Freedom Fest organizers have full day of fun planned Oct. 9

By Melanie LeCroy / melanie@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 10/6/21

Event organizers in Orange Beach have put together a jam-packed weekend for the inaugural Freedom Fest Oct. 9 at The Wharf from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The events will include artists covering a wide …

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Freedom Fest organizers have full day of fun planned Oct. 9

Posted

Event organizers in Orange Beach have put together a jam-packed weekend for the inaugural Freedom Fest Oct. 9 at The Wharf from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The events will include artists covering a wide variety of mediums and crafts, local music, food, a charity motorcycle ride and the annual Singing for Scholarships competition.

Freedom Fest is Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon’s response to the cancellation of the Annual National Shrimp Festival. The event was planned to give vendors and visitors a place to visit while in town the second weekend in October. Community members have stepped up to provide support for the event including The Wharf, Flora-Bama, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism and Pepsi. Additional sponsors include Beachball Properties, Gulf Coast Rentals, Orange Beach Family Dentistry-Dr. Lauren Lee, Kasey Harris-Brett/Robinson, The Beach Moms, Bailey Stitt-Merrill Lynch, Stewart Construction-Darrell Stewart ATA Loss Consulting and Go Time Travel.

Food

Worried you would miss getting your annual Cajun pistol with the cancellation of the Shrimp Festival? Have no fear, Bon Temps Poboys will be on-site serving Cajun pistols and jambalaya. A variety of food vendors will be offering empanadas, burgers, barbecue, Hawaiian shaved ice and acai fruit bowls. The restaurants at The Wharf will be open as well.

Parking

Parking will be available on site at The Wharf. If there is a need for overflow parking, an off-site shuttle system will be initiated from the high school parking lot and then the Orange Beach Sportsplex.

Music

The Freedom Fest music stage will feature Brown Barnes Band, Cole Sitzlar, Tres Amigos and Stickly Rivers. Miss Alabama Lauren Bradford will also take the stage around lunchtime.

  • 9-10:30 a.m. – Stickly Rivers
  • 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Tres Amigos
  • 12:30 – 2 p.m. Brown Barnes Band
  • 2:15 – 3:45 p.m. – Cole Sitzlar

Singing for Scholarships

Singing for Scholarships will be held at 10 a.m. Oct. 9 at The Port at The Wharf. One contestant from each high school in Baldwin County will be allowed to represent their school. City schools, virtual school, home-school and past winners are eligible but must be currently enrolled in ninth through twelfth grade for the 2021-2022 school year. For more information, email ShrimpFestivalSFS@gmail.com.

Charity Ride

The Marshals’ Let Freedom Roar Run and Rally is scheduled to roll at noon Oct. 9 from the Orange Beach Event Center. Registration will be held on site from 10 a.m. till noon. The registration fee is $20 per motorcycle/jeep (all passengers are free). Registration is also available on Eventbrite. T-shirts will be sold for $25. Proceeds from the ride will benefit Youth-Reach Gulf Coast, a Christ-centered residential ministry for young men ages 18-22. The motorcycle and Jeep parade will leave from the Orange Beach Event Center parking lot then ride to the Alabama Point Bridge and loop back to the Freedom Fest.

Other Saturday Events

Brooks and Dunn will be in concert at The Wharf Amphitheater at 7 p.m. and The Addams Family Musical Comedy dinner theater at the Orange Beach Event Center at 7 p.m. Find details and ticket information for the Addams Family dinner theater at orangebeachal.gov/events/performing-arts and Brooks and Dunn on The Wharf website.

Tickets for the Addams Family dinner theater are $50 each and include dinner and the show. Children under 12 are free but must have a ticket. Performance dates are:

  • Thursday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct 8 at 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m.