National Shrimp Festival - Gulf Shores, AL - a tribute to seafood

The National Shrimp Festival is held annually on Gulf Shore, Alabama's beaches during the second weekend of October. The festival is designed to point out all of the positive aspects that the area has to offer such as its natural beauty and abundance of seafood. The festival lasts for four days and offers a wide range of options for those visiting the area.

There are over three hundred vendors offering arts and crafts, fine art, a retail market place and shrimp at the festival each year. Committee members and the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce produce the festival through year round efforts. The festival's goal is to promote Gulf Shores and the area that surrounds it with the festival and the seafood emphasis. The vendors give visitors an idea of what they can get not only in Gulf Shores but the surrounding area as well.

The festival has been in existence for 39 years and continues to please attendees with the quality and variety of options available to them. The Children's Activity Village at the festival gives children the chance to participate in activities that include making their own art. With the chance for the kids to have specific entertainment in addition to all of the other activities and opportunities available the National Shrimp Festival is ideal for the entire family.

There is no charge for admission to the festival. Throughout the National Shrimp Festival the exhibits open and there is live entertainment from ten in the morning until ten at night. There is also an activity village for children that opens at ten in the morning and closes at five in the evening. At two in the afternoon on the third day the contest for sand sculptures begins and lasts until four in the afternoon. There is shuttle bus service available each day of the festival.

There are some local ordinances and guidelines that must be followed by those attending the festival. There may not be any exhibitors or vendors that have not been authorized. Sound producing or amplification devices must be authorized. There cannot be any written material including signs that have not been authorized. There are no pamphleteering or animals allowed at the festival.

The National Shrimp Festival also forbids glass containers and personal coolers. Those attending the festival are asked not to impede or block the walkways with any device including bicycles, roller blades or skateboards. There are a number of souvenirs available at the festival that includes shirts and posters that those attending the festival can purchase from various vendors.

The retail market place at the National Shrimp Festival offers everything from children's clothing to jewelry. Free admission, hundreds of vendors, great food and live entertainment make the National Shrimp Festival the ideal place to take the family. Those that wish to obtain additional information about the festival activities, guidelines or information on how to participate in the festival itself should contact the planning committee for the festivities directly for instructions and the required forms.