The National Shrimp Festival gets underway in Gulf Shores today, despite the effects of Hurricane Nate last weekend.
This year marks the 46th annual iteration of the festival. Attendance is projected to be around 250,000 people in what the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber says is Gulf Shores’ largest event in terms of both attendance and economic impact.
The festival features everything from arts and crafts to sports. Attendees can also hear live music from 4:00 to 11:00 each evening. But the biggest highlight will be the food.
Chamber President Ed Rodriguez says the Cajun Pistol is one treat every visitor needs to try.
“They’re just so delicious, so good. And if you come to the shrimp festival, you really need to get one, you really do, 'cause it’s not something you can find at other festivals all over the country. You know, there’s certain things that are considered festival foods that you can get in a lot of places, but not the Cajun Pistol.”
The Cajun Pistol is a fried bread roll stuffed with a combination of shrimp, crawfish and crab along with a blend of cheeses and a spicy sauce. One vendor expects to sell around 10,000 of them before the festival ends.
The 46th annual National Shrimp Festival begins today at 10 a.m, and runs through Sunday.