Shrimp and Grits Festival Posters Available Online at JekyllIsland.com
Monday, September 28th, 2009
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Posts Tagged ‘ shrimp festival ’
Shrimp & Grits A Big Hit
Monday, September 21st, 2009
By LINDSEY ADKISONReposted from TheBrunswickNews.com
When the Foreback family heard about the Jekyll Island Shrimp and Grits festival, they knew it was something they couldn’t pass up. In fact, they made it a focal point of their fall vacation.
“We’re from the Atlanta area and our girls go to school year around and they have fall break now. When we called the Jekyll Island Club Hotel to register for our hotel, they told us about the festival,” Pam Foreback said.
“We thought it would be fun. So we brought our dogs down and we’re having a great time.”
The Forebacks weren’t the only ones drawn to the event. Hundreds of people descended on the tiny island for fun, music and, of course, the food.
On Friday night, vendors lined the pathways throughout the historic district, selling everything from candles to furniture.
But they weren’t just there to sell their wares.
Pam Foot and her husband work for Logan Turnpike Mill and drove eight hours from Blairsville to take part. They were hoping to combine a little business with pleasure.
“We were invited by the Jekyll Island Club. A lot of chefs use our grits for their recipes,” Foot said.
“There really is no down side to it. It’s like a vacation for us. I haven’t been to the beach in a really long time.”
Throughout the weekend, the mood was light. Events included shrimp eating contests, music and cooking contests.
On Saturday and Sunday, there were BMX Bike demonstrations. There were also shows by the Disc-Connected K9 Frisbee Dogs.
One of the weekend’s highlights was a release by the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.
Hundreds of spectators hit the beach to watch three rehabilitated amphibians, Pumpkin, Skidaway and Nightwatch return to the ocean.
Camden County residents Erica Crews and her young daughters, Julie Ann and Andy, were on hand to wish them luck.
“We recently visited the turtle center, so I wanted the girls to see it,” Crews said.
As a whole, the expanded festival seemed a rousing success.
Jekyll Island spokesperson Eric Garvey said even though no numbers are in, this year’s event was likely the largest ever.
“It looks like this year’s event was up about 20 to 30 percent over last year and the weekend total will approach 15,000 to the festival,” he said.
“The additional activities were planned to give everyone a better festival experience with plenty to do and to bring people back for several days. We planned the additional activities because we anticipated a larger crowd this year. The festival has received tremendous publicity, so we were expecting large crowds.”
One of the new features of the weekend was a shuttle service that took patrons from the parking area of at the Jekyll Island Convention Center to the festival area in the Historic District.
Garvey said that it ran relatively smoothly.
“The shuttle system worked very well. Like any transportation system, there are bugs to be worked out. This was our first organized shuttle system on this scale and with more revitalization projects beginning this year, we will be utilizing shuttles to manage parking and move people around the island,” he said.
“Guests seemed to have no problem with it and it allowed use to utilize more of the Historic District for festival activities.”
Contest winners:
* The professional cooking contest award went to Cargo Portside Grill.
* The People’s Choice winner was Tasteful Temptations.
Are You Ready for Some Shrimp & Grits?
Friday, September 18th, 2009
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Jekyll Gears Up for Shrimp and Grits
Thursday, September 17th, 2009
by Lindsey Adkison, Reposted from The Brunswick News, September 17, 2009
The chef at Blackwater Grill on St. Simons Island is a contestant in this weekend’s Shrimp and Grits professional cooking contest and festival on Jekyll Island.
And he says his lips are sealed on his recipe.
“The only criteria is that it has to have shrimp and grits,” he said. “It’s more of a chef’s competition.”
All he can tell you is this: “I won’t be doing the shrimp and grits that I serve here.”
The cooking contest is part of the three-day festival sponsored by the Jekyll Island Authority that will begin Friday. The cooking contest, which is on Sunday, the final day of the festival, will feature several restaurant chefs like Cadden. Each will try to offer the judges something unique.
“Each year I come up with something new,” Cadden said. “We haven’t won yet, but maybe the fourth year will be the charm.”
