About 70% of the beach vacation rentals along Alabama's Gulf Shores beach are already booked for the May 20-22 three-day weekend, when the Hangout Music Festival will be taking place on the beach. Property managers said they are seeing customers coming from markets that don't typically book here, like California and New Hampshire. Local businesses are excited for the tourism dollars that the festival generates for the area.
The 2011 festival's top acts include Widespread Panic, the Foo fighters and Paul Simon, with more acts expected to be announced this week. A three-day ticket to the festival costs $174 and there is a payment plan available. The organizer of the festival said they have sold tickets to people in all of the 50 states, and Gulf Shore condo units within walking distance of the festival stages were booked within two days. The festival plans to provide shuttle transportation in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach for those staying father away.