Shrimp Fest in Gulf Shores is one of the most popular annual events on Alabama’s Gulf Coast This year, the 51st Annual National Shrimp Festival will take place October 10-13, 2023 in Gulf Shores. If you’re wondering when exactly Shrimp Fest is happening, mark your calendars for those dates! Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about this delicious festival
Overview of Shrimp Fest
Shrimp Fest celebrates fresh Gulf shrimp and all the delicious ways to enjoy this local delicacy. The festival features shrimp prepared fried, boiled, steamed, and more along with other seafood dishes and classic fair foods. In addition to food, Shrimp Fest has live music, arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities, contests, races, and more family fun spanning four days.
Shrimp Fest attracts around 250,000 attendees each year. It’s hosted by the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber and run by dedicated volunteers from the community The festival takes place right on the beach along Highway 59 at the intersection with East Beach Boulevard in Gulf Shores
When is Shrimp Fest in 2023?
In 2023, Shrimp Fest will take place from October 10-13. The festival hours are:
- Thursday, Oct. 12: 10am – 10pm
- Friday, Oct. 13: 10am – 10pm
- Saturday, Oct. 14: 10am – 10pm
- Sunday, Oct. 15: 10am – 5pm
Mark those dates on your calendar if you want to attend the 51st Annual Shrimp Fest in Gulf Shores! Make lodging reservations early, as hotels book up fast.
What to Expect at Shrimp Fest
A trip to Shrimp Fest is like a big beach party revolving around delicious Gulf seafood. Here are some of the highlights of the festival:
Food
- Fresh wild Gulf shrimp prepared in endless ways – fried, boiled, blackened, steamed, in gumbo – you name it!
- Seafood dishes like crab cakes, conch fritters, crawfish, lobster, oysters, and more
- Classic fair foods like burgers, hot dogs, funnel cakes, and kettle corn
- 50+ food vendors, many local restaurants and brands
Music
- Live music continuously on two stages for 100+ hours
- Genres include country, rock, jazz, blues, funk, and more
- Regional and local bands alongside national acts
Activities
- 150+ arts and crafts vendor booths
- Sand sculpture contest with cash prizes
- Children’s Activity Village with games, face painting, rides, bubble truck, and more
- 5K and 10K road races on the beach
Entertainment
- Contest and giveaways hosted on entertainment stages
- Spectacular fireworks shows on Friday and Saturday nights
Getting to Shrimp Fest
Shrimp Fest takes place right on the beach in Gulf Shores, where Highway 59 meets East Beach Boulevard.
Parking is available at various locations around town. Shuttles run to and from the festival entrance for $5 per day.
Road closures to be aware of:
- Highway 59 closed at 1st Ave starting Tuesday of Shrimp Fest week
- Highway 182 (Beach Blvd) closed in front of festival site starting Tuesday
- Recommend using Highway 180 or State Park Rd as alternate eastbound routes
Lodging for Shrimp Fest
Hotel rooms, vacation rentals, campsites, and more lodging options book up early for Shrimp Fest. Reserve your Gulf Shores/Orange Beach accommodations as far in advance as possible. Look for places near the festival site on East Beach Blvd for easiest access.
Make this the year you don’t miss out on the delicious fun at the 51st Annual National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, October 10-13, 2023!
Transportation Information Road Closures & Detours
- On Monday, October 9, the West Gulf Place parking lot will be closed to the public so that tents and food vendors can be set up.
- From Tuesday, October 10, Highway 59 at 1st Avenue will be closed.
- From Tuesday, October 10, Highway 182 (Gulf Beach Boulevard) will be closed to all traffic between East 1st Street and West 3rd Street, right in front of Gulf Place Public Beach.
- Starting Thursday, October 12, East Gulf Place (Resident Parking Lot) will not be open to the public. Instead, it will be used for parking for vendors and as a shuttle stop.
- People going east toward Orange Beach might want to use Highway 180 East or State Park Road Highway 135 instead.
Shuttle Information
There will be a Park and Ride Shuttle Service available to those attending the Shrimp Festival. Transportation Wristbands for the shuttle will be available for $5. 00 per day. Wristbands entitle the holder to unlimited rides to and from the festival grounds on the day of purchase. Per state law, children under the age of 5 are not allowed on the shuttle buses. All the money made from the shuttle service goes to the Dolphin Athletic Club and Band Booster Club at Gulf Shores City Schools. Shuttle Schedule.
