By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Visitors to Oak Mountain State Park on Nov. 22 will have a chance to enjoy shrimp and barbecue while chatting with former Auburn and Alabama football players during the park’s first ShrimpFest.

Baumhower’s ShrimpFest is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. at the park’s beach area, which is off Terrace Drive behind the park’s main office. ShrimpFest will feature fresh Alabama Gulf Coast shrimp, barbecue, former Tiger and Tide football players, live music and inflatable games.

Admission to the event is free after paid park admission, which is $3 for adults and $1 for children ages 6-11 and adults 62 and older.

“This is an exciting time for the Alabama State Parks system, and I’m honored to partner with them to highlight this monumental occasion,” Bob Baumhower, former NFL and University of Alabama football player and CEO of Aloha Hospitality, wrote in a release. “I moved to Alabama with my family as a senior in high school and I’ve always been amazed by the beauty of our natural landscape in this state.

“The parks provide all Alabamians an opportunity to enjoy these lands no matter interest or income. I see this as a way for me to highlight all the good they do for our state,” Baumhower wrote.

The event will be the first in a six-part series being held at five Alabama state parks over the next year in celebration of the park system’s 75^th anniversary.

“Our partners are not only the visitors, but community organizations and local businesses that invest their time and efforts into providing recreational opportunities for all Alabamians to enjoy, such as the ShrimpFest at Oak Mountain,” State Parks Director Greg Lein wrote in the release. “In the coming months and new year, we encourage everyone to join us in celebrating Alabama State Parks’ 75 years of service.”