Crews Make Progress on Daphne’s Bayfront Park Amphitheater, Still on Track for Spring 2027 Opening

DAPHNE, Ala. — Crews have made steady progress on the amphitheater under construction at Daphne’s Bayfront Park, and city officials say the project remains on track for a spring 2027 opening.

“I’m excited. It’s going to be a jewel,” said eastern shore resident Hunter Hough.

$16 Million Project Funded by Oil and Gas Money

The $16 million project is possible through grant money from the state’s share of federal, offshore oil and gas lease revenue. The centerpiece of the development is the amphitheater and stage being built on the north side of the property, overlooking Mobile Bay.

“It’s incredibly exciting for the city of Daphne and the eastern shore, what Daphne is building down here, a sixteen-million-dollar amphitheater. You can see the structure in the background. You can see the bathrooms over here,” said Troy Strunk, Executive Director of City Development for the city of Daphne.

The elevated and air-conditioned restrooms, along with an adjoining covered pavilion, are nearly complete. A boardwalk and an ADA-compliant pathway will lead visitors from the parking area above down to a planned entertainment district along the shoreline, giving people of all abilities access to the waterfront venue.

“Just the view. The view of the water is just unbelievable and to think that we’re going to be able to see performances down here and concerts, events and public gatherings and things like that. With our centennial coming up in 2027, this is just an outstanding project for the city of Daphne,” Strunk said.

Pier Still Accessible From Village Point Park

The pier remains accessible from Village Point Park during construction, though the rest of the park has changed considerably from its previous layout as work continues on the surrounding grounds.

“It’s nice that it’s going to be expanded. You know, this area’s just gotten so big that the idea that we’re going to be able to accommodate more people down here is really exciting. Especially the music. The amphitheater’s going to be a really nice addition to the eastern shore,” said Trevor Hough.

“I’m excited to see what type of musicians are going to come through. So, there’s the Wharf down on Gulf Shores, or Orange Beach, but to have a venue in this part of Baldwin County is pretty cool,” said Hunter Hough.

Once complete, the amphitheater is expected to give Baldwin County’s eastern shore its own dedicated venue for concerts and public events, joining larger regional venues like The Wharf in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. Construction remains on schedule, but the opening is not expected until April 2027, timed near Daphne’s upcoming centennial celebration.

The eastern shore and Daphne

Daphne sits on the eastern shore of Mobile Bay, in the part of Baldwin County that stretches from the tip of the Mobile Point peninsula north along the bay toward Fairhope, Spanish Fort and Point Clear. The eastern shore is one of the fastest-growing parts of Alabama, driven by its proximity to Mobile across the bay, its easy access to the Gulf Coast beaches to the south, and its own expanding residential and commercial development. Daphne, which incorporated in 1927, has grown from a small waterfront settlement into one of the county’s larger cities, and its centennial in 2027 will mark a full century since its organization as a municipality.

Bayfront Park, where the amphitheater is being built, is part of Daphne’s public waterfront property. The site includes the pier that remains open from Village Point Park during construction, the grounds that are being redesigned, and the shoreline that will eventually connect to the entertainment district planned below the amphitheater. The boardwalk and ADA pathway that are now being completed are intended to make that waterfront accessible not just to the audience inside the venue but to anyone walking through the park.

Oil and gas lease revenue and state grants

The 6 million funding for the amphitheater comes from Alabama’s share of federal offshore oil and gas lease revenue. These revenues, which come from the leasing of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas exploration, are distributed to Gulf Coast states under a federal revenue-sharing program. The state of Alabama uses its share to support infrastructure, education, coastal restoration and community development projects, and a portion of the funds is available for grants to local governments. Daphne’s amphitheater project is one of the larger examples of how these revenues can support a community-level cultural facility.

The grant mechanism is significant because it allows smaller communities to build facilities that would otherwise be beyond their budget capacity. A 6 million amphitheater would represent a major investment in any Alabama city, but for a community of Daphne’s size it is especially notable, and the decision to build it through a state grant reflects both the availability of the oil and gas funds and the city’s ability to plan a long-term public project.

The amphitheater in a regional context

The eastern shore of Mobile Bay does not currently have a venue of this scale. The nearest comparable facilities are The Wharf in Orange Beach, the venues in Gulf Shores, and the larger performance spaces in Mobile itself. By building a dedicated amphitheater in Daphne, the eastern shore is adding a venue that can serve local audiences, attract touring acts, and host community events without requiring residents to cross the bay or drive south to the beach towns. That is what Troy Strunk, the city’s Executive Director of City Development, is describing when he talks about the project’s significance for the region.

The amphitheater is expected to open in April 2027, near the city’s centennial celebration. That timing links the cultural facility to a milestone in Daphne’s civic life and makes the venue part of the anniversary activities rather than simply a separate project. For a community planning its centennial, a new amphitheater offers both a practical performance space and a symbol of the growth the city has experienced over the past century.

Accessibility and design details

The design of the amphitheater includes features that go beyond the stage and seating. The elevated, air-conditioned restrooms – a practical improvement over portable facilities common at outdoor events – and the adjoining covered pavilion are described as nearly complete. The boardwalk and ADA-compliant pathway will lead visitors from the parking area above, down the slope of the waterfront, and into the venue area at the water’s edge, making it possible for people with mobility limitations to reach the entertainment district without navigating rough terrain. These design choices reflect the broader shift in public venue planning, where accessibility is treated as part of the core infrastructure rather than an afterthought.

The view from the amphitheater, which overlooks Mobile Bay, is another part of the venue’s design logic. Outdoor amphitheaters in waterfront settings are valued not just for their acoustics and capacity but for the experience of watching a performance in a distinctive natural setting. That is what the residents quoted in the announcement are describing when they talk about the view and the excitement of having concerts in this part of Baldwin County.

What comes next

With construction remaining on schedule for an April 2027 opening, the remaining work includes finishing the amphitheater and stage, completing the restrooms and pavilion, and connecting the boardwalk and pathways to the surrounding grounds. The pier remains open from Village Point Park throughout the construction period, which allows the waterfront to stay accessible even as the rest of the site changes. Once complete, the venue is expected to join The Wharf and the beach-town venues as a regular stop for concerts, public events and community gatherings along the Gulf Coast – but this time, from the eastern shore side of the bay.

What an amphitheater brings to a small city

A dedicated amphitheater in a city of Daphne’s size changes the range of what a community can host. Before this project, large performances and public events in the eastern shore area depended on temporary setups in parks, on school grounds or in indoor spaces not designed for concerts. A purpose-built venue with a stage, seating area and covered pavilion allows the city to schedule events on its own terms – to book acts, to organize public celebrations tied to the centennial, and to host community gatherings without relying on portable sound systems and folding chairs. That is part of what makes the 6 million investment meaningful: it is not just a stage, but a permanent public facility that expands what the city can do culturally and socially.

The regional audience for the venue extends well beyond Daphne. Residents of Fairhope, Spanish Fort, Point Clear and the surrounding parts of Baldwin County will be within a short drive, and the venue’s location near the waterfront may also draw visitors from across the bay. Once the boardwalk and pathways are complete, the amphitheater will be integrated into the larger Bayfront Park experience, connecting the performance space to the waterfront and giving the venue a setting that is distinctive among similar facilities in the region.