From the world-famous Concours to the 61-year-old Shrimp Festival to the biggest event in golf — your definitive 2026 event calendar with insider logistics and what nobody puts in the brochure.
The Amelia Concours d'Élégance
The most prestigious automotive concours in America — and one of the top three in the world. Held each March on the lawn of the Ritz-Carlton, the Concours brings the finest vintage automobiles on the planet to a setting that is, by any measure, extraordinary: Atlantic Ocean horizon to the east, Spanish-moss live oaks overhead, and cars of a quality that museums would fight for.
The weekend runs Thursday through Sunday with related events — the Tour d'Elegance, the Road Rally, and a film festival — but the concours itself is Sunday. Tickets sell out. Book accommodation nine to twelve months in advance if you're targeting the Concours weekend. The Ritz and Omni are the closest; both are sold out within weeks of the prior year's event.
Insider logistics: If you can't get tickets to the Sunday judging, the Saturday preview day is underrated and less crowded. The Thursday evening reception is the industry insiders' event of choice.
Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival
The oldest and largest festival on the island — four days across the last weekend of April and first weekend of May that turn Fernandina Beach into the most festive small city in Florida. The 61st annual Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival runs April 30–May 3, 2026. It kicks off with the signature Pirate Parade on Thursday evening, April 30 at 6 pm along Centre Street, followed by three full days of festival (Friday May 1 through Sunday May 3) with 200+ arts and crafts vendors, live music across multiple stages, a street fair, and an enormous amount of shrimp prepared every way imaginable. Roughly 150,000 people attend over the weekend.
The festival is free to attend. The shrimp is not. Plan for crowds on Saturday afternoon — Peters Point Beachfront Park and Centre Street fill up completely. Thursday evening parade and Sunday morning are the insider windows for thinner crowds. Hotels within 15 miles of the island fill up months ahead; book accordingly.
What's worth your time: The Thursday evening pirate parade (great energy, easier to navigate than the full weekend); the arts and crafts vendors (genuine quality, not mass-market); the historic home tours (run by the Amelia Island Museum of History). Skip the Saturday midday rush unless you love being shoulder-to-shoulder.
🅿️ Parking heads-up: Downtown Fernandina Beach now has paid parking (effective February 16, 2026) — on-street spots are free for 4 hours, surface lots free for 8 hours, then $2/hour via kiosks or Flowbird app. During Shrimp Festival weekend, plan to arrive early or use lots outside the paid zone and walk in. The festival shuttle (if running in 2026) is worth checking on their website.
THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass
The self-styled "fifth major" of professional golf — held each March at TPC Sawgrass, 45 minutes south of Amelia Island. The island is a natural base for PLAYERS week: close enough to make the daily drive manageable, far enough from Ponte Vedra to have accommodation availability when the resort town is completely sold out.
The island green on the par-3 17th is one of the most televised holes in golf for a reason — standing next to it during tournament play is a genuinely dramatic sporting experience. Tickets for Wednesday practice rounds are the most accessible entry point; Saturday and Sunday require planning well in advance.
Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival
One of the finest chamber music festivals on the East Coast — held each spring in Fernandina Beach with world-class musicians performing in intimate venues. The festival's programming consistently attracts soloists and chamber groups of international standing to a setting that makes classical music feel genuinely accessible rather than forbidding.
Programming note: The 2026 season features Khatia Buniatishvili in solo piano recital and a "Just Jazzin' Around" jazz program — a range that reflects the festival's thoughtful approach to audience building. Check the festival website for the full 2026 schedule and ticketing.
Sounds on Centre
The free outdoor concert series that turns Centre Street into a weekly gathering point through the season. Local and regional musicians, the kind of programming that reflects what the island actually listens to rather than what a booking committee approved. Free to attend, no ticket required. Bring a chair or claim a spot at one of the nearby bars. One of those events that is better the more you simply show up for it rather than planning around it.
Keep Exploring
What's On This Week
Current events, live music, and what's happening right now on Amelia Island.
Explore →Day Trips from Amelia Island
Seven curated destinations within two hours — Georgia's barrier islands, St. Augustine, Savannah.
Explore →Where to Stay
Hotels and rentals reviewed for event weekends — including the Concours and Shrimp Festival.
Explore →