By: Kate Kimmel
Local youth performers will have a major moment in the spotlight at this year’s Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, as a new stage dedicated entirely to kid performers debuts in the festival’s expanded children’s area.
Set against the backdrop of the newly constructed waterfront park, the youth stage will be part of a “new and improved” kids fun zone, positioned at the northern edge of the park with food vendors, rides and festival activity stretching to the south. The three-day festival, which draws more than 150,000 visitors to Fernandina Beach each year, runs May 1–3, with youth performances scheduled throughout the weekend.
The stage will feature primarily open mic-style sets, giving young performers of all experience levels the chance to step up and share their talents, whether solo or as part of a group. Audiences can expect a wide range of acts, from first-time performers to more seasoned young musicians who have already begun writing and playing together.
Behind the effort is local musician Andria Shinn, founder of Salt Marsh Kids, an organization dedicated to creating performance opportunities for young artists.
A singer-songwriter with deep roots in the local music scene, Shinn has been performing for years, from open mic nights to fronting her band, The Loyal Souls, at venues across the island. Her music blends country influences with rock, soul, and blues, driven by storytelling and delivered through the twang in her voice. She released her debut solo album in 2019 and her latest album, “Stories,” on March 28.
But it was not just her own music that brought her to this moment, it was what she noticed in the crowd.
After moving to Amelia Island, Shinn was struck by the area’s vibrant live music scene. Just as noticeable, she said, was how many kids were eager to be part of it – and how few spaces existed for them to comfortably take the stage.
At adult-centered open mic nights, many young performers felt too intimidated to participate. That realization led Shinn to create Salt Marsh Kids, an organization built around a simple idea: there should always be room for one more.
In just a few years, the program has grown from its first small gatherings into a steady lineup of workshops, open mics, and youth showcases. Early events, including a kids open mic and music park held in 2024, drew strong support from local families and sponsors, with children picking up guitars, drums, and violins to perform in supportive, low-pressure settings.
Today, Salt Marsh Kids hosts songwriting and production workshops where participants collaborate on lyrics, experiment with melodies and build confidence as performers. At a recent workshop led by Shinn and fellow musician Eric Erdman, kids developed original songs from scratch, starting with shared ideas and working together to shape them into full performances.
“At our events, you’ll see everything from a kid playing on a toy guitar to our older kids who have formed bands together,” Shinn said. “At our latest Shinn Digg, kids who attended a songwriting workshop performed the song that they wrote.”
That sense of growth, from tentative first notes to full performances, is exactly what Shinn hopes to bring to the Shrimp Festival stage.
Opening night will showcase that progression in full. Salt Marsh Kids participant Alexis Hall will sing the national anthem to kick off the festival before performing with her 3 fellow bandmates and Salt Marsh Kids in their newly-formed band “Rip Current.” Their performance will be followed by one of the most anticipated moments of the weekend, which will blend music with another corner of youth culture.
A locally produced skate video, created by Fernandina Beach photographer and videographer Brian Bowen in collaboration with his daughter, will premiere alongside a live musical score performed by young musicians. As tricks land on screen, the performers will respond in real time, adding guitar riffs, cymbal crashes and other sounds to match the action.
Shinn said the idea came from wanting to include skaters in the showcase, resulting in a collaboration that highlights both athletic and musical talent.
Throughout the rest of the weekend, the stage will remain open to young performers, offering a steady rotation of acts and a chance for kids to step into the spotlight. Salt Marsh Kids appeared briefly at last year’s festival, but this year’s dedicated stage marks a significant expansion and a milestone for the organization.
For Shinn, the goal is not perfection, but participation.
When she first began performing, she said, she was nervous enough that friends had to push her onto the stage. What kept her going was the feeling that she belonged there.
Now, she is working to create that same experience for the next generation.
At Shrimpfest, she hopes audiences won’t just see young performers – but the beginning of something bigger. A first performance. A new band. A kid realizing, maybe for the first time, that there is room for them, too.
kkimmel@nassaunewsline.net
