Hangout Music Festival will not be returning to Gulf Shores in 2026.

Mayor Robert Craft announced at the Dec. 8 council meeting that the city intends to approve permits for the festival to return in 2027, but next year’s event has been canceled due to a lack of secured artists like those seen at this year’s Sand in My Boots Festival, a country-themed lineup curated in partnership with Morgan Wallen and held in lieu of Hangout Fest by the same production company.

“We will refuse to let them go back to the acts we’ve had before, so they couldn’t do it,” Craft said. “So, they canceled the 2026 event, but they’ve got time now to pursue the type of talent we want on our beaches, to invite the right audience that we want on our beaches.”

The decision to not hold the event next year, said Grant Brown, recreation and cultural affairs director for Gulf Shores, was made by AEG Presents, event organizer for Hangout Fest, and supported by the city.

"Their choice; however, we want a good, safe, quality event and support their decision if it's in the best interest of all parties involved," he said.

He said skipping 2026 was because of the "compressed timeframe" to put together an event like Hangout Fest or Sand in My Boots.

In a statement from Craft released Dec. 9, he said the city did not consider extending the agreement with Hangout Music Festival, which expired after this spring's event, until after public input was received via surveys and meetings earlier this year. He said this limited the time organizers had to "produce a successful festival in 2026," so the organizers opted to not proceed with an event in 2026.

"We're thankful that festival leadership has taken our community's comments about the event seriously and is committed to delivering a world-class festival," Craft said. "We appreciate that they are being thoughtful in creating a lineup that will be impactful to our local economy. All parties are focused on planning a strong and well-executed music festival, and we look forward to welcoming them back in 2027."

Sand in My Boots posted on social media that "today's news from the City of Gulf Shores has nothing to do with the Sand in My Boots Festival. It was never planned to return next year. We'll run it back, just not in '26."

Organizers have previously told GCM that future lineups and Morgan Wallen's appearance would depend on tour schedules. His website lists shows from April to August, including eight in May, the month Hangout/Sand in My Boots normally takes place. Special guests include Sand in My Boots performers HARDY, Ella Langley and Brooks & Dunn, one of the headliners with Wallen this year. The other headliner, Post Malone, is also touring April-August.

In July, the city approved a one-year extension on the franchise agreement for Hangout Fest. The extension covered the possibility of a second year if the performances in 2026 were to be similar to those seen at Sand in My Boots.

As previously reported by GCM, Craft said the city “made it really clear” to event organizers that if next year’s lineup is not like Sand in My Boots, the city will not agree to hold the event in 2027.

"They certainly understand what we will not go back to, like the Boom Boom Tent and that type of performance there," Craft is previously quoted in saying. "It was not anything close to what we had in this past year. It brought a much younger, less mature crowd here that caused issues, and we can't go back to it, and they understand that."

Craft previously said Sand in My Boots festival goers, compared to those who attended Hangout Fest, were "more mature" and "better behaved."