Pack a lobster bib, bring your appetite and head on down to Belmar this weekend for the 36th annual Seafood Festival going on at Silver Lake Park.

It's the second year in a row the festival returns to the park along Ocean Avenue. Despite a chance of rain showers, organizers tell News 12 they plan on staying open. Sunday’s weather looks even better for the more than 80 vendors from all over the East Coast in attendance. Crowds are expected to top 30,000 by the time the weekend ends.

“It’s always important. I just said this to someone the other day. This is the kickoff to the summer to me. This is the event that kicks off summer. We do a lot of events but this is the one that kind of like, ‘Lets everyone know that summer’s here,’” said Chuck Ricciardo, one of the owners of The Boiling Point in Point Pleasant Beach, who is making his second appearance as a vendor at the festival.

“It’s even better that we’re not in a parking lot and it’s just awesome and we’ve got good weather, thankfully - fingers crossed,” said Kristin Sims, of Ragin’ Cajun in Belmar.

The show runs Saturday from 11 a.m. through 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. through 6 p.m. Parking is available on the side streets and along the boardwalk but because of the large crowds folks coming to Belmar are encouraged to take NJ Transit, just a short walk across town, because of the large crowds expected.