Traditional Fireworks Replaced with Drone Show Because of Exceptional Drought
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla., April 27, 2026 – The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, an independent nonprofit festival organization, announces it has planned its first-ever drone show as a replacement for traditional fireworks scheduled for Friday, May 1 at approximately 9:30 p.m. The fireworks permit was canceled by the City of Fernandina Beach Fire Marshal in response to Nassau County’s burn ban related to the exceptional drought in the county.
The 400-drone show will be presented by LunaLite Drone Show Technologies based in Florida.
“We are thankful to work with LunaLite which has quickly responded to our urgent request and designed a wonderful show full of shrimp, boats and Fernandina Beach themes,” said Scott Inglis, chairman of the Shrimp Festival. “Drone shows are about three times the cost of traditional fireworks, but the Shrimp Festival Board and Committee are very pleased to fund this alternative to fireworks given the drought conditions.”
The Shrimp Festival is an independent nonprofit organization that runs and operates the festival with 100% volunteers for the benefit of Nassau County nonprofits. The drone show is privately funded thanks to generous ongoing support from sponsors and partners which include Baptist Nassau Medical Center and the Amelia Island TDC along with the hundreds of vendors, artists and participants.
The 15-minute Drone Show will be held on Friday, May 1 at approximately 9:30 p.m. in the same general area as the fireworks. The drones take off from property just south of the marina and will perform over the Intracoastal/Amelia River facing Downtown. Good viewing spots include along the waterfront or nearby in Downtown along with the new Amelia River Waterfront Park.
Presented by Baptist Nassau Medical Center, The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, celebrating 61 years in 2026, is one of the Southeast’s oldest, continuously operating free, family-friendly festivals. The festival celebrates shrimp, community and art in Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach. The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival is an independent nonprofit and volunteer organization which hosts the event in partnership with the City of Fernandina Beach every year on the first weekend in May. It boasts more than 400 vendors, top-notch entertainment and contests for all ages, pirate invasions, a world-famous small town parade, fireworks, vendors serving local wild-caught shrimp and the Decorated Shrimp Boat Contest and Blessing of the Fleet on Sunday.
In 2024, the Shrimp Fest was named a Top 200 Best Outdoor Show in America by Sunshine Artist Magazine and was named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society. Its food booths are run by local nonprofit groups as fundraisers and its art show organized by the Island Art Association is one of the top juried art shows in the U.S.
The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival attracts more than 150,000 visitors to Fernandina Beach each year and has a local economic impact of $15 million, making it the largest and most impactful annual event in Nassau County.