The Spammy Jammy.
It’s eclectic. It’s bizarre. But it is always a thrilling and awesome time.
The Spammy Jammy is one of Marco Island’s most popular community events. It introduces the summer season the only way gulf coast Floridians know how- with a big party.
This event occurs at the Little Bar Restaurant on Marco Island. Where is Marco Island? Marco Island is tucked away right along the Gulf of Mexico in Florida, right below Naples. It is the last major bastion before the gulf coast of Florida becomes almost entirely uninhabitable swampland and Everglades all the way south to the keys.
You can explore the many beaches of Marco Island during your stay. Be sure to review all the top vacation condos on Marco Island to find the right fit for your crew. You want to make sure you book it during Spammy Jammy!
History of The Little Bar Restaurant
The Little Bar Restaurant is about 40 seasons in and is a local staple. The restaurant is owned by Niki and Ray Bozicnik, a sister-brother pair who have survived the gulf coast for years. Their restaurant, the Little Bar is “the little restaurant that could.” In the eyes of many, this fun beachside escape is more than just a place to get a good beer and a sandwich. It is the beginning of the end- the one place that can offer solace in the face of troubling times ahead.
Rock Out Every June at the Spammy Jammy
The Little Bar hosts the Spammy Jammy.
So what is it?
The Spammy Jammy is an event on the last day of spring (it was June 23rd in 2018). Guests come from all over the area to usher in what many Floridians have long dreaded: the hurricane season.
The Spammy Jammy is both a celebration of the end of the season and the beginning of a new one. The event is a hurricane preparation party. Locals gather to drink, party, and celebrate island living.
What about the name?
We are still missing one key component, and that is Spam. Visitors use the previous year’s Spam to make a statue mold. The idea is to take Spam, one of the most popular hurricane food staples, and make wildly inventive and weird sculptures. The winner gets a prize, anything from a simple coupon up to a full year’s supply of Spam. Guests are also encouraged to wear pajamas (thus the jammy portion of the event). The reason for this has never been confirmed (though the rhyme certainly helps).
Guests drink, listen to music, and generally celebrate the upcoming hurricane season in the boldest and weirdest way they know how.
Hurricane Food Ideas
This event relies on Spam mostly because it is one of the best hurricane food ideas. It lasts the whole season. It is dense. And it doesn’t need to be refrigerated.
But Spam isn’t for everyone. We recommend all homeowners in the potential eye of a hurricane stock up on some hurricane food essentials.
- Spam
- Peanut butter
- Potatoes (boxed)
- Cereal
- Powdered milk
- Canned fruit
- Trail mix
- Canned beans
- Instant soup
- Bottled water
- Other canned foods like salmon, tuna, etc.
The above hurricane prep food will help you get started. It is only a short list. But with a little outside-the-box thinking, you should be well-prepared for the coming season. The crew who attend Spammy Jammy certainly is.
As silly as this event may be, it covers a rather important reality. Hurricanes are catastrophic. There is a nervous tension in the air come every June, and this is one way to help transition from the beautiful spring to the potentially troubling summer. Looking at the best non-perishable food for an emergency is only one part of preparing. While hurricanes aren’t every year along the gulf coast, any year could be the big one. Recent hurricanes, like Irma and Matthew, prove that the season always brings a potential threat.
Of course, might as well have some fun in the meantime!
We have all sorts of Marco Island pool homes you can stay at as you debate what and how you should prepare for the long haul.