SPORTS + OUTDOORS

The 3rd Annual Texas Shrimp Gumbo Cook Off will be held Saturday, April 30th, and the  43rd Annual Blessing of the Fleet will be held Sunday May 1st.

The 3rd Annual Texas Shrimp Gumbo Cook Off will be held Saturday April 30th, (8AM – 8PM) in the Kemah Lighthouse District, behind the Kemah Visitors Center. There is no charge for spectators! Entry fees for contestants are only $40.00. All contestants will be provided with 5 lbs. of Texas, shell-on shrimp to be used in their contest recipe. Teams can enter as late as the day of the event, but advance registration is preferred. Awards will be given 1st – 10th place. Something new this year is the “Best in Kemah” award for a participating Kemah restaurant.

The 43rd Annual “Blessing of the Fleet” will be held Sunday May 1st, at 2:00 on the Clear Creek Channel, along the Kemah Boardwalk. Colorful, decorated shrimp boats and pleasure craft will file past the Cadillac “Authentic Mexican Restaurant” where they will be blessed by the officiating priest and minister.

Bring your family and friends down to the Kemah Boardwalk to witness the festive boats and colorful crews as they parade down the channel in celebration of this time honored tradition. Whether you enter your boat or just enjoy the parade, this is one event that you won’t want to miss!

Another event that will be going on this same weekend in Kemah is the “Kemah Blue Grass Music Festival at the Blessing of the Fleet” on Friday April 29 - Sunday May 1st. Come down and enjoy live Blue Grass music in a family friendly atmosphere.

Whether you want to have your boat blessed in the parade, put a team together for the shrimp gumbo cook-off, listen to live Blue Grass music, or just come down for the weekend and enjoy the fun, make Kemah your destination for the first weekend in May.