09/30/2026
GULF SHORES IS GETTING READY FOR FOUR DAYS OF FRESH SEAFOOD, LIVE MUSIC & COASTAL FUN AT ALABAMA’S NATIONAL SHRIMP FESTIVAL!
📍 Gulf Shores, Alabama
📅 October 8–11, 2026
If shrimp, live music and a weekend beside the Gulf of Mexico sound like your kind of fall getaway, put the National Shrimp Festival on your October calendar.
For four days, the area around Gulf Shores Public Beach transforms into a huge coastal celebration filled with seafood, artists, entertainment and thousands of festivalgoers.
And yes, come hungry!
🍤 Shrimp takes center stage with plenty of ways to enjoy it, including fried, boiled and steamed shrimp, plus po’boys, gumbo and seafood platters. You will also find plenty of other Gulf Coast favorites throughout the festival.
🎶 Live music keeps the celebration going with performances spanning country, rock, blues, jazz, R&B, funk and more.
🎨 Between meals, browse booths filled with paintings, pottery, jewelry, sculptures and handmade crafts. Families can also check out activities for children and the popular sand sculpture contest on the beach.
The National Shrimp Festival has been a Gulf Shores tradition since 1971 and has grown into one of Alabama’s biggest annual coastal celebrations.
Best of all, admission is FREE.
⏰ Festival Hours:
Thursday through Saturday: 10 AM–10 PM
Sunday: 10 AM–5 PM
