Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Event Shrimp Festival topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fort Myers Beach Lions Club wins council approval for 67th Shrimp Festival; parade, vendors and shrimp boil planned
Summary
The council unanimously approved the Shrimp Festival special event permit requested by the Fort Myers Beach Lions Club. Organizers said the 67th festival will include a 5K, parade, vendor fair, shrimp dinners and family activities; they asked to waive the noise ordinance for parade hours.
The Fort Myers Beach Town Council on Feb. 18 unanimously approved a special event permit for the 2025 Shrimp Festival, allowing a 5K run, parade and vendor fair on the weekend of March 8 (parade) and related festival activity.
Diane Clifton, secretary of the Fort Myers Beach Lions Club, outlined festival plans and history: this is the club’s 67th festival, with an arts‑and‑crafts fair, a revived shrimp boil, a children’s princess competition and a Sunday shrimp‑eating contest. The parade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. after the 5K completes, and the Lions Club asked the council to waive the noise ordinance for the parade window. Clifton said vendor applications and parade entries were already arriving and that the club plans to continue longstanding public‑safety and traffic coordination with FDOT and the county.
Councilors and staff discussed logistics, barricades and possible safety challenges along the parade route, especially where recent roadway drainage work has changed walking surfaces. The Lions Club said it would coordinate barricade locations with FDOT and requested extra attention to the roundabout and staging areas.
The motion to approve the special event was made by Mayor Allard and seconded by Councilor Woodson; the vote was unanimous.
Why it matters: The Shrimp Festival is a longstanding community fundraiser and visitor draw; organizers said proceeds support local charity work and disaster relief, and the festival attracts vendors and visitors to downtown areas used by residents and tourists.
Ending: Organizers will finalize route coordination, vendor details and safety plans with town staff and FDOT and will publicize event details for residents and visitors ahead of the March event.
