SPECIAL EVENTS

Get Wild at the 2011 Wild Texas Galveston Island Shrimp Festival! Boats, Gumbo, Music, Friends and Fun! The event is a celebration of Galveston's great wild seafood and island lifestyle. 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 featuring Bob Schneider and Nakia 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.

HISTORIC STRAND SCHEDULE
Friday, September 23, 2011
5 p.m. Texas Original Vendors Open
8-10 p.m. Friday Night Party - Saengerfest Park - Fried Shrimp Dinner & Open Bar - Tickets available for $50.00

Saturday, September 24, 2011
9 a.m. Cook Off Begins
10 a.m. Texas Original Vendors Open
10 a.m. Information Booths Open
11 a.m. Strand Merchant Walk About Begins
12 p.m. Kid's Area Open
12 p.m. Public Gumbo Stroll Begins
1 p.m. Galveston Band Jamz Concert @ Saengerfest Park featuring Honeybrowne
3 p.m. "Galveston Shrimp Company" presents - Lil' Shrimps Parade
4 p.m. Strand Merchant Walk About Ends
5 p.m. Gumbo Stroll Ends
6 p.m. Gumbo Champion Awarded
7 p.m. Event Closes

MOODY GARDENS SCHEDULE:
Saturday, September 24, 2011
8 a.m. Shrimp Scamper 5K Run @ Moody Gardens Benefitting the Justin Hughes Memorial Begins

PIER 21 SCHEDULE:
Friday, September 23, 2011
5 p.m. Boat & RV Show Benefitting the Tall Ship ELISSA
5 p.m. Nautical Vendors Open

Saturday, September 24, 2011
10 a.m. Boat & RV Show Benefitting the Tall Ship ELISSA
10 a.m. Nautical Vendors Open
4 p.m. Jumbo Shrimp Jam Concert Area featuring Nakia & Bob Schneider

Sunday, September 25, 2011
10 a.m. Boat & RV Show Benefitting the Tall Ship ELISSA
10 a.m. Nautical Vendors Open
2 p.m. Galveston Shrimp Company presents the "Anything that Floats" Boat Parade and Blessing of the Fleet
5 p.m. Event Closes