- Thursday, October 12: 1:30 pm – 10:15 pm
- Friday, October 13: 9:45 am – 10:15 pm
- Saturday, October 14: 9:45 am – 10:15 pm
- Sunday, October 15: 9:45 am – 5:15 pm
Shuttle Stops/Parking Locations
- Pelican Place at Craft Farms Shopping Center in Gulf Shores
- Erie H. 1930 W 2nd Street, Gulf Shores is the address of the Meyer Civic Center.
- Waves Grocery in Gulf Shores is located at 1154 West Beach Blvd, Gulf Shores.
- Goes to the Orange Beach grocery store at 25405 Perdido Beach Blvd., Orange Beach.
- Lake Shelby in Gulf State Park: 20115 AL-135, Gulf Shores
The drop-off location for the East Shuttle will be at the East Gulf Place Public Beach Access. The corner of West 2nd Street and West Beach Boulevard will be where the North/West Shuttle drops people off. Find Your Perfect Place to Stay.
The Annual Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores Alabama
Enjoy fresh seafood straight from the Gulf of Mexico at the annual Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Fresh and tasty seafood, local art, live music, and more are all part of the National Shrimp Festival, which celebrates the best of coastal Alabama. National Annual Shrimp Festival, Gulf Shores.
At the Annual National Shrimp Festival, which takes place over four days in October and draws over 300,000 people, you can eat seafood straight from the Gulf. The festival plays host to musical entertainment featuring a lineup of national, regional and local acts. Beach Crafters of Alabama’s Coast: Beers, Bites, and Beautiful Art Gulf Shores Sunset Cruises
in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
Mark your calendars for the 51st Annual Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores on October 10-13. Check back soon for more information on live music, vendors, and childrens activities for the 2024 Shrimp Festival. Fifty local and regional vendors selling crab cakes, conch fritters, lobster, Cajun pistols, and other tasty foods will be at this festival that is all about food. Here, you can eat fresh Gulf shrimp boiled, fried, steamed, or pretty much any other way you can think of. The events highlight is, of course, the shrimp, but there is much more to enjoy!.
Secure accommodations for this years festival by booking a place to stay directly on our lodging page!
The 51st Annual National Shrimp Festival will be held on the beaches of Alabama from October 10–13. Watch now to get a sneak peek at the 50th Annual Shrimp Festival.
Interested in becoming a vendor for the 2024 Shrimp Festival? Please visit the Shrimp Fest site, for further questions and information on becoming a vendor during the festival.
Get ready to dance in the sand to more than 100 hours of musical entertainment featuring a lineup of national, regional, and local acts. There will be musical acts to please all ears, with two stages offering non-stop music for four days. You’ll tap your feet to blues, Motown, classic rock, jazz, country, and even more styles of music.
Art lovers can peruse arts and crafts at more than 150 booths. From paintings and pottery to jewelry, you’ll discover fine art and unique crafts from local creators. That person who is hard to buy for will love it here, and you can also get something nice for yourself. In the Children’s Activity Village, kids can do a lot of different things, such as face painting, using the bubble truck, getting airbrush tattoos, and more.
Remember to enter the sand sculpture contest with your family every year! On Saturday, teams will go to the sand to see who can make the best sculpture. The winners of each category will win cash prizes and, of course, bragging rights!.
Lace up your running shoes and plan on joining runners and walkers at the starting line of the two races. Participants can enter the 10K and 5K races to help work off some of the great food at the festival. All net proceeds of the Run will be donated to Coastal Baldwin Education Enrichment, benefiting the local Gulf Shores and Orange Beach public schools.
50th Annual Gulf Shores Shrimp Festival 2023 #shrimpfestival #gulfshores #orangebeach
When is the Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores?
Mark your calendars for the 51st Annual Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores on October 10-13. Check back soon for more information on live music, vendors, and children’s activities for the 2024 Shrimp Festival.
Where is the National Shrimp Festival in Alabama?
Gulf Shores Public Beach & Gulf Place Town Green 101 E Beach Blvd., Gulf Shores, Alabama 36542 Savor fresh from the Gulf seafood at the Annual National Shrimp Festival during this four-day event that attracts over 300,000 people.
When is the 50th annual Shrimp Festival?
The 50 th Annual Shrimp Festival is Oct. 12 – Oct. 15 at 101 Gulf Shores Pkwy. The event is free to the public and is run by the help of volunteers. For more information on the festival, visit the 50th Annual National Shrimp Festival website. Hannah Holcombe is a student intern at the Alabama Public Radio newsroom.
What’s happening at the 2024 Shrimp Festival?
Check back soon for more information on live music, vendors, and children’s activities for the 2024 Shrimp Festival. This food-focused festival features 50 local and regional vendors serving crab cakes, conch fritters, lobster, Cajun pistols and many other types of delicious food.