The festival also has a people’s choice event. On Friday, hungry patrons can pay $3 to sample different restaurants take on the Southern fare.
Dan Dickerson, co-owner of Latitude 31, may have a home field advantage. The restaurant is on the Jeykll Wharf in the island’s historic district, where the event will take place. “On Saturday, they will tally all tickets, and I think Latitude has a good shot,” he said.
Besides being fun, participation in the festival is also a chance to give something back to the community, Dickerson said.
“One of reasons why we like doing it is because it helps the local shrimpers out,” he said. “Wild Georgia Shrimp is the best shrimp that you can possibly ever eat.”
Even though good food may be the biggest enticement, there are other reasons to come out. Beth Burnsed, event coordinator for Jekyll Island, says a host of activities are included on the menu. “The Shrimp & Grits Festival has something for everyone,” she said. “For the kids, we have a Family Fun Zone, shrimp eating contests, a King BMX Bike show and the Frisbee dog show.
“For adults we have cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts vendors, live entertainment and cold beverages.”
One particularly interesting portion of the festival will be the release of three sea turtles from the Georgia Sea Turtle Center at 3 p.m. Sunday. The turtle release is just one of the ways the program has expanded over the past four years. Burnsed says it has grown to include more than 70 arts and crafts vendors and 25 food vendors.
“Every year the festival has grown, not only in the number of attendees, but also in activities,” she said. “For this reason we are implementing a shuttle system this year. All parking for the festival will be near the Jekyll Island Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday. There will be no parking
in the Historic District.”
A shuttle service will be provided. “This has allowed us to add more activities such as the King BMX Stunt Show and expand our Family Fun Zone and arts and crafts vendor area,” she said.
The additions will come as a welcome surprise to many festival regulars.
The festival seems to have more meaning this year. The economy has dealt a heavy blow to both tourism and the shrimping industry, said Eric Garvey, spokesman for the Jekyll Island Authority. He feels the festival is a way of bringing attention to the industry and the coast.
“It makes great sense because our guests from our key markets like Atlanta, Macon, Athens and Augusta are the target consumers for Wild Georgia Shrimp,” he said. “We have had a tremendous response to this year’s event from businesses wanting to participate and from guests making their plans to come. We are looking forward to a big crowd, and we are optimistic that it will give us, the shrimp industry and all the restaurants and vendors involved a much-needed boost.”
There is Something for Everyone at Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival
Monday, September 14th, 2009
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Download the schedule
Make Your Plans Now for Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival Next Weekend!
Friday, September 11th, 2009Shrimp & Grits and Wild Georgia Shrimp to be featured on Food Network
Thursday, March 12th, 2009
Since the inception of the Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits: Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival in 2006, Joe Barnett, Jr. has participated and won in every Shrimp & Grits Cooking Competition. His winning streak and jovial personality caught the attention of Food Network. On March 18 at 9:00 PM the amateur chef will go up against world-renowned chef Bobby Flay on Food Network’s “Throwdown with Bobby Flay”.
Taped in Joe Barnett’s hometown of Washington, GA, the show features Joe Barnett cooking his version of shrimp & grits against Bobby Flay’s version. Both chefs use locally caught wild Georgia shrimp provided by the Georgia Shrimp Association, a partner in the Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits annual festival. Their dishes are judged by local fans and shrimp & grits connoisseurs. The one-on-one competition was a complete surprise to Barnett. In each “Throwdown” episode, the amateur cook thinks Food Network is shooting their profile for a show. What they don’t know is that Food Network star Bobby Flay is going to drop in for a surprise visit and challenge them to an unexpected cook-off.
“I was shocked when Bobby Flay walked onto the set,” said Barnett. “Of course, I’m always up for a cook-off and was proud to represent the Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival and the Georgia Shrimp Association.”
The annual Shrimp & Grits: Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival is held each year on Jekyll Island in September. This year’s event is scheduled for September 18-20 and will include cooking competitions, celebrity book signing, cooking demonstrations, shrimp boat tours and excursions and much more. More details can be found at jekyllisland.com and the festival Facebook fan page.
