Mmm, mmm, mullet! Whether you prefer fried, broiled, grilled, smoked or stewed, you can get mullet any way you like it at the annual Mullet Festival of Swansboro. The festival began in 1954, making it the oldest festival on North Carolina’s Crystal Coast. What started as a potluck-style gathering to celebrate the completion of the bridge that runs over the White Oak River is now one of the most anticipated festivals on the Crystal Coast.