Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival Draws Biggest Crowd Since Hurricane

The 67th annual Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival brought the largest crowd to Bayside Veterans Park since Hurricane Ian hit in 2022.

People packed the week-long celebration, which included a street parade, a 5k run, a vendor village featuring over 40 local businesses, and live music. As rebuilt businesses and tourist spots reopened, shrimp sales went through the roof.

"Erickson and Jensen is one of the last seafood companies right there on the water in Fort Myers Beach. So it's really glad to see them get the business. They give us this wonderful pink gold shrimp. The fresh shrimp here is amazing. It's the best on the planet. I might be a little bit biased, but it's really good,” said Andrew Yelle, president of the Fort Myers Beach Lions Club, to Fox 4.

People competed in the shrimp-eating contest while watching demonstrations about net casting and ocean preservation. Organizers hope to bring the festival back to its original location at Lynn Hall Park next year.