Gulf Shores officers have confirmed that there will likely be no Hangout Music Competition or Sand in My Boots Competition in 2026. The announcement got here immediately from Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft throughout a metropolis council assembly earlier this week.
The pause arrives simply months after the competition’s main 2025 makeover. Hangout Music Fest — first held in 2010 — was rebranded as Sand in My Boots for its 2025 version, curated by Morgan Wallen. That shift proved to be a serious success: the competition offered out its 40,000 tickets, drew robust financial influence, and earned constructive suggestions from native companies and metropolis officers.
However even with the profitable rebrand, the 2025 competition marked the top of Hangout’s 10-year franchise settlement with Gulf Shores, setting the stage for renegotiations.
Why There’s No 2026 Competition
In response to Mayor Craft, the choice got here right down to timing. Negotiations for a brand new settlement prolonged into late July 2025, leaving organizers too little time to safe the kind of headlining acts the town expects for an occasion of this scale.
“We delayed too lengthy, or they did, to have the ability to get the type of acts that we required them to have to achieve success in 2026,” Craft stated.
As a result of main festivals usually guide expertise a 12 months or extra upfront, Craft confirmed that organizers couldn’t transfer ahead with a 2026 lineup, resulting in the cancellation.
Native information shops together with WVTM13, PEOPLE, Nation Now, and the Houston Chronicle all affirm that timing and reserving delays are the first causes behind the skipped 12 months.
The Competition Is Already Permitted for 2027
Whereas 2026 is off the calendar, Gulf Shores has already authorised the competition to return in 2027 beneath a brand new two-year franchise settlement. The up to date deal offers organizers the liberty to decide on the competition’s title and musical path, whereas the town retains evaluation rights to make sure the occasion delivers robust financial and reputational influence.
With an extra full 12 months to plan, organizers now have the runway wanted to safe a lineup that meets each metropolis expectations and trade timelines.
The seashore will likely be quiet in 2026 however the competition is formally set for a comeback in 2027.
