No Hangout Music Fest or Sand in My Boots in 2026 — Alabama Festival Pauses Until 2027

The Fate of Gulf Shores’ Major Music Festivals

Gulf Shores, Alabama, is set to experience a gap year for two of its most anticipated music festivals in 2026. Mayor Robert Craft confirmed this during a regular city council meeting on Monday evening, stating that both the Hangout Music Fest and the Sand in My Boots festival will not take place next year. However, the city has already approved the event for 2027.

This announcement comes at a pivotal moment for the festival scene in the region. Since its inception in 2010, the Hangout Music Fest was known for its diverse lineup, attracting a young and eclectic crowd. In recent years, the festival had become a staple of the Gulf Shores calendar, drawing thousands of attendees each year.

In late 2024, organizers announced a rebranding of the festival, renaming it Sand in My Boots for the 2025 edition. This new iteration was curated by country superstar Morgan Wallen, marking a significant shift in the festival’s musical direction. While initially billed as a one-year experiment, the event proved to be a massive success, selling out its 40,000 tickets almost immediately—a feat that the previous Hangout Fest had struggled to achieve in recent years.

Sand in My Boots, which took place in May, featured headliners such as Wallen, Post Malone, and Brooks & Dunn. It was widely regarded as a triumph, with organizers and attendees alike expressing satisfaction with the new format. However, this event also marked the end of a 10-year franchise agreement between the city and the festival organizers.

The city officials were in the process of reviewing potential extensions to the agreement when the decision to rebrand came into play. While the new format received positive feedback from both the public and local business owners, there were concerns about the demographic shift. Many noted that the Sand in My Boots audience was “more affluent and better-behaved” compared to the more diverse crowd of the original Hangout Fest.

Mayor Craft explained that the delay in finalizing the new franchise agreement left little time to secure the necessary acts for the 2026 event. “We delayed too long, or they did, in their application to be able to get the kind of acts that we required them to have to be successful in 2026,” he said. “We will refuse to let them go back to the acts that we’ve had before. So they couldn’t do it, and so they cancelled the 2026 event.”

He added, “They’ve got some time now to pursue the type of talent we want on our beaches, to invite the right audience that we want on our beaches, that we proved last time, the last event, that could happen. We’re determined if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen that way again.”

New Agreement and Future Plans

The new franchise agreement, which was approved in July, outlines a two-year deal. Unlike the previous decade-long contract, this agreement requires organizers to use the 2025 event as a benchmark for future editions. The document states that while the specific festival name and genre of music will be selected by the organizers, these choices are subject to review by the city.

One of the key points in the agreement is the requirement for organizers to attract a similar audience to provide a positive reputational and economic impact for the community. The second year of the deal is contingent on how much the city approves of the previous year’s event.

This change reflects a shift in the city's approach to managing the festival. While the previous agreement allowed for more flexibility, the new terms emphasize the need for consistency and alignment with the city's vision.

Community Reactions and Concerns

Despite the approval of the new agreement, some residents and business owners expressed concerns about the demographic changes brought about by the rebranding. The Sand in My Boots audience was described as being “whiter and straighter” than the previous Hangout Fest crowd. This shift raised questions about inclusivity and whether the festival would continue to reflect the diversity of the Gulf Shores community.

However, the mayor emphasized that the city remains committed to ensuring that any future festival aligns with its goals of attracting the right audience and providing a positive experience for all attendees.

As the city moves forward, the focus will be on finding the right balance between maintaining the festival’s appeal and upholding the values that have made Gulf Shores a vibrant and welcoming destination. The 2027 event is expected to be a test of this new approach, with organizers given the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to meet the city’s expectations.