Plan a visit to Coastal Alabama in the Fall for the Annual National Shrimp Festival to experience the 6 items mentioned below and so much more!
Every October, the Annual National Shrimp Festival takes over the streets of Gulf Shores, Alabama for a long weekend of live music, delicious food, and arts & crafts. Hundreds of thousands gather to celebrate our favorite crustacean, and these are 6 of the things you must do while you’re at the big event!
The Annual National Shrimp Festival
Grab a Souvenir… and Talk to the Vendors
The Annual National Shrimp Festival has been serving up smiles and delicious seafood for nearly five decades, and some of the vendors have been attending almost since its inception! With over 300 arts and crafts and retail vendors to choose from, you’re sure to find something to wear, hang on your walls back home, or give as a Christmas gift. But one of our favorite parts is talking to the retailers selling you those coveted wares. Each has a story to tell, whether it’s how they started their craft or of Shrimp Festivals of the past.
Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama
Eat Shrimp Beachfront
It’s the Annual National SHRIMP Festival, after all. Lining the boardwalk of the Gulf Shores public beach, you’ll find a seemingly endless line of vendors serving up shrimp every imaginable way. Fried, grilled, blackened, in a taco, on a sandwich…it’s all there. Pick your pleasure, then grab a bench overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Lunch with a view doesn’t get better!
Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama
Eat Classic Festival Food
There’s no shortage of iconic festival cuisine at the Shrimp Fest. You’ll find kettle corn, fresh squeezed lemonade, and funnel cakes galore. But our favorite must-have is the Cajun Pistol. Shrimp, crabmeat, or crawfish are stuffed inside a roll with lots of cheese and then fried to a glorious golden brown, and it’s a bite you won’t forget!
Catch Live Music
If the festival is open, then so is the stage! Well, stages. There are 3 of them, and you’ll catch live music all day and night long! Bring a blanket, towel, or your tailgating chairs and relax during the day, or belly up to the stage and dance the night away.
Bring the Kids
The Children’s Activity Village is the place to be if you’re a kid! With opportunities to create their own art, watch a show, or participate in fun games, there’s plenty of entertainment for the little ones in your group.
Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama
Stop by Nearby Restaurants
While you’re in town, don’t forget to visit the local spots who serve up fresh Alabama Gulf seafood year round. Within walking distance of the festival, you’ll find The Hangout, Pink Pony Pub, Shrimp Basket, Bahama Bob's and more! Grab a seat in the air conditioning and a cold beverage of your choice.
The Shrimp Festival is always held the second full weekend in October (it starts on Thursday and runs through Sunday.) Make plans to join us for some fun good family fun on the Alabama Gulf Coast!