Everyone Had Fun At Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival 2008
Monday, September 22nd, 2008
Highly Anticipated 3rd Annual “Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival” Kicks Off September 19
Friday, September 12th, 2008
Join the Jekyll Island Authority, the Georgia Shrimp Association, and the Georgia Tourism Foundation for the only event in the Southeast dedicated to celebrating two southern favorites – shrimp and grits!
Set amid Jekyll Island’s picturesque Jekyll Island Club National Landmark Historic District, “Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival,” will kick off on Friday, Sept. 19, at 5:30 p.m. Festivities will continue throughout the weekend, beginning Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and Sunday at noon. All entertainment is free and open to the public.
The popular annual festival features delicious food, exciting shrimp & grits cooking competitions, great music, and a vendor area complete with arts, crafts, antiques, and collectables. “Uncle Bubba,” the brother of southern celebrity-chef Paula Deen, will even make a special guest appearance on Saturday from 10:00 AM-12:00 noon. And to add to the excitement, guests can participate in the 3rd Annual Wild Georgia Golf Tournament, take fun-filled shrimp boat excursions, and play in the “Family Fun Zone” created just for kids.
Wild Georgia Shrimp & Grits Cooking Competition:
The Wild Georgia Shrimp & Grits Cooking Competition events will offer mouth-watering tasting opportunities of more than a dozen shrimp & grits dishes prepared by amateur and professional chefs throughout the region. Guests can sign-up to be part of the esteemed “Consumer Choice Panel” to taste the dishes and select the winners of either the professional or amateur competition for a fee of $25.00 per person.
Christopher Hewitt of Savannah’s Olde Pink House will be back this year to defend his title as the “Best Professional Shrimp & Grits Chef.” He’ll face stiff competition from more than eight other professional chefs from Jekyll and surrounding areas. The competition for the 2008 professional title begins at noon on Sunday. The competition for the best amateur chef will take place on Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
During the festival visitors will also have the opportunity to purchase delicious shrimp & grits dishes from outstanding local restaurants and vendors, including the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, Latitude 31 Restaurant and Raw Bar, Zachary’s Seafood, and the Wild Georgia Shrimp Association. Prices for individual dishes will vary. A variety of other food and dishes will be also available throughout the festival.
Cooking Demonstrations:
Chef Steve Ingersoll, chef/instructor at the Coastal Georgia College in Kingsland, Ga., will host a cooking demonstration Saturday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Chef Stephanie Donegan, the cooking star of “Raising Alabama,” will also demonstrate preparation of an outstanding shrimp & grits recipe from her newest southern soul food cookbook, Living a Life of Southern Soul. The demonstration begins at 3:00 on Sunday.
Live, Free Entertainment:
Throughout the weekend the Jekyll Island Club National Landmark Historic District will ring with the musical talents of many favorite local bands, including King City Jazz, Dirty Hairys, the Jeff Beasley Band, OSKAR Rockhammer, Spice of Life, and Straight No Chaser. Saturday evening, beginning at 7 p.m., guest can enjoy the live music of popular blues band, Statesboro Blues.
Special Appearance by “Uncle Bubba” – Brother to Celebrity Chef Paula Deen
No southern festival would be complete without someone named “Bubba,” and we’ve got the best! ”Uncle Bubba,” author of the popular Uncle Bubba’s Savannah Seafood Cookbook, will be on hand. Between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday he’ll host a book signing. Visitors can bring a copy of the cook book so he can autograph it, or it can be purchased onsite.
Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House restaurant in Savannah, Ga., which he co-owns with his sister Paula Deen, features many delectable seafood creations ranging from chargrilled oysters to “Aunt Peggy’s” fried catfish platter. “Y’all know that my family and I have never been what you might call “fancy eaters,” said Bubba. “Growing up in southwest Georgia, we never had white tablecloths or silver candlesticks. We just wanted to eat good food, laugh a lot, and have a good time. When Paula and I opened the doors to Uncle Bubba’s, we had one mission in mind. That was to provide our guests with the finest quality meal available in a friendly, comfortable atmosphere.”
