visit Pensacola, and parking is $3 per vehicle.
- Church in a bar: On Sunday, the Flora-Bama holds worship services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. under the Tent with live music, and the venue says everyone is welcome to join.
- Crawfish season: In 2026, the Pensacola Crawfish Festival fell on the same April 24-26 weekend as the toss. Its 2027 dates haven’t been announced yet, so keep an eye out.
What’s the weather like for the Mullet Toss?
Late April is warm without being sticky. NOAA’s monthly normals for the airport station in Pensacola put the average April high at 77.6°F and the average low at 59.0°F, with 5.52 inches of rain for the month. The Gulf averages about 70°F in April, according to seatemperature.info. Pack sunscreen for the beach, a light layer for the evening and a rain jacket, just in case.
Can’t wait until spring? Snowbirds wintering with us can ring in 2027 at the Flora-Bama’s Polar Bear Dip, a dip in the Gulf at high noon on New Year’s Day. From November through February, monthly RV stays start at $1,299 for our standard back-in sites (details are on our snowbird page), and you’ll set up a monthly stay with our staff directly, since those aren’t booked online.
Frequently asked questions
The 2027 Mullet Toss is Friday through Sunday, April 23-25, 2027. The Flora-Bama always holds it on the last full weekend in April.
It’s $20 to toss, and every tosser gets a commemorative T-shirt. That’s on top of the daily cover charge, which is $10 for anyone 21 and up.
Yes. Kids 17 and under get in free, there’s a kids’ toss every morning, and all ages are welcome until 6 p.m.
Very little. The Flora-Bama warns that parking will be extremely limited and suggests rideshare, and parking along Perdido Key Drive isn’t allowed.
The Flora-Bama is about 22 miles from downtown Pensacola, or roughly 40 minutes by car. Starting at Splash, figure on just over an hour.
Yes. About an hour away, Splash RV Resort near Pensacola has full-hookup RV sites on concrete pads, plus heated pools, slides and a lazy river.
Ready to book your Mullet Toss weekend?
The Flora-Bama is roughly 47 miles and just over an hour from our front gate near Pensacola, which means you can toss a fish into Alabama on Saturday and float our lazy river on Sunday. Whether you’d rather sleep in your own rig, a cottage or a covered wagon, see what’s open through our online reservations page. After a long day of flying fish, we know you’re gonna love coming home to this place!