Shrimp Gumbo Festival Expansion Announced
Boats, Gumbo, Music, Friends and Fun! Yaga’s Entertainment, Inc. has announced the return and expansion of the Galveston Island Wild Texas Shrimp Festival. Events kick-off Friday September 23 and run through Sunday September 25, 2011. Last year the festival drew in an estimated 10,000 in attendance to the Historic Strand District for the shrimp gumbo cook-off, 5K run, Lil’ Shrimps Procession, kids area, merchant walk-about and live music. If that wasn’t enough, Yaga’s Entertainment, Inc. has added some exciting additions to the festival this year that include a major concert, boat parade, boat show and blessing of the fleet.
The festival has extended to Pier 21 where Yaga’s Entertainment, Inc. will host a boat show, nautical vendors, concert and Blessing of the Fleet Boat Parade. “In honor of the shrimp industry, we have decided in bring back the Blessing of the Fleet Boat Parade…with a twist,” said Mike Dean President of Yaga’s Entertainment, Inc. The Blessing of the Fleet Boat Parade will not be exclusive to shrimp boats, but allow “Anything that Floats” to take part in a time honored tradition. An exciting concert announcement will come in the next months for the Jumbo Shrimp Jam Concert on Pier 21 Saturday September 24, 2011.
In addition to the new festivities on Pier 21, all events from last year will continue down on the Strand. Amateur and professional teams will vie for the title of Best Shrimp Gumbo on Galveston Island, Galveston Jamz Bands music will fill the streets as the public strolls the Strand sampling gumbo and visiting vendors while the kids play in the expanded kids area complete with dunking booth only to stop as the Lil’ Shrimp’s Children’s Procession rolls down Strand. Bernardo’s at Hotel Galvez will be defending their title against 11 other competing island restaurants including Olympia Pier 21, Yaga’s Café and M&M Restaurant & Bar.
The Galveston Island Wild Texas Shrimp Festival schedule is as follows:
Friday Sept. 23- 5:00pm Boat Show and Nautical Vendors on Pier 21 Open
8:00pm-10:00pm Team & Sponsor Party in Saengerfest Park
Saturday Sept 24-8:00am 5K Shrimp Scamper Fun Run @ Moody Gardens
10:00am Nautical Vendors & Boat Show Open on Pier 21
Vendors & Information Booth Open on Strand
11:00am Strand Merchant Walk-About Begins
12:00pm Public Gumbo Sampling and Kids Area begin
1:00pm Live Music Begins in Saengerfest Park
3:00pm Lil’ Shrimp’s Parade begins
4:00pm Jumbo Shrimp Jam Concert Area Opens on Pier 21
6:00pm Gumbo Champion Awarded
Sunday Sept 25- 10:00am-5:00pm Boat Show and Nautical Vendors Open on Pier 21
2:00pm “Anything that Floats” Boat Parade and Blessing of the Fleet begins
Sponsors for this year’s festival include Mitchell Historic Properties, Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau, Galveston County Daily News, Galveston Shrimp Company, The Islander Magazine, and Galveston Monthly
For registration and more event information visit www.galvestonislandshrimpfestival.com
