50 years. 70 year-round committee members. 600 volunteers. Maybe 250,000 visitors. More shrimp than anyone wants to calculate.

No matter how you count it, the National Shrimp Festival is a big deal. This year’s fest opens Thursday, Oct. 12, in Gulf Shores, bringing a four-day spree of food, fun, arts & crafts, music, sand sculpture contests and more.

If you’re thinking about going, here are a few key bullet points:

• There’s no admission charge. You enjoy Shrimp Fest by walking right on in. It’s easy to find, since it sprawls along the public beach area at the food of Ala. 59. From there you’re free to browse the seafood-centric concessions, well over 100 arts and crafts vendors and other activities. Your best source of up-to-date information on what’s happening when is the official festival site, www.myshrimpfest.com. The festival opens at 10 a.m. daily, running until 10 p.m. daily except on Sunday, when it closes at 5 p.m.
• Road closures start Monday, Oct. 9. By Tuesday they’ll include the intersection of Ala. 59 and Ala. 182 (Gulf Beach Boulevard); anyone headed through Gulf Shores on their way to Orange Beach should use Ala. 180 east or State Park Road.
• Limited public and private parking is available at the festival site, but a shuttle service will operate throughout the event for $5 per person per day. Park-and-ride locations include the Pelican Place at Craft Farms Shopping Center in Gulf Shores; the Erie H. Meyer Civic Center in Gulf Shores; Waves Grocery at 1154 W. Beach Blvd. in Gulf Shores; Rouses Grocery at 25405 Perdido Beach Blvd. in Orange Beach; and Lake Shelby in Gulf State Park.
• Additionally, a bicycle valet service first offered in 2022 will again operate in 2023. Festival patrons who arrive by bicycle can have their bike stored in a secure location. The service is free.
• Top acts in the music lineup include Dr. Zarr’s Amazing Funk Monster and the Troy Laz Band on Thursday; tributes to Elvis Presley, The Eagles, AC/DC and Def Leppard on Friday; and Wet Willie featuring Jimmy Hall and the Velcro Pygmies on Saturday. The Groovinators and Wolfy Grin close out the Sunday lineup.
• All public beaches remain open throughout the fest, subject to the usual restrictions due to weather.

The festival wasn’t held in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 event seemed to capitalize on pent-up anticipation. “We opened at 10,” one organizer told an AL.com reporter on opening day. “At 9 a.m. people were here, ready to go.”

Ryan Moberly, communications director for the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, which hosts the event, said organizers are hoping to see that level of excitement again, especially given that this is the 50th edition. “That milestone, that 50th, I know that number means a lot to people,” he said. “I think that in itself is going to be a draw. Definitely after seeing the pattern of what was the craziness that was Thursday morning last year, I’m hoping that continues. I’m hoping that’s every morning this year.”

Although Moberly suggested that arriving early is a good strategy for getting the most out of the event, he also encouraged people to give themselves time to enjoy it.

“It being four days, you have time to take it all in,” he said. “You don’t necessarily have to rush into anything. You can take it easy.”

A special word on the food offerings: For many patrons, one of the main attractions is the availability of a Louisiana treat known as Cajun pistols or pistoles. They’ve been described as a “spicy combination of shrimp, crabmeat and crawfish, blended with special cheeses and stuffed into a fried bread roll.” They were scarce at the 2022 event, as a leading purveyor – Rockin’ Roger’s Cajun Pistols – wasn’t on the scene.

Moberly said that Rockin’ Rogers would be back this year. “That’s going to be a great return,” he said.

Moberly said it’s a special treat having Wet Willie with Jimmy Hall topping this year’s music lineup. Wet Willie has a catalogue of familiar songs and a lot of local fans, and Hall delivered an energetic, impressive solo album last year.

“He really has not lost that vocal talent of that energy,” he said, mentioning Hall’s upbeat single “Jumpin’ For Joy.” “I’m just amazed at that energy he’s got at 74 and I think he’s going to bring it on that East Stage on Saturday night.”

Related:

Gulf Shores’ Shrimp Festival gets off to strong start after 2-year hiatus: ‘We really missed it’

14 reasons we love the National Shrimp Festival

‘I came here just for this:’ Louisiana treat a Shrimp Fest favorite