Daphne Centennial Kicks Off With New Logo, Crab Mascot and a Year of Events Including an Amphitheater Debut

Update (Oct. 9, 2026): At Wednesday’s Daphne centennial kickoff, the city unveiled its 100th-anniversary logo and introduced a crab mascot named Clawdius, and city leaders outlined a yearlong calendar that includes the April opening of the new Bayfront Amphitheater, a Centennial Gala, a “Spirit of Daphne” parade and a centennial concert. Details are below.

DAPHNE, Ala. — The City of Daphne officially launched its 100th anniversary Wednesday, Oct. 7, unveiling new Daphne centennial branding on the front lawn of City Hall and laying out plans for a yearlong celebration that city leaders say will be one of the largest communitywide observances in the Jubilee City’s history.

At the kickoff, the city revealed its 100th-anniversary logo, introduced its new mascot, Clawdius the crab, and described plans to celebrate Daphne’s past, present and future, from a gala on the city’s birthday to a parade and the long-awaited debut of a bayfront amphitheater.

“We have events that we do at Lott Park and May Day, but as a celebration of just Daphne itself, it’s probably one of the first ones,” Daphne Mayor Robin LeJeune said during the event. “This centennial is at the right time for people to come together and be a part of the community.”

From 500 residents to about 32,000

Daphne was incorporated nearly 100 years ago with a population of just 500 residents, a figure that seems almost unimaginable given its rapid growth over the past three decades. Today, the city’s population is around 32,000 and still growing quickly. The city’s official incorporation date is July 8, 1927.

LeJeune said the celebration will extend beyond city-run events. Centennial-themed beverages and activities will be showcased at local restaurants, bars and other businesses throughout the year.

“We are really excited about this,” LeJeune said.

Daphne centennial events: what’s planned

City leaders announced several signature events for the centennial year:

• Bayfront Park reopening and Bayfront Amphitheater debut: April 2027. The amphitheater’s first scheduled event will be Eastern Shore Repertory Theatre’s production of “The Little Mermaid,” May 6-8, 2027.
• Centennial Gala: July 10, 2027, at the Daphne Civic Center, just after the city’s July 8 incorporation anniversary.
• “Spirit of Daphne” Parade: Sept. 25, 2027. LeJeune said the Disney-style parade will feature performances highlighting key moments in the city’s history.
• Centennial Concert: October 2027 at the Bayfront Amphitheater.

More information about the centennial celebrations is available on the city’s Facebook page and official website.

A long-awaited amphitheater

The new Bayfront Amphitheater is the centerpiece of the Bayfront Park redevelopment project. The project received a $7.2 million Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) grant through the state, and the city is funding the remainder of the roughly $16 million first phase.

GOMESA shares a portion of federal revenue from offshore oil and gas leasing in the Gulf with Alabama and other Gulf Coast states, which in turn direct money to coastal conservation, restoration and public access projects.

LeJeune said the timing of the amphitheater’s opening could not have worked out better.

“It worked out perfectly,” he said. “People have talked about an amphitheater for 30 years. To open it as part of the centennial celebration, I mean, God has blessed Daphne and continues to bless Daphne.”

Storm preparations follow the celebration

The kickoff offered a brief moment of celebration before city and county officials turned their attention to Hurricane Isaias, then a tropical storm forecast to approach the coast late in the week. LeJeune said the city was “preparing to handle this situation.”

Sand was made available to residents on a first-come, first-served basis at the Trione Sports Complex and at the city’s Public Works facility on Well Road. Bags were limited and available only at Public Works, the mayor said.

Why Daphne is called the Jubilee City

The centennial branding celebrates Daphne by its longtime nickname, the Jubilee City. The name comes from a natural phenomenon on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay known as a jubilee, in which large numbers of fish, crabs, shrimp and other bottom-dwelling sea life crowd into the shallow water along the shoreline. That history makes a crab a natural choice for the centennial mascot.

Jubilees usually happen in the early morning hours during the summer months, when certain conditions leave low levels of oxygen in the bay’s deeper water and push marine life toward shore. When word spreads that a jubilee is under way, residents have long hurried to the water with nets, buckets and gigs to gather the catch. Mobile Bay is one of very few places in the world where the event happens regularly, and it has become a defining part of Daphne’s identity.

A look at Daphne

Daphne sits on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay in Baldwin County, just across the bay from Mobile and connected to it by the Interstate 10 Bayway and the Causeway. It is one of the largest cities in Baldwin County, which has been among the fastest-growing counties in Alabama in recent years.

The city’s roots on the bay go back well before its incorporation. Daphne served as the seat of Baldwin County in the late 1800s before the county seat moved to Bay Minette in 1901. Today, the city is known for its bayfront parks, its Olde Towne district and Main Street business corridor, and its mix of established neighborhoods and newer development.

Growth has been a recurring topic at City Hall. In recent weeks, the city council voted unanimously to put new apartment developments on hold (read our coverage), and the city opened a larger municipal courtroom to serve its expanding population (read more). The centennial gives the community a chance to look back on how far the city has come over its first 100 years.

Who leads Daphne

Daphne operates under a mayor-council form of government. The mayor serves as the city’s chief executive and oversees day-to-day operations, while the City Council serves as the legislative body, adopting ordinances, approving the budget and setting policy. LeJeune spoke for the city at Wednesday’s kickoff.

What happens next

With the branding unveiled, residents can expect to see the centennial logo and Clawdius the crab around town in the months ahead. Additional details, including ticket information for the gala and the full lineup for the amphitheater’s opening season, have not yet been released. South AL News will update readers as the city announces more of the centennial calendar.