This weekend is the 68th annual Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival. It all begins Saturday morning with the Shrimp Festival 5K which begins at Doc Ford’s Restaurant at 9AM. The Matanzas Pass Bridge will be closed from 8:45AM to Noon.
The Shrimp Festival parade starts from the Fort Myers Beach Library after the run at approximately 10AM. The parade route is all the way up Estero Boulevard to Old San Carlos. Town Manager Will McKannay is the Parade Marshal this year.
The Shrimp Boil tent will be in the parking lot across from Smokin Oyster Brewery. For the first time ever, the Lions Club announced there will be a beer tent for the first time ever. Suncoast Beverage will host the beer tent which will be located next to the Shrimp dinner tent. The Triple Deuces senior softball league will be preparing the shrimp.
Vendors will be set up in the Moss marina parking lot on 3rd street (the same lot as the Farmers Market). The Lions Club says Old San Carlos will be closed off from 9AM to 5PM both Saturday and Sunday but only between 2nd street and 3rd street.
The Shrimp Eating contest will be held at Bayside Park at 1PM Sunday.
The Town is now saying the bridge will close at 8 a.m.
It began 74 years ago in 1952. sponsored by the dock and boat owners. A small parade began on San Carlos Island, crossed the bridge to county park.
Lions took it over in 56.
Love the Shrimp Festival, I hope everybody won’t be an hour late.
The senior softball group is the Triple Deuces. 2 hours softball, 2 hours drinking, 2 hours napping.