Doc Ford’s donates $5,500 to 68th annual Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille, revered for its signature Yucatán shrimp, is the silver sponsor and a Queens Pageant sponsor for the 2026 Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8. The Fort Myers Beach restaurant donated $5,500 to the 68th annual event, including sponsorship of Devin Haddock, a Doc Ford’s team member, as a candidate vying for the Shrimp Queen title. Presented by the Fort Myers Beach Lions Club, the shrimp fest raises money for community programs, vision services and scholarships, and is an island tradition.

“The festival is one of the biggest annual events on the island and attracts thousands of local and out-of-town visitors,” said Ryan Cook, the restaurant’s general manager. “We are proud to be part of this rich history and support our community.”

Doc Ford’s, Dixie Fish Company and Bonita Fish Company – all managed by HM Restaurant Group on Fort Myers Beach – are also building a float for the event’s March 7 parade along Estero Boulevard.

The festival, offered both days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., highlights the area’s famed “Pink Gold” Gulf shrimp, first discovered off the island in 1949 by local fishermen. It also honors and supports local fishing families and Fort Myers Beach’s historic fishing industry through the Blessing of the Fleet and the Pink Gold shrimp boil. In addition to the parade, visitors also enjoy an arts and crafts fair with over 100 vendors, a shrimp-eating contest and a 5K race. The old-fashioned Queens Pageant is open to girls 15 to 20 competing for scholarships and trophies.

Proceeds from the festival support vision surgeries and medical care, scholarships for local students, the Florida Lions Eye Bank, Southeastern Guide Dogs and hunger relief and fund large-print books for the local library, little league and youth soccer programs as well as student needs at Beach Elementary and Cypress Lakes High School.

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille and HM Restaurant Group have a long history of philanthropy and community outreach, assisting local charitable groups committed to conservation, community, education and the environment. Since 2012, the annual “Ding” Darling Doc Ford’s Tarpon Tournament has raised over $1.57 million for conservation and water-quality research at Sanibel’s J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The 14th annual tournament is May 15, 2026.

With additional locations on Sanibel Island, Jungle Terrace in St. Petersburg and the St. Petersburg Pier, Doc Ford’s has donated over $133,000 to children’s hospitals in Fort Myers and St. Petersburg through the sale of specialty cocktails. The restaurants and Dixie Fish Company also serve the Send It South cocktail which has raised $11,072 for Captains For Clean Water’s mission of spearheading change that addresses local water quality issues.

Renowned for its legendary guest experience, Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grille is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Doc Ford’s offers food with a unique balance of flavors inspired by the Caribbean Rim. Beloved for its sauces, spices and signature Yucatán shrimp served daily, Doc Ford’s is highly regarded by locals and visitors alike as a spectacular seafood restaurant. The restaurant is a perennial Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice winner. The St. Petersburg Pier location was named the nation’s No. 1 restaurant for Best of the Best Restaurants for Everyday Eats in 2023.