Gulf Shores city officials have released the schedule for the 2026 edition of Sunset Series, the city’s free beachfront concert series that draws residents and visitors to the Town Green at Gulf Place for three evenings of live music, local vendors and family activities as summer winds down.
The series will run on three Thursdays this fall — September 3, September 10 and September 17 — at the Town Green located at 101 Gulf Shores Parkway. Admission is free. On the first two dates, a DJ will open the evening from 5 to 6 p.m., followed by a live band from 6 to 8 p.m. Starting September 17, the music will run straight through from 5 to 8 p.m.
What to Expect at the Town Green
Beyond the music, each Sunset Series evening will feature booths from local community vendors selling goods that showcase Gulf Shores-area artists and makers. The city is also planning free activities for children and families, including face painting and a balloon artist. Organizers are encouraging attendees to bring lawn chairs and settle in along the Town Green as the sun sets over the Gulf Coast’s white-sand beaches.
Food trucks will be on site for anyone wanting a meal, and the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber will operate a beverage stand for guests of all ages. Anyone with questions about the series can reach the city’s Special Events Division at 251-968-1171.
September 3: Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band
The series opens with Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band, a Louisiana act steeped in Zydeco tradition. Carrier is a third-generation Zydeco musician in the Carrier family and has been performing the genre for 36 years. He got his start on drums at age 8 in his father’s band before picking up the accordion at 14, and he formed his own band in 1989. Since then, the group has toured across the United States, Canada and Europe, playing festivals, fairs and music venues. Carrier’s accolades include a 2010 Grammy Award for Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album and induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2011.
September 10: Spank The Monkey
The second Thursday brings Spank The Monkey, a high-energy rock band that has been performing since it emerged on the Louisiana music scene in 1995. Known for mixing covers from the 1990s and 2000s with original material, the band gained regional attention when its song “Sweet Daisy” spent three months as the most-requested track on 96.5 Planet Radio. Spank The Monkey regularly plays venues and festivals stretching from Texas to Florida.
September 17: Frank Brown Songwriters Showcase
The final Sunset Series date serves as a preview of the Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival, a long-running Gulf Coast tradition that celebrates original songwriting. The Wilson Brothers, made up of Alabama-born musicians and songwriters Chad and Kyle Wilson, will open the evening from 5 to 6 p.m. The duo has built a following touring extensively across the Southeast and internationally.
From 6 to 8 p.m., Nashville songwriter Craig Campbell and Gulf Coast favorite Johnny Hayes will take the stage together with their accompanists. Campbell has written a string of country hits, including “Family Man,” “Fish,” “Keep Them Kisses Comin’,” “Outta My Head” and the gold-certified “Outskirts of Heaven.” He launched his own label, Grindstone Recordings, in 2020, and in 2023 he founded the Kenny Campbell Foundation in honor of his late father, an effort that has since raised more than $1 million for colorectal and colon cancer causes.
Johnny Hayes, an independent singer-songwriter from Mobile, is well known to Gulf Coast audiences. He reached the top 24 on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2017 and was named best male vocalist by the Flora-Bama in 2025.
City Leaders on the Series’ Return
“We are proud to continue our Sunset Series,” said Grant Brown, the City of Gulf Shores’ Recreation & Cultural Affairs Director. “Our city has put so much effort into making Gulf Place Public Beach a beautiful and relaxing spot for our residents and guests. We look forward to blending that beauty with free entertainment for everyone to enjoy.”
Why It Matters for Baldwin County
Sunset Series is one of several free public events the City of Gulf Shores hosts at Gulf Place each year to draw foot traffic to the Town Green during the shoulder season, when summer tourist crowds begin to thin but warm evenings still make outdoor gatherings comfortable. For Baldwin County residents and the area’s steady stream of visitors, the series offers a no-cost way to enjoy live music and support small, local vendors while taking in sunset views over the Gulf of Mexico. The addition of the Frank Brown Songwriters Showcase as the closing date also ties the series to one of the region’s signature music traditions, giving concertgoers an early look at performers connected to the broader Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival.