The Gumbo & Alabama Slammer Festival returns to Foley's Heritage Park after its inaugural event in 2023.

The one-day festival is produced by Beach Life Events, which is also responsible for bringing the Chocolate & Cheese Festival and the Mudbugs & Margaritas to downtown Foley.

When it comes to this festival, it is advised to wear your eating pants. Attendees will have a variety of gumbos to sample, from classic seafood to chicken and sausage. In addition to the gumbo, food and snack vendors will have other festival food favorites for sale.

Wondering about the Alabama slammers? Legal drinking age attendees will have a tough time choosing between a slammer, bloody mary, pina-colada, beer or wine. Adult beverages are $5.

The first year of an event can highlight areas needing revision or if something is missing. Beach Life Events owners Mike and Lisa Yeater are seasoned festival producers, but last year's inaugural event induced a few changes for this year.

"We have enhanced the setup to allow for more people to enjoy the live music," Mike Yeater said. "We have relocated and expanded the adult beverage location."

Like all Beach Life Events happenings, the festival is open to the whole family, young and young at heart. Music lovers will enjoy listening to live performers, and shopping lovers will have a wide selection of fine arts and crafts vendors to peruse. The youngest festival goers will enjoy the kids' zone and petting zoo. Don't forget about the contests.

When asked what first time festival goers can expect, Mike Yeater said, "A festival that is enjoyable for the whole day. Bring an appetite, a chair and friends to create a forever memory for the whole family."

The Gumbo & Alabama Slammer Festival takes over Heritage Park in the middle of downtown Foley on Saturday, Jan. 27. Gates open at 10 a.m., and the event ends at 6 p.m. Admission is $5, and children 12 and under are free.

Schedule of activities:

• 10 a.m. – Festival gates open
• 10:30 a.m. – Cliff Dorsey Music
• Noon – Catch the Gumbo contest, $50 prize for the first-place winner.
• 12:15 p.m. – Shake It Out contest, $50 prize for the first-place winner.
• 12:30 p.m. – Doughnut Hole Eating, $100 prize for the first-place winner.
• 1 p.m. – Sons of Bocephus: A Tribute to Hank Jr.
• 3 p.m. – Don't Spill the Roux contest, $50 prize for the first-place winner.
• 3:15 p.m. – Beer Stein Holding contest, $50 prize for the first-place winner.
• 4 p.m. – The Tip Tops
• 6 p.m. – End of the 2024 Gumbo & Alabama Slammer Festival

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.beachlifeevents.com.