Why else would you come to a Shrimp Festival on the beach? The Fort Myers Beach Lions have been boiling and serving delicious, pink Gulf shrimp to festival attendees for over sixty years! The secrets of perfectly cooked ‘peel and eat’ shrimp have been passed from boil master to boil master through the years, as well as the secret recipe for Lions delicious cocktail sauce served as an accompaniment. It all starts, of course, with the finest shrimp the Gulf can offer. Delivered straight from the Fort Myers Beach shrimp boat fleet, our pink Gulf shrimp is unsurpassed in flavor and versatility. Coined ‘Pink Gold‘, this local commodity is native and sustainably sourced, BURSTING with flavor and has no additives or preservatives. Why pink and not brown or white Gulf shrimp? The pink Gulf shrimp are prized for their sweet, tender meat, are caught fresh year-round, but are more abundant during winter months as they are a cold weather species, peaking from late fall until early spring. They are the largest of the species, highest is quality & test high in flavonoids. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits. So, you’ll be supporting a good cause and your health when you purchase a Lion’s shrimp dinner!
Beach Lions serve over one thousand pounds of the fresh, local, sweet & pink crustaceans every year, making the Shrimp Boil one of the main attractions of this annual festival. Lions toil and boil for two days, from 10AM until 6PM, to bring the goodness of the Gulf directly to the savvy folks in the “Shrimp Line”. Following the two-hour beach parade Saturday morning the line forms for the best and freshest seafood that southwest Florida had to offer. One, half-pound of steaming shrimp is served on every plate, accompanied by sauce and slaw. While they are there, Festival goers also take the opportunity to browse and buy from the 100 beach crafters and vendors who have made this event one of the best beach festivals in the South and a mecca for tens of thousands of visitors each year. On the way through the festival there’s usually some music to enjoy, a collectable official Shrimp Festival tee shirt, hat or tank top, an opportunity to watch the crowning of the next Shrimp Festival Queen, and a huge selection of other eating and entertainment opportunities. What better way to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon than enjoying shrimp at the edge of the Gulf of Mexico and dipping your toes into the sparkling Gulf waters too? Many people come both days just for the shrimp boil, which is testament to the goodness dished out by the Fort Myers Beach Lions. A better shrimp dinner cannot be found! While Bubba Gump may be able to cook shrimp in a variety of ways, the Fort Myers Beach Lions excel in the pureness of boiled shrimp. After all, this is the SHRIMP festival!
