The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival is an annual tradition, always held the first weekend of May in Fernandina’s downtown historic district. The dates in 2015 are May 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, with the Shrimp Festival parade kicking things off Thursday, April 30, 2015 at 6 pm. This year’s parade theme is “Shrimp, Pirates & Fun For All,” with around 100 entrants.
The entertainment this year includes The Edgar Winter Band performing Saturday, May 2nd at 4:30 pm on the riverfront stage. Sunday’s featured band is the “Party Band of the South,” the “Swingin’ Medallions” beginning at 2:30 pm, May 3, 2015. The weather forecast is looking about as good as it gets for enjoying an outdoor festival this weekend — sunny, highs ranging 76-80, and rain percent zero.
Holding this event for more than half a century, Fernandina Beach is the birthplace of the modern shrimping industry in the United States. The Festival originated in 1963 to celebrate the traditional blessing of the shrimp fleet. This year in 2015, the blessing of the fleet will be held Sunday, May 3rd at 1:30 pm.
Highlights of Shrimp Festival
There’s a festive atmosphere as reliable as the tides — during Shrimp Festival weekend each year on Amelia Island. The Shrimp Festival Parade kicks off the annual event (held the Thursday evening preceding the first weekend of May). This year’s Grand Marshal is a special lady and honoree, Rosa Adams, one of the original founders of the Shrimp Festival. She helped promote the inaugural event in 1963 (and thereafter contributed untold hours as a Shrimp Festival committee member).
“Miss Shrimp Festival” is crowned each year and the contestants ride in a boat along the parade route. Of course, Fernandina’s Pirates sail along Centre in their ship and fire the cannon. Beaded pirate necklaces in shades of shimmering gold, purple, and green, along with candy are traditionally handed out to kids along the parade route. It’s a big parade that lasts about an hour and a half, with the pirate ship “grand finale” bringing up the rear, the last float. (Read more about this “parade of pride” further below.)
Friday Night Fireworks & More
During the day on Friday, Fernandina’s merchants in the historic district traditionally hold their annual sidewalk sale, so it’s a good time for browsing downtown. Friday evening during the festival weekend, the riverfront food vendors and KIDS FUN ZONE (this year located at Central Park) open at 6 pm, followed by the opening ceremony of the Shrimp Festival at 6:30 pm and the Miss Shrimp Festival Scholarship Pageant at 7 pm. The Pirate Parade awards will be held at 7:45 pm. The grand finale of Shrimp Fest’s opening night is the “Pirate Invasion” by ship at the riverfront happening at 9:30 pm, followed by a wonderful fireworks display at 9:45 pm.
Shrimp Festival Flickr Photo Gallery
Scenes of previous Shrimp Festivals, Amelia Island Living’s Flickr photo album.
Wonderful Juried Art Show
Crowds are attracted to Fernandina’s Shrimp Festival for various reasons. Known as one of the top fine art shows in the southeast, art lovers come to browse the works. Realize this is a great art festival, this year featuring close to 400 juried artists (the arts, crafts and antiques booths open Saturday and Sunday only). According to the Island Art Association, the Shrimp Festival’s fully juried arts and crafts exhibit “has been consistently recognized as one of the best art events in North America by Sunshine Artist Magazine.”
The KIDS FUN ZONE is also a magnet for families, along with the festival ambiance of roaming pirates and other child-oriented activities. Note that new in 2015 is a change of venue for the KIDS FUN ZONE, now moved to Central Park (Atlantic Avenue & 11th Street), with the usual rides, booths plus more including food vendors and pirates.
More About Weekend Activities & Food
The food vendor booths offer a wide selection of shrimp cooked many ways including — fried shrimp, grilled shrimp, Cajun shrimp, garlic shrimp, popcorn shrimp, shrimp salad, low country boil, shrimp gumbo, shrimp quesadilla and shrimp pie. Plus there’s fair-type food including Italian sausage, funnel cakes, and more. Since all food booths are run by a local, Nassau County, Florida non-profit organization, the Shrimp Festival is a big fundraiser helping to support the community, so all are eating for a good cause.
Mingle with the Shrimp Festival crowds along Centre Street in historic Fernandina Beach (plus the side streets flanking Centre down to the riverfront), admire the work of many talented artists, and hear some great live bands at the riverfront stage.
The weather does dictate the crowds. In fair weather, expect huge attendance over the 3-day festival (around 150,000). Considering this weekend’s beautiful forecast, it appears 2015 Shrimp Festival attendees will need sun screen, hats, sun glasses and a cold, fresh-squeezed lemonade (from the Fernandina Beach cheerleaders booth) to quench thirst. Enjoy the outdoor festivities and the concerts on the waterfront in Fernandina Beach!
“Parade of Pride”
For locals, attending the Shrimp Festival Pirate Parade is an annual ritual here in Fernandina Beach. For those who’ve never been, this parade is a glimpse of small-town Americana and symbol of community pride, with many local organizations participating with a float or group marching.
Five Generations Gravitate Downtown
For area residents, there’s a likelihood that at least one family member is actually in the parade, or there lining the historic district streets clapping and grinning. People go downtown and line both Ash Street and Centre Street, some bring beach chairs, many arrive very early to scope out their spot along the parade route. Seniors, middle-aged, young adults, teenagers and tiny tots – five generations of Nassau County’s citizens gravitate to the heart of Fernandina, the historic district. At no other time of the year is the warmth of this community on display more, than at the annual Shrimp Festival parade. For kids participating in the parade, it’s memories in the making that won’t soon be forgotten.
Shrimp Festival Parking
Out-of-towners can follow the posted signs when arriving on the island, to be directed to the festival’s official parking lots (the cost is $10 with shuttle bus to the downtown festival area.) The park and ride lots are located at Fernandina Beach High School (435 Citrona Drive) and Southside Elementary School (1112 Jasmine Street). The shuttle will run on Friday from 6 pm to 11 pm at Fernandina Beach High School only. Shuttle will be available Saturday from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm, and on Sunday from 9:30 am until 5:30 pm.
The volunteers who help organize and plan the Shrimp Festival deserve a big thanks for orchestrating this huge event each year.
ShrimpFestival.com Website
For further information about weekend activities, visit the official Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival website with map of festival area and vendor lists, the Festival’s detailed entertainment schedule, and lots more at www.ShrimpFestival.com. See also the Shrimp Festival’s Facebook page.
