The Shrimp Fest is Back!
Feb 29, 2024 08:00AM ● By Ann Marie O’Phelan
Courtesy of Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival
The 66th Annual Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival is back again this year–rain or shine! From Saturday, March 2 to Sunday, March 10, Fort Myers Beach turns into a celebration of local, pink, gold shrimp. Over the week, there will be nine main events that make up the festival, including a kids fun run, a 5K race, a parade, an arts & crafts fair, a queen’s pageant, a shrimp crawl, the blessing of the fleet, a shrimp eating championship and the closing ceremony and concert at Bayside Park with live music, arts & craft vendors, official Lions Club Shrimp Festival t-shirt sales and a drawing for 50/50 raffle tickets that had been underway for a few weeks.
Lions Club President, Lion Drew Yelle, is happy to be back again in full swing, “We’re going for it!! Building on last year’s success with the shrimp crawl at the area restaurants, we are bringing back in the crowd favorites…the parade, the shrimp run, the 5k, and the vendor expo. It’s going to be an exciting 66th anniversary!”
The proceeds of Lions Club activities, including the annual Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival, help fund student scholarships and assist with many other local needs.
The 66th Annual Fort Myers Beach Lions Shrimp Festival Schedule is as follows. Always check the website and Facebook page for the latest information and updates.
Saturday, March 2
8 am – 12 pm Kids Shrimp Run – on the beach
9 am-10 am - 5K Run – over the Matanzas Bridge twice
Monday, March 4- Saturday, March 10
10 am-10 pm - Shrimp Crawl at local restaurants
Saturday, March 9
10 am-12 am - Parade down Estero Blvd.
1 pm- 2 pm - Queens Pageant
Saturday, March 9-Sunday, March 10
10 am-5 pm - Arts & Crafts Fair at Bayside Park
Sunday, March 10
10 am – 1 pm - Blessing of the Fleet
2 pm-3 pm - Shrimp Eating Contest
4 pm-7 pm- Closing Ceremony at Bayside Park
Make sure that you are over the Matanzas Pass bridge before 9 am Saturday, March 2, as it closes from 9 am-12 pm for the parade. Stay tuned to the fest’s official club Facebook and website for the latest news and updates at fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival.com.
