The annual shrimp festival on Fort Myers Beach officially returns Saturday, featuring a parade, a 5K run, music, and numerous shrimp dishes, aiming to support the local shrimp industry still recovering from Hurricane Ian.
Andrew Yelle, president of the Fort Myers Beach Lions Club, said, "To have this touch point, this, this, this milestone event in the community to kind of bring people back, you know, to remind them of all the goodness that is here on Fort Myers Beach."
The weekend event will see the Fort Myers Beach community come together to indulge in all things shrimp.
"We've got the, you know, the festival marketplace here with 40 plus vendors. We've got the passport. So come to 14 different restaurants and have a special shrimp festival, you know, menu items, drinks. You know, if you want to drink shrimp, if you want to eat, it's amazing," Yelle said.
All proceeds from the festival will benefit local charities and scholarships, while also supporting the shrimp industry that suffered greatly when Hurricane Ian destroyed the fishing fleet.
Grant Erickson, owner of Erickson and Jensen Seafood Packers, said, "Well, we've got our six boats that we've gotten back going, and hopefully, we'll go fishing tomorrow. So, we're looking good on that aspect. We've still got two others that we need to get together and get in back in production. But things are coming, and it seems slow, but it's happening."
Erickson and Jensen Seafood Packers, a family owned company, has served fresh seafood locally for decades.
"It's just not anywhere near what we have. We have chemical-free wild-caught. It is real food," Erickson said.
Eight out of 14 local restaurants participating in the shrimp festival will be serving their fresh seafood. For those who do not like seafood, there will be other options available.
"We've got the 5K race that starts right at 9. So you know, then you'll have your guilt-free eating experience all weekend," Yelle said.
On Saturday, attendees are encouraged to grab a shrimp crawl passport, which includes everything needed for the weekend, plus exclusive deals and prizes.
The Matanzas Pass Bridge will close at 9 a.m. Saturday to set up for the parade starting at 10 a.m., so attendees should plan to leave early.