What a year 2020 was! Whew! We are glad it’s behind us. Between viruses and hurricanes and lock downs, we feel like we missed out on a whole year of beach fun. We know you’re probably feeling it, too. But rest assured, Spring 2021 is looking great along the Alabama Gulf Coast. Folks in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan are starting to fill their calendars with lots of unique, fun local events coming up this year. Spring Break is already here, and we’re seeing lots of sun-kissed faces all around our island. Isn’t it about time you let our Gulf Coast Sun kiss your skin? Well, the fun is just getting started! April is right around the corner and you know what that means: April Showers. NOPE! (Good guess, though!) It means it’s time to throw a fish! The Interstate Mullet Toss is back and you’re invited!
Here are five reasons you need to plan to be at the 2021 Interstate Mullet Toss:
1. Throwing a Fish is Fun
The Interstate Mullet Toss is held each April on the beaches of The World-Famous Flora-Bama located on the Alabama Florida State line because throwing a fish is fun. Down here, in South Alabama and in the Florida Panhandle, we actually throw fish. Dead ones. Mullet, to be exact. We use our bare hands and throw them as far as we can. Across the sand and across state lines. Yes, you read that right. For more than thirty years, locals and visitors alike have gathered on the beaches adjacent to our favorite coastal roadhouse to toss mullet (fish not hairstyles) as far as they will fly. It is challenging. It is a little stinky. It is a bit of a slimy sport. And it is fun! There actually is an amazing sense of accomplishment when you’re able to hurl a fish farther than anyone else in your competition category. If you’ve never tossed a mullet, make your reservation now with Sunset Properties and plan to come join the fun!
2. This is a Family Event
There is a mullet tossing category for all ages and skill sets. From kids to adults, young in years to young at heart, everyone is invited! In order to make sure everyone has a chance to win, the good folks at the Flora-Bama have divided the competition into different categories, and this is a three-day event. From April 23-25, 2021, the fish will fly. Believe me! You’ll see more fish fly than (dare I say it?) than Carter has little liver pills! And Carter has a lot of pills! And the best part of this family-friendly event is it’s all for a good cause – as it turns out – or several good causes. This event has raised over $40,000 to help local charities in both Florida and Alabama. The best kind fun is fun that benefits someone in need! Kudos to the folks at the Flora-Bama and all those who participate in this event for your kindness! And what happens to the fish after the event is over? They get donated to our friends at Alligator Alley in Summerdale. The gators have mullet for supper. How cool is that?!
3. Social Distancing is Easy on The Beach
We know you have all been conditioned to observe social distancing guidelines over the last year. We can’t think of a better place to practice social distancing than at the beach. Getting outside, soaking up some good old Vitamin D, and spending time with your family and friends does everyone good! There are tents and chairs spaces available to rent from local vendors at the Flora-Bama. Check out this link for details. You can’t bring your own alcohol to this event, but there will be plenty of adult beverages available for sale onsite for the grownups to enjoy. Be sure to pack your sunscreen, shades and flip flops. Even in April, without proper skin protection, you can catch a pretty bad sunburn while tossing fish.
4. Affordable Accommodations are Close
So, we’ve piqued your interest, huh? You’re sitting at your desk in your dull office thinking about how great it would be to spend a spring weekend at the beach. You smile as you imagine how nice it will be to pack up the kiddos and head south to the warm sandy beaches that border the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Just to get to throw a fish or two would actually be a bonus. We totally get it! If we didn’t already live here, we’d be headed toward the Alabama Gulf Coast, too. But where’s a great place to stay? Lots of places are already booked. Lots of places have minimum stays that might not work for your weekend trip. Well, we have some great ideas just for you! Take a look at Sugar Beach 138. This efficiency condo is just perfect for a family of four. It’s only about a ten-minute drive from this cozy beach home to the Alabama- Florida state line, where your personal mullet-throwing-championship-trophy awaits. Do you need a bit more space? How about Sugar Beach 201? This is a two-bedroom beach home in the same complex. Need even more room, but you still want to spend the weekend in Orange Beach? Check out Family Tides located right in the heart of Orange Beach. This lovely beach home sleeps up to eight folks comfortably. If you’d like to stay in Gulf Shores, give Spyglass 106-B a look. This unit has such a neat layout! It sleeps six comfortably and one bedroom is a loft. At Sunset Properties, we’ve got just the perfect beach home for you to enjoy after a long day of tossing mullet!
5. Memories are Priceless
You’re probably asking how much does it cost to enter the Interstate Mullet Toss? Fifteen dollars. That’s all. For $15, you get to sail your mullet from Florida into Alabama and you get a souvenir t-shirt. And if your fish flies far enough, you win! How much more do you get? You’ll have a wonderful weekend of priceless memories and we hope you’ll take some pretty good pics of your trip. Get ready to catch some funny Snaps and make some hilarious Tik Tok videos. Your friends at home will wish they had planned a whole weekend around tossing fish. We know it sounds crazy, but trust us, they will be so jealous!
So, what are you waiting for? Grab yourself some new flip flops. Dust off that beach straw hat and pack your sunscreen. Pull out that super bright beach towel and tell the kiddos to load up! It’s been a whole year since your toes touched the wonderful sandy white beaches of the Alabama Gulf Coast, and that’s long enough for anyone to stay away. Your beach is open. Your new friends are waiting. Sunset Properties has the perfect weekend beach home for you. And we know there’s a fish with your name on it! See you soon!!
Oh…and while you’re down here, ask a local, “Why do mullet jump?” There are lots of theories.
Angie’s answer, “They jump for joy!”
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