Fall Festivals Back in Full Swing

After a few "off" years due to the pandemic, we're thrilled that finally this fall there were not one but two crowd-drawing festivals along the Alabama beaches.

Orange Beach hosted its 2nd Annual Orange Beach Freedom Fest at The Wharf, September 30 through October 2, with an All-American red, white, and blue weekend. The three-day event, described as a ‘down-home celebration of America,’ drew large crowds to Orange Beach and featured concerts, food, special speakers, arts & crafts, and a kids' zone. Concerts for the weekend included ZZ Top on Friday night and a Sunday night benefit concert headlined by John Rich of Big & Rich. Freedom Fest was held in conjunction with the inaugural Fall Bama Coast Cruisin' event where participants lined Main Street at The Wharf on Friday and Saturday with some of the country’s most beautiful cars.

2021’s inaugural Freedom Fest was created in response to Shrimp Festival organizers announcing that they were canceling their event just a week before the festival was to start. Frustrated with the cancellation, Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon apologized to tourists and vendors who had made plans to come to Orange Beach and Gulf Shores for the Shrimp Festival and promised to put together an event on that same weekend. Last year’s one-day event was such a success that it was repeated this year and grew into a three-day event on a different weekend than Shrimp Fest so festival goers could attend both.

Meanwhile, the 49th annual Shrimp Festival kicked off in Gulf Shores on October 6th for the first time since 2019. Its return was a welcome sight for the crowds who missed the festival the last 2 years. Festival organizers said this year's return was exciting and a relief. Andrew Hart, Shrimp Fest Committee Chairman, said they picked up right where they left off with more than 300 food, art, and retail vendors, live music, and kids' activities. He added that it was great to see a full crowd when the festival opened at 10 am on the first morning because they didn’t know what to expect crowd-wise. "We didn’t know if people had forgotten about us or were ready to get back at it.”

The Annual National Shrimp Festival was started in 1971 as a way to keep tourists at the beach after Labor Day, which was traditionally the end of the season. The event draws an average annual attendance of 250,000 and is produced by the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber.

Plans are already underway for next year’s festival, which will take place October 12-15 2023, and will mark the 50th year of the festival. Organizers promise to make their golden anniversary a special one.