WATCH SHRIMP FESTIVAL VIDEO FEATURING SHRIMP FESTIVAL PARADE, FIREWORKS, KIDS FUN ZONE, ART BOOTHS

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FINE ARTS & CRAFTS AND ANTIQUE VENDORS

The Isle of 8 Flags Shrimp Festival offers a diverse array of fine arts and crafts artisans. You’ll find water color and oil paintings, photography, custom jewelry, pottery, wood, glass and copper sculptures, handcrafted vases and lots more. The local Island Art Association handles the fine arts and crafts, and screens potential participants. Realize this is a great show, featuring over 300 juried artists and craftsmen. 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.” (Also visit the Amelia Island Art Association’s web site at www.islandart.org.)

Many would say that the artwork is the most outstanding part of the festival. But the atmosphere is festive and fun for kids, too, and enjoyable for those who aren’t art collectors, as long as you don’t mind crowds. But the crowds are generally well behaved, since alcohol is not served in streets of Fernandina, the primary festival area. Be mindful of the open container law – no alcoholic beverages outdoors in the festival streets. You must go into a bar or restaurant that has a liquor license to get a cocktail, beer or wine, and you must stay in the establishment to drink it.

SHRIMP FEST PARADE IS A RITUAL, A “PARADE OF PRIDE”

For locals, attending the Shrimp Fest parade on Thursday evening is an annual ritual here in Fernandina Beach (as always, it starts at 6 pm).  The parade is a real glimpse of small-town Americana. Taken as a whole, one might compare the parade to a Norman Rockwell painting come to life (although a more contemporary one, as there will be cell phones and more tattoos on the public these days). Some call Fernandina a “tropical Mayberry.” The parade is, indeed, a symbol of small-town community pride, with just about every organization in town participating with a float or group marching.

For local folk, there’s a likelihood that at least one family member is actually in the parade, or there lining the historic district streets, cheering, clapping, grinning. People come downtown and line both Ash Street and Centre Street, lawn chairs in tow, many arriving very early to scope out their spot along the parade route. The old timers are present, the middle-aged, young adults, teenagers and little ones – five generations of citizens gravitate to the heart of Fernandina’s historic district. At no other time of the year is the warmth of this town on display more, than at the annual Shrimp Festival parade.

Marching Band, Isle of 8 Flags Shrimp Festival Parade, Fernandina Beach

MORE ABOUT SHRIMP FEST WEEKEND ACTIVITIES ON AMELIA ISLAND, FLORIDA

Mingle with the Shrimp Fest crowds along Centre Street in historic Fernandina Beach (and the side streets from 8th to Front Street), browse hundreds of art booths (admire the work of many talents artists), and hear some live bands at the riverfront stage.

The food vendor booths offer a wide selection — fried seafood plates, low country boil, shrimp pie, Italian sausage, and lots of fair-type food, including sugar-powdered funnel cakes, and more. Remember you’re eating for a good cause, since all food booths are run by a local, Nassau County, Florida non-profit organization, so they are fundraising. There are no commercial food vendors. You can find shrimp cooked many ways — grilled shrimp, cajun shrimp, garlic shrimp, popcorn shrimp, shrimp salad, shrimp twisters, boiled shrimp, shrimp quesadillas, and more.

As far as the weather during Shrimp Fest, the norm is hot. The weather does dictate the crowds. If it’s fair weather, expect the masses to invade the town, along with the pirates. It’s been sweltering and humid at times, but occasionally cold. (The odds are, however, that you’ll need some sun screen and some fresh-squeezed lemonade from the Fernandina Beach cheerleaders booth to quench your thirst.)

IT’S THE PIRATE’S LIFE FOR ME IN FERNANDINA

If you ever thought “it’s the pirates life for me,” now’s the time to dress like a pirate and wander the town, since you’ll fit in. Enter the pirate look-alike contests for adults and kids. If you’re not game, then just enjoy the other pirates mulling about. Pirates are also a feature of the parade, and some hand out pirate trinkets — bead necklaces in shades of shimmering gold, purple, and green.

The kids do look forward to the Shrimp Festival and family fun zone. The Shrimp Fest weekend hours in the family fun zone area typically are 6 pm to 10 pm Friday night, then 9 am to 8 pm on Saturday, and 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday. Note that during the day on Friday, Fernandina’s downtown merchants in the historic district traditionally hold their annual sidewalk sale, so it’s a good time for browsing along Centre Street (10:00 am – 5:00 pm).

You also may bump into local “celebrities,” such as the news anchors from the main TV stations in Jacksonville. They film the event, conduct interviews, and usually have a booth at the festival, as do the area newspapers, the Fernandina Beach News-Leader, and Jacksonville’s Florida Times Union.

A visit to Fernandina for Isle of 8 Flags Shrimp Festival will allow you to taste the flavor of this town, especially if you make it to the parade on Thursday night. If you’re more interested in the artwork and will only visit Fernandina for one day, realize the arts, crafts, and antiques show is only on Saturday and Sunday. (Sunday morning is usually less crowded for browsing the fine arts and crafts booths.)

Not all locals, however, go to the Shrimp Fest. Some residents don’t like the invasion of Amelia Island — the crowds and the traffic. These folks see it as a good time to get away from Amelia for the weekend. Others look forward to Shrimp Festival as the ultimate party weekend. In fact, other than the Florida-Georgia college football game weekend in the fall, there are probably more house parties going on around Amelia Island during Shrimp Fest, than any other time of the year. Parties, food, with drinks flowing – there’s a party atmosphere as reliable as the tides — during Shrimp Festival weekend each year on Amelia Island.

ONLINE NEWS: The Shrimp Festival organization is now on social media networks Facebook and Twitter, so you can search there, too.

PARKING FOR THE ISLE OF EIGHT FLAGS SHRIMP FESTIVAL

Out-of-towners can follow the posted signs, as you come onto the island, and be directed to festival parking lots (some offer a shuttle bus to the downtown festival area.) For further info on parking and complete entertainment schedule visit the official festival web site at www.ShrimpFestival.com.