Having grown substantially from a debut crowd of 50,000 in 1995, BayFest has become known throughout the region for its vast array of renowned musical talent suited to a wide variety of tastes and suitable for the entire family. Throughout the past thirteen years, acts such as B.B. King, 3 Doors Down, Collective Soul, Hootie & The Blowfish, Temptations, The Beach Boys, Uncle Kracker, Keith Urban, Travis Tritt, The Gap Band, STP, Merle Haggard, Ludacris, Velvet Revolver, Big & Rich and hundreds more have performed on nine stages for three days at a ticket price that is less than what most individual concerts cost.

All of this takes place in early October during characteristically cool and comfortable weather on the streets of newly revitalized downtown Mobile. Festival-goers stroll among historic buildings and through parks in a site that is directly adjacent to the city's entertainment district while BayFest's nine stages offer continuous music for every taste, including country, classic rock, alternative, jazz, R&B, Cajun, reggae, electronica, folk, gospel and more. One of the festival's stages, The Launching Pad, is specifically designed for aspiring musicians only, in order to support and showcase those who reach for musical greatness. The event also includes a family stage and extensive children's activity area that has garnered rave reviews in and of itself.