Return of the shrimp

A crowd the size of a city will descend upon the Gulf Coast this weekend for the Annual National Shrimp Festival.
The festival, which is sponsored by Zatarain’s, features about 250,000 people each year. The crowd heads to Gulf Shores in the second week of October lured by the beauty of the ocean and the love of seafood. But there is far more than shrimp on the menu in the event that runs from 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11.
“Shrimp Festival is a festival of a lot of varieties between shopping, food, art – and arts and crafts – and really good entertainment. But the biggest facet that we can offer is all of those great things right on the beachfront. … We probably have the prettiest backdrop of any festival probably in the world,” said Matt Mogan, chairman of the event.
The nonprofit event features free admission, games and on-stage entertainment throughout the festival. “You can come and go as you please; you can watch the entertainment,” Mogan said, adding that there are “plenty of places to sit on the beach or right near the beach in shade.”

Photo courtesy of Annual National Shrimp Festival
In addition, more than 300 vendors providing food and merchandise means that festival goers can have fun and do some Christmas shopping as well, Mogan said.
Those who want to be even more active can take part Saturday in 5K and 10K races through back country trails from Orange Beach. “It makes the run go a whole lot smoother if you’re maybe not a big runner,” Mogan said.
There’s a poster contest, a golf tournament to raise money for education and “Singing for Scholarships,” an American Idol-style competition between students from Baldwin County high schools, vying to win scholarships for themselves and matching funds for their schools.
The first place winner will get a $1,000 scholarship.

Map courtesy of Annual National Shrimp Festival
The event has come a long way from its beginnings in 1971 as a one-day affair lasting just six hours. These days, it is ranked as one of the top events by the Southeast Tourism Society and, according to the festival website, has an economic impact of more than $46 million.

Photo courtesy of Annual National Shrimp Festival
The Coastal Alabama Business Chamber sponsors the weekend, said Mogan, who has been involved with the festival since 2001. “The event has grown on me, and it’s grown into the community, and it kind of mirrors the community,” he said. “Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have kind of blossomed in the last 10-15 years and so has the event. It’s five city blocks, over four days.”
This year’s entertainment will be provided by more than 40 groups, including a number of regional bands like the Molly Ringwalds, the Velcro Pygmies, Mr. X and Mother Mojo.
Mogan said the festival has something for everyone, but there’s one thing people should not miss: “You need to try a Cajun Pistol,” he said. “A Cajun Pistol is like fried bread with a crabmeat, cheesy injection that’s … very addictive.”
Research by the University of South Alabama shows something important about the shrimp fest, Mogan said. “Once people come – one time – they always come back.”
For more information, visit the Annual National Shrimp Festival.