With Easter and spring break locking down a portion of the month for many Gulf Coast residents, you’d think there’d be a drop-off in festival-scale events in the Mobile area during April. But no.

There is a trend, though. Compared to March, many of these events seem custom-made to capitalize on local charms. There’s a strawberry festival, sunset concerts, a chance to explore the site of Mobile’s future Brookley by the Bay park and more.

But there’s also plenty of variety: Mobile’s second annual downtown cannabis festival, an anime fest, and, of course, the epic revelry of the Mullet Toss.

Baldwin County Strawberry Festival

The Baldwin County Strawberry Festival takes place 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 8-9 at Loxley Municipal Park. According to organizers, it features “over 180 arts and craft exhibitors, a dozen different food vendors, an exciting carnival, fun children’s games, an antique auto show, exhibits and live music. And, of course, strawberry shortcake is still king!” The event benefits Loxley Elementary School and ARC Baldwin County. For full information, visit baldwincountystrawberryfestival.org.

Kites Over Mobile

The third annual Kites Over Mobile Festival will be held April 15-16, running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The real news is where it’s happening: The property that is the home of Mobile’s future Brookley by the Bay park. This will be the first city-sponsored event on the property, providing a first-hand look at the site’s charms. Admission is free. Attractions include “professional kite flying demonstrations, show kite displays, a kite hospital, live local music, candy drops and all kinds of family-friendly fun.” The park is at 254 Old Bay Front Road. For updates and information, visit www.mobileparksandrec.org or the event page on Facebook.

Dauphin Island Art Trail

The Dauphin Island Chamber of Commerce presents the annual festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 15. According to organizers the event will feature more than 50 artists at 10 locations on the Island and approximately 25 crafters located at Cadillac Square. Free. For updates visit the event page on Facebook.

Daphne Sunday Sunset Concert Series

This seasonal sunset concert series presented by Catt’s Sunday Jazz Brunch and the city of Daphne kicked off in March. It continues April 16 with a performance by the Tower of Power tribute band Everybody’s Here. The free event starts at 7:30 p.m. at W.O. Lott Park, 2000 Main St. in Daphne. www.daphneal.com.

420 Bienville Square

Presented by All This Entertainment and CannaBama: The CBD Store, this event follows a 2022 premiere that organizers say “surpassed our own expectations of what we imagined 420 could be.” This year’s event takes place from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Attractions will include food, live music, vendors, educational presentations and more. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for patrons ages 13-20 at cannabama.com. For updates, visit the event page on Facebook.

7th annual Waterway Village Zydeco & Crawfish Festival

Takes place Friday and Saturday, April 21-22, along East 24th Ave. Friday will feature a ticketed concert with the Rebirth Brass Band performing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $29. Festivities start at 8 a.m. Saturday, with vendors opening at 9 a.m. and a full lineup of music starting at 10 a.m. Admission is free. For full details, visit www.gulfshoresal.gov/crawfishfestival.

Mobile Bay Anime Festival

This one-day event is being held “to celebrate anime and manga, as well as general pop culture and animation, while bringing together a diverse list of guests, vendors, artists, and fan groups, in an affordable, family friendly environment.” It takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Daphne Civic Center, 2603 U.S. 98. Advance ticket pricing starts at $20 for adults, $10 for children ages 2-12. For full information, visit mobilebayanimefest.com.

Earth Day Mobile Bay

The Mobile area’s biggest Earth Day celebration starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 22, in South Beach Park at the Fairhope Pier. Attractions include environmental exhibits, ecological Innovations, children’s activities and live entertainment. For updates and details, keep an eye on www.facebook.com/EarthDayMobileBay and www.earthdaymobilebay.org. Other celebrations include:

• Gulf State Park will present “a fun hands-on day of activities, games, and initiatives highlighting Gulf State Park’s nine ecosystems,” starting at 9 a.m. at the park’s Learning Campus. The Justin Colvard Band performs from noon to 4 at Woodside Restaurant.
• The Dauphin Island Sea Lab will hold Discovery Day, with free children’s admission, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Love Your Community, Mobile County and Keep Mobile Beautiful will present festivities in the Charles Wood Japanese Garden from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attractions include children’s activities and an electric vehicle car show.
• Meaher State Park will hold a park cleanup day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attractions include a presentation by beekeeper Ken Coale.

Eighth Annual Mudbottom Revival

Benefiting Dog River Clearwater Revival, the revival takes place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 23. The concert will feature music by Will Kimbrough & Friends, Grits & Greens and the Blow House Brass Band. “Attendees of this family-friendly fundraising event are invited to bring coolers and chairs to enjoy an afternoon of live music under a shaded oak-covered spot on the banks of beautiful Dog River. … Purchase a ticket and come by vehicle, bike, kayak, canoe, stand up paddle board, or boat and enjoy the music from the peninsula! We will have boat taxis to transport ticket holders from their anchored parking spots to the dock.” Food and merchandise vendors will be on hand. Adult tickets are $35 until April 15, when they increase to $45. For full information visit www.dogriver.org.

38th Annual Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party

It’s time to fling some fish at the Flora-Bama, as the legendary roadhouse invites visitors to see if they can throw a dead mullet into the next state. The annual Mullet Toss takes place April 28-30. Thousands of people take part every year; factor in loads of live music, hundreds of gallons of bushwackers and other peripheral attractions and you’ve got yourself the makings of a real shindig. (And it’s one that happens to raise tens of thousands of dollars for local charities, too.) It’ll cost you $20 or $25 to throw a fish, and the price includes a commemorative T-shirt. For full event details, visit www.florabama.com.

Dauphin Island Sunset concert series

Dauphin Island calls itself the Sunset Capital of Alabama, and its annual series of sunset concerts adds music to the mix. The first one of the 2023 season takes place April 30 at the Fort Gaines Historic Site. The Jollies will perform “a unique blend of traditional Celtic music and modern beats.” Admission is $5; patrons are welcome to bring blankets, chairs and coolers. For information, see the event page on Facebook.