Archive for March 2019
Two Days of Free Fun and Entertainment in Guin The 26th annual Mayfest takes place May 10-11, 2019 in Guin.
Guin, Ala. – The popular Mayfest transforms downtown Guin into a venue for free family fun, attracting thousands of visitors to the North Alabama community. The theme for this year’s event is Mayfest Salutes the Military and for two days, festivalgoers are treated to live music, carnival rides and games, a dog show, a 5K race and plenty of good food. Set for May 10-11, 2019, the annual event is hosted by the City of Guin.
On Friday, May 10th, gates open at 5:30 p.m. and the music lineup features the Bells of Franklin, a World War II tribute group and headliner The Springs, an award winning band that belts out a variety of music.
The Mayfest 5K Run hits the street Saturday morning in front of Guin City Hall. Activities lined up for the day beginning at 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. include a dog show, carnival rides, games, concessions and more live music. Two former members of the Alabama football team will be on hand signing autographs. The entertainment stage will offer a variety of music from local acts keeping festivalgoers entertained throughout the day.
Mayfest takes place at 7500 US Highway 43 in downtown Guin. Admission is free. For more information, call Guin City Hall at 205.468.2242.
Strawberry Festival Announces Contests
Moulton, Ala. (March 27, 2019) – From mud volleyball to a 5K race, downtown Moulton will be filled with plenty of family-friendly activities the first weekend in May when the Strawberry Festival returns for the fifth year. While strawberries take center stage, the event offers several fun contests children and adults can take part in during the two-day event set for May 3-4, 2019.
Participants are encouraged to wear their favorite superhero costume in the Hornet Hero 5K and 1-mile Fun Run. On Saturday, May 4, the 5K begins at 8 a.m. with the Fun Run following at 9 a.m. Awards will be given to the top three overall male and female finishers in the one mile and to overall male and female, master’s male and female and top three finishers in 14 different age categories in the 5K. The race starts and finishes at Joe Wheeler EMC located on Lawrence Street. Registration is $20 for the 5K and Fun Run with proceeds benefiting the Caitlyn Martin Memorial Scholarship. Online registration is available at hornethero5k.itsyourrace.com. For more information, call Heather Hood at 256.565.1950.
The COED Mud Volleyball Tournament follows at 12 p.m. on May 4 in the empty lot west of the Moulton Senior Center. Teams must have a minimum of eight players (with at least two females) and be registered by May 1. Cost to participate is $20 per person. Proceeds benefit Lawrence County Special Needs Athletics. For more information, call 256.303.0201 or visit http://www.strawberryfestivalmoulton.com/applications-and-information_19.html.
Open for girls 1 year old to 12th grade, the Strawberry Festival Pageant is set for Saturday, May 4th at 10 a.m. at the Lawrence County High School auditorium. Entry fee is $25 per person and registration deadline is April 26th. All proceeds will be donated to the Senior Citizen’s Centers of Lawrence County. For more information, contact strawberryfestivalpageant@gmail.com or visit the pageant’s Facebook page at Strawberry Festival Pageant at Moulton, Alabama.
A car, truck and motorcycle show is lined up for Saturday, May 4. For those interested in participating, registration begins at 8 a.m.
The Strawberry Festival Golf Tournament will take place April 20 at Deer Run Golf Course located at 1175 County Road 100 in Moulton. The 3-man scramble tournament has a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Cost to participate is $75 per player or $225 per team. All proceeds will go to benefit Lawrence County senior citizen centers. For more information or to register, call Deer Run Golf Course at 256.974.7384. Sponsorships, ranging from $100 to $500, are still available.
The 2019 Strawberry Festival is set for May 3-4, and along with these fun contests and activities, the family-friendly event offers fresh strawberries, free inflatable activities for kids, the Lawrence County Fire Fighters and Rapid Response Volunteers display, arts and crafts and live music featuring local performers. Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, May 3 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 4. Admission is free. Proceeds benefit the Jesse Owens Runners’ Club and local schools.
Thousands of attendees made their way to the 2018 event held on the square in downtown Moulton. To ensure another successful event, sponsorships are needed and are available for every business and individual with levels ranging from $50 to $1,000. Sponsors receive a comprehensive package of benefits including exposure leading up to and throughout the festival weekend and through social media. For more information, contact Event Organizer Stan Johnson at 256.566.4410 or neverquitsj@aol.com.
Booth space for arts and crafts, political campaigns, non-profit organizations, food vendors and other vendors is available. Rental fees range from $100 to $250 for a 12-by-12 booth for both days. Booth set-up begins at 6 a.m. Friday morning and must be complete before the start of the festival. Registration deadline to apply is April 27, 2019. To download an application, go to http://www.strawberryfestivalmoulton.com/uploads/6/9/1/5/69158275/booth_rental_app.pdf.
For more information, visit www.strawberryfestivalmoulton.com or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/StrawberryFestivalMoulton.
A Soulful Occasion – SoulStock is set for May 17-18 in Decatur.
Decatur, Ala. – Some of the top artists in contemporary Christian music will fill the air with spiritual tunes and inspirational messages the third weekend in Decatur, Ala. during North Alabama’s largest free outdoor Christian music celebration. Set for May 17-18, 2019, SoulStock features a night of worship and joyful music with local praise bands followed by a day of ongoing music by a distinguished lineup of Christian bands.
On Friday, gates open at 5:30 p.m. Local praise bands (TBA) will provide music beginning at 6 p.m. Friday’s headliner is singer-songwriter Noah Cleveland (www.noahcleveland.com). Making his seventh appearance at SoulStock, Noah has shared stages with For King and Country, Sadie Robertson, David Crowder, Building 429, Big Daddy Weave, Sidewalk Prophets and Audio Adrenaline.
