Between the Shrimp & Grits Festival on October 23 and the last night of Holly Jolly Jekyll on January 3, 2027, most of the big events on Jekyll Island are free to walk into. The concert stages, the Winter Carnival and the holiday fireworks don't charge admission. What does change over those ten weeks is the price of driving onto the island. If you plan to come over more than once or twice before New Year's, it helps to know how that gate fee works.
The Number That Moves Is the Entry Fee
Jekyll is a state park, and every vehicle pays to enter. The Jekyll Island parking and entry page lists a daily pass at $10, good until midnight. An annual pass is $100 for one year of gate entry. Vehicles taller than 8 feet pay $15 a day or $150 a year.
These rates have been in place since July 1, 2023. That's when the Jekyll Island Authority board raised the daily fee from $8 to $10 and the annual fee from $75 to $100. The same vote added $5 to daily parking on designated special-event days. The island names three event periods for that surcharge: Independence Day, the Shrimp & Grits Festival and Holly Jolly Jekyll. Two of the three fall inside the next ten weeks.
The fine print favors annual pass holders. The parking page says the $5 increase "only applies to daily parking rate and does not apply to annual passes." The annual listing itself reads "No increased rates during special events."
| Pass type | Ordinary day | Designated event day | Vehicles over 8 feet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily | $10 | $15 | $15 base |
| Annual | Covered | Covered, no surcharge | $150 per year |
At the ordinary rate, the $100 annual pass equals ten daily visits. On event days a daily pass costs $15, so each one gets you to that $100 faster. The annual pass is tied to a specific vehicle, which matters if your household switches cars for island trips.
One detail is still open. The island doesn't list every 2026 date the surcharge will apply, and the parking FAQ says "Additional event dates are to be announced." For Shrimp & Grits, the festival page says the $5 increase applies to daily and weekly passes during the event. For the long Holly Jolly run, check the parking page before you go.
Shrimp & Grits Weekend Is the First Test
The Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival runs Friday, October 23, from 4 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. It's held in the Jekyll Island National Historic Landmark District, and admission is free. If you come both days on daily passes, the gate costs $30. An annual pass holder pays nothing extra.
Friday is short and ends with a headliner. The Main Stage schedule opens with Backbeat Blvd. from 4 to 6 p.m., followed by 14K GOLD Band at 6:30 and The Tams from 7:30 to 9. Saturday runs all day:
- 10 to 11:30 a.m.: Hot Banana Coffee
- 11:50 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.: The Rider Band
- 1:40 to 3:10 p.m.: The Young Americans
- 3:30 to 5 p.m.: Idle Hands
- 5:30 to 7 p.m.: Squirt Gun
- 7:30 to 9 p.m.: Chris Taylor & the Rumor
The Main Stage isn't the only one. The festival also lists a Skeet House Stage.
Most of your money gets spent on food. The festival's food vendor list names six Prime Food Vendors: Coastal Cucina, Del Sur Artisan Eats, Erica Davis Lowcountry, Halyard Restaurant Group, Wee Pub Beach and Zachry's Riverhouse. Food trucks fill in around them, and the festival says vendors are subject to change. The official pages list vendors and menus but don't mention a cook-off or competition this year. The artists market is a curated group of Southeastern artisans, and its vendor list may change too.
On logistics, the festival says island hotels may run shuttles. Airport shuttles drop off at Mosaic, across from the Artists Market. Off-island visitors are pointed to the island's parking information.
The same weekend is also busy on St. Simons. The Golden Isles visitors bureau lists the 2026 St. Simons Island Wine Festival with tastings, live music and local art. One bureau page gives October 23 and 24, and another says October 22 through 24, so confirm the opening day before you plan around it.
The following week, the Paulk Cup Classic comes to Jekyll Island Golf Club from October 28 to 30. The tournament honors Johnny Paulk, who co-founded the Georgia-Florida Golf Classic and played in it for 40 years.
Holly Jolly Runs Long, and Most of It Is Free
Shrimp & Grits lasts two days. Holly Jolly Jekyll returns November 27, 2026, and runs through January 3, 2027, which is 38 days. Holly Jolly is on the island's surcharge list, so daily-pass visitors should expect the extra $5 on designated dates during the season. Annual pass holders don't pay it.
The anchor events with listed prices are almost all free:
- Winter Carnival & Big Truck Roundup, December 5, noon to 4 p.m. Carnival rides, games and music at Beach Village are free. The emergency vehicles are parked at Great Dunes Beach Park.
- Merry Fishmas, December 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Beach Village, free.
- Holly Jolly Fireworks, December 21, 6 to 6:30 p.m. Great Dunes Beach Park, free.
Two of the listed events charge money, and both are small. The Cold-Stunned Plunge starts at 9 a.m. on November 28. In-person registration is $35, rising after November 19, and virtual participation is $40. A poinsettia sale starts November 23, with plants from $6 to $25.
The rest of the Holly Jolly program spreads across the island. It includes Holly Jolly Light Tours on select nights, a map for a self-guided light tour, Peppermint Land mini golf, Holidays in History tours and Santa photos. There's also a scavenger hunt that starts at Mosaic, plus the Jekyll Island Museum and North Pole South. The official season page gives only general or "select dates" listings for these, so check the event pages before you plan an evening around one.
For the lights, the Jekyll Island Club Resort describes more than 1.5 million lights, over 350 displays and a Great Tree with more than 45,000 lights. The resort also lists afternoon teas, a Grinch breakfast, bagpiper performances and specialty dinners, but its page doesn't give dates or prices yet.
None of the official 2026 pages call any Holly Jolly event new this year. It's the same season returning, with a long stretch of nights to drive over.
The Season on One Page
| Date | Event | Where | Listed cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 23, 4 to 9 p.m. | Shrimp & Grits Festival, The Tams closing | Historic Landmark District | Free admission |
| Oct. 24, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. | Shrimp & Grits Festival, Chris Taylor & the Rumor closing | Historic Landmark District | Free admission |
| Oct. 28 to 30 | Paulk Cup Classic | Jekyll Island Golf Club | Not listed |
| Nov. 23 onward | Poinsettia sale | Listed on island calendar | $6 to $25 |
| Nov. 27 to Jan. 3 | Holly Jolly Jekyll season | Island-wide | Varies by activity |
| Nov. 28, 9 a.m. | Cold-Stunned Plunge | Listed on event page | $35 in person, $40 virtual |
| Dec. 5, noon to 4 p.m. | Winter Carnival & Big Truck Roundup | Beach Village and Great Dunes Beach Park | Free |
| Dec. 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Merry Fishmas | Beach Village | Free |
| Dec. 21, 6 to 6:30 p.m. | Holly Jolly Fireworks | Great Dunes Beach Park | Free |
Count the trips on that calendar and the gate math adds up quickly. Two festival days, one golf week, a carnival afternoon, a Saturday of Merry Fishmas and a December evening of fireworks make six visits before counting any night of driving the lights. On daily passes at the ordinary $10 rate, six visits come to $60. Every one that lands on a designated event day costs $15 instead. The annual pass stays at $100 no matter how many of those days carry the surcharge.
If you'd like help planning a season on the islands, or thinking ahead to a home that puts Jekyll's calendar a short drive away, Beach + Main knows these causeways and the rhythm of a Golden Isles fall. Let's Find Your Place Together, whether that's a front-row spot for The Tams or a quiet street near the lights.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
