Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival

We decided to kick off our summer with a little bit of sunshine and seafood, a first coast specialty. Now you may be thinking “what exactly is this Isle of Eight Flags”? Amelia Island, rumored to be “the fairest of the province” by explorer James Oglethorpe, is also known as “The Isle of Eight Flags” because it is the only US territory that has been under the dominion of eight different rulers over the past five centuries. For the past 56 years, Fernandina Beach has hosted the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival. It’s estimated that the crowds coming to the island from South Georgia and North Florida grow to be around 150,000 people over the weekend. This influx of people may be a far cry from the isle's history as an untouched paradise, but one thing is certainly the same: there’s an abundance of shellfish to go around!

This city is all about tradition and things kick off every year with a re-enactment of a pirate invasion. Festival goers are given the chance to see characters whom before were only heard of during tales of times past, engage in excitement filled live action throughout the streets. Despite the notorious reputation of pirates, there are nothing but friendly eyepatch-wearing faces scattered through the alleyways. With over 200 vendors in attendance, there’s an abundance of treasures to be discovered. If you take a look around at the patrons you will see some of the most interesting shrimp inspired outfits, from jewelry to party hats, there's no holding back.

The main thing in common amongst all of the festival attendees seems to be that we are gathered to devour a seemingly endless amount of juicy prawns!! The shrimp festival has a reputation for being the best time of year to shrimp yourself into a food coma, & they did not disappoint. Every food stall had classic peel-n-eat shrimp by the pound, as well as their own shrimp based specialty dish. The lines were long, but the styrofoam containers were overflowing with shellfish. With southern fan favorites caught fresh every morning by the local shrimp boats, you are guaranteed to leave this festival full and happy. If you stick around through the heat you can see the famed shrimp boat parade, honoring local boaters who serve the community by mastering those deep waters. With all of the fresh, local shellfish, live entertainment and unique vendors, the Amelia Island Shrimp Fest is loaded with highlights that will brighten your day!