Shrimp Festival Road Closures Now in Effect in Gulf Shores; Full List and Reopening Dates

GULF SHORES, Ala. — Shrimp Festival road closures are now in effect along the Gulf Shores beachfront, as the city clears space for the 54th Annual National Shrimp Festival. The first wave of closures began at 4 a.m. Monday, Oct. 5, three days before the festival opens on Thursday, Oct. 8.

More changes are coming Wednesday, Oct. 7, and the impact on traffic will build through the week as crews set up and crowds arrive. Streets are scheduled to reopen Monday, Oct. 12, the day after the festival ends, with the last two parking areas reopening Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Anyone who lives, works or plans to visit near the intersection of Highway 59 and Beach Boulevard should map out a route ahead of time and expect delays through the weekend.

Shrimp Festival Road Closures That Began Monday

The closures that took effect early Monday morning focus on the streets surrounding the public beach, where the festival grounds are built each October. As of 4 a.m. Oct. 5, the following are closed:

• Highway 59 southbound is closed at the intersection of East and West 1st Avenue.
• West Beach Boulevard is closed at West 4th Street. West 4th Street itself remains open and can be used as an alternate route.
• East Beach Boulevard is closed from Highway 59 to East 2nd Street.
• East 1st Street is closed between East Beach Boulevard and East 1st Avenue.
• The West Gulf Place parking lot is closed.

Highway 59 is the main north-south route into Gulf Shores and ends at the beach, so the southbound closure at 1st Avenue means drivers can no longer follow it all the way to the waterfront. Beach Boulevard, also known as Highway 182, is the primary east-west road along the shoreline, and the closures on both its east and west sides cut off the stretch nearest the festival site.

East Gulf Place Resident Lot Closes Wednesday

A second change is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 7, when the East Gulf Place Resident Parking Lot will close to the public.

That lot stayed open during the first part of the week even as the surrounding streets were shut down. Anyone who has been relying on it should plan to park elsewhere starting Wednesday.

The festival’s website lists East Gulf Place, at 201 E. Beach Blvd., as the site of its ADA-accessible parking area for visitors with disability credentials during the event.

Alternate Routes Toward Orange Beach

With Beach Boulevard closed near the festival grounds, drivers traveling east toward Orange Beach are being encouraged to steer clear of the beachfront entirely.

The two recommended alternate routes are:

• Highway 180 East
• State Park Road (Highway 135), which runs through Gulf State Park

Motorists should allow extra travel time throughout the festival weekend, from the start of the week through Sunday. Because the closures roll out over several days, conditions early in the week may differ from those once the festival opens Thursday.

When Gulf Shores Roads Reopen

The festival wraps up Sunday afternoon, Oct. 11, and the city has set a two-day reopening schedule:

• Monday, Oct. 12: All streets reopen. The East Gulf Place Resident Parking Lot also reopens.
• Tuesday, Oct. 13: West Gulf Place and Gulf Place reopen.

Note that the Gulf Place lots reopen a day later than the streets, so drivers hoping to park at West Gulf Place or Gulf Place should wait until Tuesday.

Closure Timeline at a Glance

For quick reference, here is the full schedule in order:

• Monday, Oct. 5, 4 a.m.: Highway 59 southbound closes at East and West 1st Avenue; West Beach Boulevard closes at West 4th Street; East Beach Boulevard closes from Highway 59 to East 2nd Street; East 1st Street closes between East Beach Boulevard and East 1st Avenue; West Gulf Place parking lot closes.
• Wednesday, Oct. 7: East Gulf Place Resident Parking Lot closes to the public.
• Thursday, Oct. 8, through Sunday, Oct. 11: 54th Annual National Shrimp Festival.
• Monday, Oct. 12: All streets and the East Gulf Place Resident Parking Lot reopen.
• Tuesday, Oct. 13: West Gulf Place and Gulf Place reopen.

