How do you like your shrimp? Fried, boiled, butterflied, sauteed, barbecued? You are sure to find them prepared these ways and a multitude of other ways at the 41st Annual National Shrimp Festival presented by Zatarain’s  in Gulf Shores, Oct. 11 to 14.

More than 250,000 festival goers are anticipated to attend the four-day festival. With a backdrop of sugar-white sand beaches and clear Gulf water, approximately 250 artisans, craftspeople and other vendors will display fine art and arts and crafts, in addition to a retail marketplace.

Put a little dance in your step at the festival’s two stages, both providing continuous entertainment by local bands and musicians like Sugarcane Jane, The Tip Tops and Brent Burns. The younger festival goers will enjoy the Children’s Activity Village where there will be inflatables, games and hands-on crafts.

Other festival events include a Sand Sculpture Contest on Saturday, Oct. 13, as well as a 10K run, also on Saturday.

The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Shuttle service will be available from four different shuttle stops. To plan your festival experience, be sure to use the printable festival map.