Culinary is king during fall festival season on the Alabama Gulf Coast

Media Contact:

Ally Dorrough • Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism
[email protected] • GulfShores.com/Media-Room
1-800-745-SAND • 251-968-9327 (direct) • 334-752-7745 (cell)

September through November events in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – Coastal Alabama’s fall festival season is a gourmand’s cloud nine with a large selection of culinary events plus happening like concerts, sports and bull riding on the beach. The following major events take place September through November 2018 in and around Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

Bulls on the Beach Professional Live Bull Riding
Date: Sept. 7-8
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Flora-Bama Lounge and Oyster Bar (17401 Perdido Key Drive, Pensacola)
Website: FloraBama.com
Phone: 850-492-0611
Admission: $25 for adults 18 and up per night; $15 for children 7-17 per night; $40 for adults for both nights; $20 for children 7-17 for both nights; free for children 6 and under
Details: Exhilarating family-friendly professional bull riding event on the beach

Brett/Robinson Alabama Coastal Triathlon
Date: Sept. 8
Location: Gulf Shores Public Beach (101 Gulf Shores Parkway)
Registration: team-magic.com/events/121/contents/register
Details: Triathlon features a 1.5K swim in the Gulf of Mexico, 40K bike ride and 10K scenic run with stunning views of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Gulf State Park; a “tri-it-on” event will also take place with a 300-yard swim, 10-mile bike ride and 2-mile run; pre- and post-race activities will take place at The Hangout

The Wharf Uncorked Food & Wine Festival
Date: Sept. 13-15
Location: The Wharf (23101 Canal Road, Orange Beach)
Website: TheWharfUncorked.com
Phone: 251-224-1000
Admission: $40 for Kickoff Party and Chef Showdown; $60 for Grand Tasting; $85 for both events
Details: Food and wine tastings, chef demos, live entertainment and special events benefiting Make-A-Wish Alabama

Alabama Coastal Cleanup
Date: Sept. 15
Location: Various check-in points throughout Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan
Website: AlabamaCoastalCleanup.com
Phone: 251-928-9792
Admission: Free
Details: “Get the trash out of the splash” by volunteering to collect litter invading Alabama’s beaches and waterways

Shindig on the Sand
Date: Sept. 29
Time: Noon
Location: Flora-Bama Lounge & Oyster Bar (17401 Perdido Key Drive, Pensacola, FL)
Website: FloraBama.com
Phone: 850-492-0611
Admission: $5
Details: Head to the Flora-Bama for 70 musical acts as the legendary beach bar raises funds for healthcare for Gulf Coast musicians

Oktoberfest at Luna’s
Date: Sept. 30
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Cosmo’s Courtyard at Luna’s Eat & Drink (25753 Canal Road, Orange Beach)
Website: LunasEatandDrink.com
Phone: 251-980-5862
Admission: $10 (includes beer mug)
Details: German food, polka music, stein hoisting and games will take place with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Orange Beach Animal Care & Control Program

C Spire Concert Series presents: NEEDTOBREATHE with Johnnyswim & The Rocketboys
Date: Sept. 30
Location: The Amphitheater at The Wharf (23325 Amphitheater Drive, Orange Beach)
Website: ALWharf.com/Amphitheater.php
Phone: 800-745-3000
Admission: $21-51
Details: Crossover contemporary Christian and rock band NEEDTOBREATHE will perform hits like “Brother” and “Hard Love” alongside Johnnyswim & The Rocketboys

15th Annual John L. Borom Alabama Coastal Birdfest
Date: Oct. 3-6
Time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: Headquartered at Fairhope Campus of Coastal Alabama Community College (450 Fairhope Ave.)
Website: AlabamaCoastalBirdFest.com
Admission: Free (additional fees may apply for excursions)
Details: Educational event with programs for children; displays and exhibits from conservation organizations, vendors, artists and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; expert-guided trips by foot and boat to prime birding locations on the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail

Festival of Flavor
Date: Oct. 6
Location: 12-5 p.m.
Location: Historic Downtown Foley (200 Orange Ave., Foley)
Website: AlabamaFestivalofFlavor.com
Phone: 251-943-3291
Admission: $20 for adults (12 and up); $10 for children (6-12); $60 for VIP
Details: Food, wine and craft beer event focused on locally grown and produced items; SEC football games will air on a large screen in the Game Day Tent

Oktoberfest at Flora-Bama
Date: Oct. 14
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Flora-Bama Lounge and Oyster Bar (17401 Perdido Key Drive, Pensacola)
Website: FloraBama.com
Phone: 850-492-0611
Admission: Free
Details: Stein hoisting sponsored by Samuel Adams, live German music, German buffet and complimentary stein for the first 100 guests

47th Annual National Shrimp Festival
Date: Oct. 11-14
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: Gulf Shores Public Beach (101 Gulf Shores Parkway)
Website: MyShrimpFest.com
Phone: 251-968-6091
Admission: Free
Details: Free, four-day event featuring 200 arts and crafts vendors, more than 200 pounds of Gulf shrimp prepared per day, 50 local and regional food vendors, Singing for Scholarships, Outdoor World, Children’s Activity Village, 5K and 10K runs, sand sculpture contest and live music with country headliner Joe Diffie

AOPA Fly-In
Date: Oct. 26-27
Location: Jack Edwards National Airport (3190 Airport Drive, Gulf Shores)
Website: AOPA.org
Register: http://bit.ly/2n4ZHWC
Phone: 251-967-3968
Details: Aviation enthusiasts may participate in hands-on workshops, seminars, exhibits, pilot town halls and drone experiences with on-site food trucks and an aviation marketplace