A Familiar Pattern

Staged closures are a yearly routine for the festival. In 2024, ahead of the 51st festival, Gulf Shores also phased in its closures over several days, starting with the West Gulf Place parking lot and East 1st Street before shutting Highway 59 at 1st Avenue and part of Beach Boulevard closer to opening day. Highway 180 East and State Park Road (Highway 135) were recommended as alternate routes to Orange Beach that year as well.

The 2026 schedule moves several of the larger closures to the very start of festival week, so drivers will feel the effects from Monday on rather than only in the final days before the gates open.

Parking and Shuttles for Festivalgoers

Parking and shuttle information is available from the National Shrimp Festival. According to the festival’s website, parking at and around the site is first come, first served, and much of it is controlled by private businesses and residences that set their own fees, not by the festival or the city.

Because space near the beach is limited, organizers point visitors toward the festival shuttle. The festival’s website lists the following details:

• Cost: Wristbands are $7 per day and include unlimited rides. Wristbands are sold by card only; no cash is accepted.
• Age limit: Children under 5 are not permitted on the shuttles under state law.
• Gulf Shores stops: Pelican Place, 3800 Gulf Shores Pkwy. (ADA accessible); Waterway Village Lot, 101 W. Canal Dr.; Lake Shelby Picnic Area in Gulf State Park, 20115 Highway 135; and Waves Grocery, 1154 West Beach Blvd. (walk-up only, no parking).
• Orange Beach stop: Rouses Market, 25405 Perdido Beach Blvd. (ADA accessible).
• Hours: Thursday, 1:30 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:45 a.m. to 10:15 p.m.; Sunday, 9:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.

Visitors should check the festival’s website before heading out in case of last-minute changes to stops or schedules.

About the 54th Annual National Shrimp Festival

The National Shrimp Festival runs Thursday, Oct. 8, through Sunday, Oct. 11, at the Gulf Shores Public Beach, 101 Gulf Shores Pkwy., where Highway 59 meets the beach. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free.

The festival is organized by the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber and relies on community volunteers. It is held each year on the second full weekend in October, Thursday through Sunday.

The idea came from local real estate agent Lillian Bemis, who proposed a fall festival after attending a blessing of the fleet in Bayou La Batre. The first festival, in October 1971, was a one-day event that drew between 500 and 1,500 people. Organizers now expect crowds in the hundreds of thousands over four days, and the chamber says nearly 1,000 volunteers donate their time each year to keep the festival running.

The event was created to stretch the area’s tourist season past Labor Day. What started as a one-day gathering has grown into a four-day beach party with food vendors cooking shrimp just about every way imaginable, arts and crafts booths, live music stages, a Children’s Activity Village and a Saturday sand sculpture contest.

Tips for Residents and Visitors

A few simple steps can make festival week easier for everyone on the road and on foot:

• Plan before you drive. Look over the closure list before leaving home, particularly if your usual route uses Highway 59 south of 1st Avenue or Beach Boulevard near the public beach.
• Use the recommended detours. Highway 180 East and State Park Road (Highway 135) are the suggested options for getting to Orange Beach without passing the festival grounds.
• Leave extra time. Delays are expected throughout the festival weekend, so build in a cushion for work commutes, appointments and errands.
• Watch for pedestrians. Large crowds will be walking to and from the festival, parking areas and shuttle stops. Slow down and stay alert, especially at night.
• Consider the shuttle. Riding in from an outlying lot can save the hassle of hunting for a space near the beach.
• Know the rules. According to the festival, pets are not allowed anywhere inside the festival grounds or on Gulf Shores’ sand beaches, and coolers are not permitted inside the grounds.

Residents who live inside the closure area and have questions about access to their homes should contact the City of Gulf Shores for guidance.

What Happens Next

The road closures will stay in place through the festival weekend. The final day of the event is Sunday, Oct. 11, with festival hours ending at 5 p.m.

Streets are scheduled to reopen Monday, Oct. 12, along with the East Gulf Place Resident Parking Lot. West Gulf Place and Gulf Place follow on Tuesday, Oct. 13, bringing the Gulf Shores beachfront back to normal traffic patterns after more than a week of festival preparations.