With Lynn Hall Park closed for construction, the Fort Myers Beach Lions Club, which hosts the Shrimp Feistval, have announced that they are working out details to move the event over to the big field at Bay Oaks.
In recent years the event has been held on Old San Carlos which required a portion of the road being closed. That becomes a major expense for the organization because The Lee County Sheriff’s Department must be hired to maintain safety. The 2026 event was also held at the same time as the Farmers Market in Times Square which seemed to add to the confusion about where the Shrimp Festival was being held.
Approximately 100 vendors participate in the annual Shrimp Festival weekend on Fort Myers Beach. It’s a major event for the island attracting people from all over Southwest, Florida. The Festival includes a parade, 5K run, shrimp-eating contest, shrimp boil, and merchandise sales. Before Hurricane Ian the Shrimp Festival had been help in the parking lot of Lynn Hall Park.
The Fort Myers Beach Town Council asked Linda Miller, who runs the Farmers Market, to work with the Lions Club and allow them to have a booth or tent at her Times Square market to direct people down to Bay Oaks and sell merchandise at no cost.
The 2027 Shrimp Festival is Saturday, March 13th and Sunday, March 14th. Get more details HERE.
A place to park bikes and golf carts would be great if someone can share this with comment with the organizers 🙂
I hope they rethink this one
This was a venue in the past for Taste of the Beach, and was in my mind a bit of a flop. Its not the venue but the location. It is too far away from where everyone is and wants to be. Why not break up the vendors into multiple locations, Crescent St Park, The park next to Nervous Nellys and Snug Harbour, and the lot on the corner of 3rd and San Carlos.
I don’t think this is a good idea as it will decrease foot traffic and therefore revenue. Love this event and hope they find a way to keep it downtown. Maybe Moss marine will help with space?
I appreciate the problem the committee has in locating the Shrimp Fest but where are people going to park ? How are they going to get to Bay Oaks? We usually walk over the bridge or access the parking on the island under the bridge. The Shrimp Fest was very walkable. Will they have shuttles or more trams to take people back and forth?