Disconnected K9 Frisbee Dog Show
On both Saturday and Sunday, be sure to “catch” the Disconnected K9 frisbee dog show at 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Trainer Lawrence Frederick started out playing in human Frisbee competitions until he discovered the disc dog world in 1991. Now, not only are Lawrence and his team of incredible dogs the most widely recognized Frisbee Dog Team in the world, but he made history by being the first human to compete with two dogs at the same time in the World Frisbee Dog Championships in 2003;
and then became the first human to compete with three dogs in the same year in the World Frisbee Dog Championships in 2006; and then again in 2007. All of their shows are family oriented; carry a message of fun, athleticism, canine bonding, and promote dog rescuing.
3rd Annual Shrimp & Grits Commemorative Poster Competition:
The commemorative poster and the official tee shirt for the 3rd Annual Shrimp & Grits Festival will display the beautiful artwork of Mrs. Ed Hose of Brunswick, GA.
The elaborate details, imagination, and brilliant colors of her art persuaded the judges to select her entry over scores of other excellent submissions. Posters and t-shirts will be on sale at the festival. Mrs. Hose’s winning artwork can be viewed by visiting www.jekyllisland.com.
3rd Annual Wild Georgia Golf tournament:
The 3rd Annual Wild Georgia Golf Tournament tees off Friday, Sept. 19, at 12:30 p.m. at Jekyll Island’s Oleander Golf Course. Each first-place winner will receive as a prize five pounds of fresh Wild Georgia Shrimp. Second and third-place winners will each receive three pounds of the prized local shrimp. Call 635-2368 to register. The fee is $65.00 per person.
Boating Excursions:
Throughout the festival weekend, guests will have the opportunity to experience several exciting boating excursions.
Captain Larry Credle’s “Lady Jane” shrimp boat offers an authentic shrimping experience. The two-hour voyages along the Marshes of Glynn were made famous by the poet Sidney Lanier. Guests will watch for dolphins, shorebirds, and minks.
They will also have the opportunity to observe the crew deploy the shrimp net and retrieve a bountiful catch of various sea life, including shrimp, crabs, fish, horseshoe crabs, man-o-rays, and much more.
Captain Credle started shrimping with his dad in his early teens. By the age of fourteen he was working with a fleet of five vessels, and in 1979 he became captain of his own shrimp boat. For nearly 30 years, he has given guests interesting, enjoyable, and educational shrimp excursions aboard the Lady Jane.
According to Credle, “The day’s catch is like Christmas, because you never know what’s in the net’s bag!” While guests aboard the Lady Jane relax, take pictures, and learn, the crew will prepare a fresh shrimp boil from the day’s catch. Nothing beats the taste of fresh-out-of-the-water, sweet, white Georgia shrimp!
To book an unforgettable experience on Lady Jane, call 912-265-5711 or e-mail Captain Credle at captain@shrimpcruise.com.
Guests can book off-shore fishing trips aboard a 44-foot “Ospo” fishing boat, or enjoy Shrimping-Dolphin tours throughout the weekend. The Shrimping-Dolphin tours are 90 minutes in length and offer a fun and ecological education. Passengers are taken through the coastal marshlands and rivers, and trawl nets and pulled along the bottom of the water by the boat. The tour crew discussed different topics on ecology and environmental issues that impact the coastal estuary, and when the trawl net is pulled up, a bounty of species are available for discussion by the crew. The crew also keeps an eye out for Dolphin friends that love to visit the boat.
For more information on Shrimping-Dolphin tours, contact 912-635-3512 or visit www.goldenislesfun.com. For more information on the off shore excursion, call 912-270-7474 or visit www.offshore-charters.com.
More Information:
For more information about Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp & Grits Festival, contact the Jekyll Island Welcome Center at 1-877-4-JEKYLL, or visit www.jekyllisland.com/shrimpandgrits.
