SunWest Park in Hudson wraps up its run as a beachside festival ground this weekend, August 8–10, with the final installment of Pasco County’s 2nd Annual Scallop & Music Festival — a free, family-friendly celebration of the county’s coastal identity. The festival ran across three weekends this summer (July 24–27, August 1–3, and August 8–10), and this closing weekend is the last chance to catch it in 2026.
The festival is organized by Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources in partnership with Florida’s Sports Coast, and it’s built around the same 70-acre spring-fed lake and mile-long white sand beach that make SunWest Park a summer staple on its own. On top of that, the county adds a full slate of programming: live music and tribute acts, a beer garden, scallop-inspired coastal food, kayaking and paddleboarding, carnival attractions, and a dedicated Kid Zone with bounce houses and games. Across all three weekends the festival featured more than 25 live performances, plus the Scallop Fest Showdown semi-pro beach volleyball tournament and water ski shows on opening weekend.
Getting in is free. Parking runs $5 per vehicle, or you can use a Pasco County Parking Pass. SunWest Park is located at 17362 Old Dixie Highway in Hudson.
What last year’s inaugural festival was like
This is only the second year for the event, but the first one drew real crowds and real enthusiasm. Local news outlet Tampa Bay 28 covered the inaugural festival at SunWest Park, where county officials pitched the park itself as a hidden gem. Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano told the outlet the beach measures up against far more famous Florida sand: “Beach sand is whiter than Clearwater, whiter than Destin, Pensacola. We have facilities out here for volleyball nets, professional volleyball nets, all set up.”
Food vendors leaned into the scallop theme rather than just serving standard fair food. Keary Simms of Dre’s Island Food Services, one of the vendors at the inaugural event, described it as a chance to show off real cooking, not just concession-stand fare: “It’s great. Number one, it gives me an opportunity to showcase what I’m able to do because I’m all about the experience. It’s not just about food.” Simms said the coconut curry scallop was a hit, alongside a guava glaze scallop.
The inaugural event also tied itself to the community beyond the festival grounds — the first year’s proceeds and sponsorships benefited Steps to Recovery Inc., Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Summer Camps, and West Pasco Sertoma.
Planning your visit
Bring cash or a card for food and the beer garden, sunscreen and water shoes if you plan to get in the lake, and be ready to pay the $5 parking fee at the gate. A full schedule of bands and daily activities for the closing weekend is published by the county ahead of time.
What: 2nd Annual Pasco County Scallop & Music Festival — Final Weekend
When: August 8–10, 2026
Where: SunWest Park, 17362 Old Dixie Highway, Hudson, FL
Cost: Free admission; $5 parking or valid Pasco County Parking Pass