Boo at Bellingrath
Date: Oct. 27
Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: Bellingrath Gardens and Home (12401 Bellingrath Gardens Road, Theodore)
Website: Bellingrath.org
Phone: 251-973-2217
Admission: $13 for adults; $7.50 for children 5-12; free for children 4 and under
Details: Come dressed in Halloween costumes for spooky fun with inflatables, treats, live entertainment and food trucks

BooLu’s
Date: Oct. 27
Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: LuLu’s (200 E. 25th Ave., Gulf Shores)
Website: LuLuBuffet.com
Phone: 251-967-5858
Admission: Free
Details: Trunk-or-treat, costume contest by age category, pumpkin decorating, crafts, inflatables and live music

The Original German Sausage Festival
Date: Oct. 27
Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Elberta Town Park (13052 Main St.)
Website: ElbertaFire.com
Admission: Free
Details: German music, traditional German cuisine (including 7,000 pounds of secret recipe sausage) and approximately 250 arts and crafts vendors; benefiting the Town of Elberta Fire Department

SEC Women’s Soccer Championship
Date: Oct. 28 to Nov. 4
Location: Orange Beach Sportsplex (4389 William Silvers Parkway)
Website: SECSports.com/Clubhouse/Soccer
Phone: 205-458-3000
Admission: $5 for adults per game; $2 for children K-12 per day
Details: Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams will battle it out for the championship crown; all first round, quarterfinal and semifinal matches will air live on the SEC Network; championship match will air live on ESPNU

Oyster Cook-Off and Craft Beer Weekend
Date: Nov. 2-3
Location: The Hangout (101 E. Beach Blvd., Gulf Shores)
Website: HangoutCookOff.com
Phone: 251-948-3030
Admission: $40 for Friday night’s Craft Beer Festival tasting tickets; $10 for Saturday general admission for adults and free for children 12 and under, plus $30 for 15 oyster tasting tickets in advance; $150 for weekend VIP experience
Details: Craft Beer Festival on Friday showcasing dozens of craft beers; Oyster Cook-Off competition, North American Oyster Showcase (raw oysters), oyster tastings, shucking competition, cooking demos with celebrity chefs and live music on Saturday

World Food Championships
Date: Nov. 7-11
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: The Wharf (23101 Canal Road, Orange Beach)
Phone: 931-528-8852
Website: WorldFoodChampionships.com
Admission: $10 per day for general admission; free for children 12 and under; $50 for VIP daily pass or $150 for the weekend; various prices for special event tickets
Details: Largest food sport competition in the world featuring more than 400 chef teams representing professional chefs and home cooks competing in 10 food categories for the ultimate food crown and a share of $300,000 in prizes

Coastal Alabama Couples Classic
Date: Nov. 8-11
Location: Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club (20 Peninsula Blvd., Gulf Shores)
Website: GolfAlabamaBeach.com/Coastal-Alabama-Couples-Classic
Phone: 251-968-5339
Details: Home base for this couples’ golf tournament is Peninsula with other shotguns taking place at Craft Farms Golf Resort and Rock Creek Golf Club; other activities include a welcome reception, live music and a sunset cruise

Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival
Date: Nov. 8-18
Location: Live music venues throughout Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Ala. and Perdido Key and Pensacola, Fla.
Website: FBISF.com
Phone: 850-492-0611
Admission: Free at most venues; modest cover at the door at a few locations
Details: Headquartered at the Flora-Bama on the Alabama-Florida line, nearly 200 renowned songwriters will perform in live music hotspots where the intimate shows allow for stories behind the songs to be told by the songwriters themselves

Kaiser Realty by Wyndham Vacation Rentals Coastal Half-Marathon, 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run
Date: Nov. 24
Location: Orange Beach Sportsplex (4389 William Silvers Parkway)
Register: team-magic.com/events/122/contents/register
Details: Shed the turkey with family and fitness this Thanksgiving with a half-marathon, 5K or 1-mile fun run through the paved, scenic Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in Gulf State Park; post-race party at the Orange Beach Sportsplex

NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship
Date: Nov. 26 to Dec. 1
Location: Orange Beach Sportsplex (4389 William Silvers Parkway)
Website: NAIA.org
Phone: 816-595-8153
Admission: TBA
Details: Cheer on some of the best collegiate soccer teams from around the country during this national championship

For a full event schedule, visit GulfShores.com/Events.

Photos:

Download: https://gsob.co/2njLSUd 
Caption: The 47th Annual National Shrimp Festival takes place at the Gulf Shores Public Beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama, Oct. 11-14, 2018, featuring 200 arts and crafts vendors, 50 local and regional food vendors, Singing for Scholarships, Outdoor World, Children’s Activity Village, 5K and 10K runs, sand sculpture contest and live music with country headliner Joe Diffie.
Credit: Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

Download: https://gsob.co/2Mcyz6t
Caption: World Food Championships hits The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama, Nov. 7-11, 2018 as more than 400 chef teams representing professional chefs and home cooks compete in 10 food categories for the ultimate food crown and a share of $300,000 in prizes.
Credit: Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

About Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism:

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism serves as the official destination marketing organization for the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in addition to the unincorporated area of Fort Morgan. To learn more about the whole different state of discovery on Alabama’s 32 miles of white-sand beaches, visit either GulfShores.com or OrangeBeach.com. This convention and visitors bureau is an accredited Destination Marketing Organization (2012-2018).