Before Gulf
Shores was the
award-winning beach resort destination that it is now, there was a time that
visitors only traveled here in the summer. Once Labor Day came and went most
businesses, in fact almost all businesses on the island, closed for the winter.
A group of locals got together over 40 years ago and decided to have a big
after-season party and the Shrimp Festival, now known as the National Shrimp
Festival, was born. Locals invited family and friends to join them at the
October party and before long more festivities were added and over time summer
guests found a reason to return to party in the fall. I guess the rest is
history as they say and now this four-day festival is one of the top rated events
in the Southeast.
This year’s National Shrimp Festival will be held October
10-13 at the public beach in
Gulf
Shores in front of The
Hangout. Our
free night special (promo code 13SF)
is a great way to save some cash to spend at the festival.
What should you bring to the National Shrimp Fest? I suggest
you bring:
Shuttle fare
Plan to “Park-N-Ride” the shuttle for $2 each way, since
fest parking is virtually non-existent. Click
here for shuttle
locations and schedule.
Your appetite
This event, now in its 42nd year, did not get the
name National Shrimp Festival sponsored by Zatarain’s
for
no reason. Rows of food booths pay tribute to this crustacean with a
variety of shrimp and other seafood dishes along with some favorite festival
foods. After all who can resist a funnel cake? Just don’t toss any leftovers to
the seagulls or you will not be popular with neighboring festival goers. If it
sounds like I speak
from experience, unfortunately I do.
You can even pop into The Hangout for a meal and some shade
in the middle of the day if you wish. Or grab your shrimp po-boy, some curly
fries and a cold drink and take a seat on the benches along the boardwalk with
a front-row view of the gulf waves and sandy shore.
The kids
The Children’s Art
Village is always popular
with the little ones for hands-on art projects and entertainment geared to
their age.
Your wallet
Admission to the festival, even the musical entertainment, is
FREE. I do, however, recommend that you bring funds for purchasing unique
treasures from some of the most talented artists and craftsmen in the region.
Over 130 arts and crafts vendors from around the country
bring their hand-crafted goods to show and sell. With business names like “Rock
Candles Rock”, “Bodacious Beads” and “Soapy Delight”, who can resist the urge
to buy?
An additional 60 artists bring their works of art to the
beach in the juried fine art section. Be sure to check out the photography,
jewelry, pottery, oils, pastels, watercolors and wood carving before these
artists close down at sunset.
The Retail Marketplace features vendors such as Diamond
Jewelers, Purdy Girl Boutique, Viper Sauce and Uncle Jesse’s Hushpuppy Maker,
along with another 50 other “stores” on the street.
A sand shovel and props
Saturday (Oct. 12) the popular, family-friendly Sand Sculpture
Contest begins at 11 a.m. and you will want to either watch on get in on the
action. So grab the bucket furnished for this event and get digging. Then you
can post your creation for all your Facebook friends to see and be jealous that
they didn’t get to go too.
Running shoes
The 10K Run begins at 8 a.m. and the 5K Run starts at 8:30
a.m. on Saturday (Oct 12) at the Orange Beach Sportsplex located 4385 William
Silvers Parkway in
Orange
Beach. Here are the
details so you can
register in advance.
Your outdoor sportsman
A brand new “Outdoor World” section of the fest will feature
boating, hunting, and outdoor recreation vendors, which will be of particular
interest to everyone who enjoys these activities.
Sunscreen, a hat and
a jacket
Sunscreen and a hat are standard gear since the Shrimp Fest
venue is along the beachfront. The suggestion of a lightweight jacket is for
the possibility of cooler evenings when the sun goes down and the party
continues. Most years the festival weather is warm, in the mid to high 80’s,
but on occasion it can be cold in the middle of October, so definitely consult
the Weather Channel when you are packing for your trip.
A folding chair
Review the
entertainment schedule
to choose either the East or West music stage and drop off your folding chair when
you first arrive. Once you’ve walked throughout the festival grounds you can
return to your ready-made seat in front of the stage. Of course with just a
little effort you can move to the other stage for more music.
Each year Thursday is known as “local’s day”, partly because
we love the local bands that play such as Lisa Christian, Elaine Petty, Willie
Sugarcapps and the Tip Tops and partly because it is less crowded so it’s a great
day to visit.
A brand new entertainment feature happens on Saturday (Oct.
12) from 10 a.m. to noon when emerging local youth talent will be showcased in
the Shrimp Fest Idol Contest.
I hope you’ll find these suggestions from a long-time
festival attendee helpful. If you have not yet reserved your condo or beach
house for Shrimp Fest weekend, I encourage you to make your plans now and get
your
free
night.
See you at the beach.
Related Articles:
The Orange Beach Fishing
Association, a group of over 100 fishing charter boats located at eight
marinas, is a good resource for both six-passenger charters and multi-passenger
fishing charters, as you plan your fall fishing trip.
Once you’ve caught your bag limit, there are lots of other
entertaining things to see and do on the island. And, of course, red snapper is part of the coastal cuisine, so be sure to check the menu at your favorite waterfront restaurant for this delicious fish cooked to perfection.
The Orange Beach Fishing
Association, a group of over 100 fishing charter boats located at eight
marinas, is a good resource for both six-passenger charters and multi-passenger
fishing charters, as you plan your fall fishing trip.
Once you’ve caught your bag limit, there are lots of other
entertaining things to see and do on the island. And, of course, red snapper is part of the coastal cuisine, so be sure to check the menu at your favorite waterfront restaurant for this delicious fish cooked to perfection.
