GULF SHORES, Ala. — Zydeco, rock covers and the stories behind some of country music’s best songs filled the air on the Town Green at Gulf Place this month as the City of Gulf Shores wrapped up its 2026 Sunset Series, three free evenings of live music with the Gulf of America glowing behind the stage.
This year’s edition was bigger than a concert series. For the first time, the city expanded the Sunset Series to include interactive experiences featuring local businesses, nonprofit organizations, community partners and other City of Gulf Shores departments. Between songs, attendees could stop by booths, try activities, pick up giveaways and learn about programs and services available throughout the community, turning each concert night into something closer to a neighborhood block party on the beach.
The city’s Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department, which organizes the series, said the combination of music and community connection helped make 2026 a memorable year on the Town Green.
Three nights of music
- Sept. 3: Grammy Award-winning Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band
- Sept. 10: Spank the Monkey
- Sept. 17: Frank Brown Songwriters’ Showcase featuring The Wilson Brothers, Craig Campbell and Johnny Hayes
Opening night: Zydeco on the Gulf
The series kicked off Sept. 3 with Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band, one of the best-known names in zydeco. Carrier, a Louisiana accordionist and bandleader who comes from a family with deep roots in the genre, earned a Grammy Award for his work and has spent decades bringing the high-energy sound of southwest Louisiana to stages around the world.
Zydeco blends Creole and Cajun traditions with blues, R&B and rock, driven by the accordion and the rubboard, and it is made for dancing. That spirit clearly carried over to the crowd in Gulf Shores.
“The energy level was so high, I didn’t want to stop playing,” Carrier said. “The people embraced us with open arms and warm cheers. Your staff was a joy to work with. My band and I can’t wait until the next time we perform for you all.”
For a Gulf Coast audience, zydeco is a natural fit. The music’s home region in southwest Louisiana is just a few hours west along Interstate 10, and many coastal Alabama residents have family, friends and food traditions that connect them to Louisiana’s Creole and Cajun cultures.
Week two: Spank the Monkey
On Sept. 10, the series turned toward party-band territory with Spank the Monkey, a group known on the Gulf Coast for covering a wide range of popular songs. Cover bands have long been a staple of beach entertainment along the Alabama and Florida coasts, where visitors and locals alike enjoy singing along to familiar hits with the sand under their feet.
Finale: The songwriters take the stage
The series closed on Sept. 17 with a Frank Brown Songwriters’ Showcase, featuring The Wilson Brothers, Craig Campbell and Johnny Hayes. The showcase offered a preview of the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival, the long-running November event that brings hundreds of songwriters to stages across Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Perdido Key.
Songwriter showcases have a special format. Instead of a single band playing a full set, several writers usually share the stage, trading songs and telling the stories behind them. Audiences get to hear hits in their original, stripped-down form and learn how they came to be written.
Craig Campbell, a Georgia-born country artist, has charted several singles on country radio and has built a loyal fan base through his touring and songwriting. The Wilson Brothers and Johnny Hayes rounded out the lineup, giving the crowd a mix of voices and styles.
For Hayes, the setting made the night unforgettable.
“As someone who’s performed on countless stages throughout his career, having the opportunity to play Gulf Place will be a highlight I’ll be grateful to look back on forever,” Hayes said. “The audience was incredibly attentive and welcoming, and the atmosphere of a majestic sunset backdrop looking over the Gulf left nothing to be desired. As a performer and spectator, it was perfect in every way. Something like a dream.”
More than a concert
The addition of community booths and interactive experiences was the most noticeable change to the series this year. Local businesses, nonprofit organizations and other city departments set up along the Town Green, offering activities, demonstrations, giveaways and information.
That format gave residents a chance to learn about city programs in a relaxed setting, and gave local organizations a way to meet potential volunteers, members and customers face to face. Families could move between the stage and the booths while children took part in activities, making the series appealing to a broad range of ages.
Food and drink were also part of the experience. Local food trucks served attendees throughout the series, and the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber sold refreshments for all ages, adding to the community feel of each evening.
About Gulf Place and the Town Green
Gulf Place sits at the heart of Gulf Shores’ public beach area, where Highway 59 meets the beach. The Town Green offers an open lawn and stage area steps from the sand, making it one of the most scenic outdoor venues on the Alabama coast. At sunset, the sky over the water provides a backdrop that performers and audiences frequently mention as one of the highlights of any show there.
The city has made Gulf Place a centerpiece of its public events calendar, hosting concerts, festivals and community gatherings throughout the year. The Sunset Series is timed for September, after the peak summer tourist season, when evenings begin to cool slightly and more locals are able to enjoy the beach without the crowds of June and July.
Free entertainment for residents and visitors
One of the defining features of the Sunset Series is that it is free and open to the public. City-sponsored events like this one are designed to bring residents together and give visitors another reason to extend their stay on the Alabama coast.
For local residents, free concerts on the beach are a way to enjoy the amenities that draw millions of tourists to Gulf Shores each year. For visiting families, the series adds another activity that does not require tickets or advance planning.
A thank-you from the city
The City of Gulf Shores Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department thanked the performers, vendors, community partners, participating organizations, city staff and everyone who attended the 2026 Sunset Series. The department said their participation and support helped make this year’s series a memorable one on the Town Green.
What’s next on the coast
Music lovers who enjoyed the Sunset Series will have more opportunities this fall. The Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival returns in November, bringing songwriters to venues across the coast. The city’s Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department also hosts a range of events throughout the year, and residents can find upcoming activities on the City of Gulf Shores website and social media pages.
If this year’s expanded format is any indication, future editions of the Sunset Series may continue to grow as a place where music, local businesses and community organizations come together at the water’s edge. For those who were there this September, the memories of zydeco under a pink sky, singalongs on the green and songwriters sharing their stories will last well beyond the final note.