Gates open at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday with music getting underway at 1 p.m. Saturday’s lineup is as follows:
1:00 p.m. As We Are (https://www.asweareband.com)
1:45 p.m. The Hedgerow Folk (http://www.thehedgerowfolk.com/)
2:30 p.m. The Persuaded (https://www.facebook.com/officialthepersuaded/)
3:30 p.m. Blake Whitely (https://www.facebook.com/blakewhiteleymusic/)
4:30 p.m. Verses (https://www.versesmusic.com/)
5:30 p.m. Worship with Noah Cleveland (www.noahcleveland.com)
6:00 p.m. Speaker TBD
7:00 p.m. Sidewalk Prophets (https://sidewalkprophets.com/)
8:30 p.m. Headliner Britt Nicole (www.brittnicole.com)
Grammy nominated Britt Nicole is a vocalist, songwriter and recording artist whose inspirational tunes have earned spots on both contemporary Christian charts and mainstream Top 40 charts. Her debut LP, Say It, reached number 40 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart. The song, “The Lost Get Found,” landed on the Billboard 200. Her third studio album, 2012’s Gold, climbed to number 41 on the Billboard 200, and its title track marked her debut on the Hot 100 as well as on Billboard’s Pop Songs chart. Later in 2012, she signed with Capitol Records, which reissued Gold in 2013. The LP went on to earn a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album. A year later, the song “The Sun Is Rising” appeared in the Cameron Diaz film The Other Woman.
The annual event is held on the Spirit of America Field located in Point Mallard Park in Decatur. Festivalgoers are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and lawn chairs, and a variety of food vendors will be available to suit any taste bud. A donation of $5 is requested at the gate. The entrance gate is located on the west end of the fenced Spirit of America Field, closest to T.C. Almon Recreation Center. No coolers, spiked-end beach umbrellas or pets are allowed on the Spirit of America Field. For more information, visit www.soulstock.com.
A Weekend of Tall Tales, Myths and Legends at the Shoals Storytelling Festival
Florence, Ala. – Renowned storytellers will make their way to downtown Florence the third weekend in May to share tales and to celebrate the art of storytelling. The Shoals Storytelling Festival, along with its award-winning performers, is expected to draw storytelling fans from around the state and beyond to the historic Shoals Theatre May 17-18, 2019, with pre-festival events lined up for May 16.
Scheduled to appear at the Shoals Storytelling Festival are five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars’ Contest Bil Lepp (https://www.leppstorytelling.com/), award-winning storyteller Donald Davis (http://www.ddavisstoryteller.com/), Teller-in-Residence at the International Storytelling Center Dolores Hydock (http://www.storypower.org/) and highly accomplished old-time, bluegrass and swing musician Josh Goforth (https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/artist/josh-goforth/). Additional performers include Gee’s Bend Quilters (http://www.quiltsofgeesbend.com/); columnist, novelist and radio show host Sean Dietrich (Sean of the South) (https://seandietrich.com/); and Nashville-based indie-folk duet Firekid (https://www.facebook.com/firekidalabama/).
Thursday, May 16
4 p.m. – Performance by Josh Goforth at the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library
7 p.m. – Performance by storyteller Sean Dietrich (Sean of the South)
Friday, May 17
8:45 a.m. – 5 p.m. (with lunch break) The Shoals Storytelling Festival featuring: Donald Davis, Dolores Hydock, Bil Lepp, and Josh Goforth
7 p.m. – Storyteller Showcase with Donald Davis, Dolores Hydock, Bil Lepp, and Josh Goforth
Saturday, May 18
8:45 a.m. – 5 p.m. (with lunch break) The Shoals Storytelling Festival featuring: Donald Davis, Dolores Hydock, Bil Lepp, and Josh Goforth
7 p.m. – Performance with Firekid (Dillon Hodges and Heidi Feek)
Day passes are $30. A two-day pass for Friday and Saturday is $50 and a three-day pass for $70 includes Thursday, Friday, and Saturday events. Tickets may be purchased online at https://www.theshoalstheatre.org/eventscalendar.
For more information, visit http://www.shoalsstorytelling.com.
Battle of the Barbeque Annual WhistleStop Weekend in Downtown Huntsville May 3-4
Decatur, Ala. – Plenty of activities to keep the entire family busy are on tap the first weekend in May in downtown Huntsville, Ala. WhistleStop Weekend returns May 3-4, 2019, offering two days of live music, craft beer, corn hole competitions, professional and amateur barbeque competitions and tastings.
Each year more than 25,000 attendees converge on the grounds of the Historic Huntsville Depot for a weekend of barbeque action on the grill as live music fills the air. The barbeque competition contains three divisions: a professional division sanctioned by Kansas City Barbeque Society, the Kid’s Q for children 8 to 14 years old, and the Shade Tree (amateur) division. Festivalgoers have two opportunities to sample and vote for their favorite team. From 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 3rd, the public decides the winner of the Wing Thing contest (nominal fee to sample and vote). From 1 to 3 p.m., festival goers can visit the Shade Tree cooking teams who will have Boston butt samples to taste for the People’s Choice Awards. Festivalgoers vote for their favorite by placing money in a jar provided at the cook-site.
The Alabama Cornhole Championship gets underway on Friday, May 3rd with play beginning at 8 p.m. The competition continues on Saturday at noon (singles) and 5 p.m. (doubles). A total prize purse of $1500 is up for grabs.
In honor of Alabama’s bicentennial, WhistleStop will be hosting an incredible Alabama Music Mashup, paying tribute to iconic music made famous by Alabama musicians. The entertainment line-up will feature national touring tribute bands and local acts with tributes to Jimmy Buffett, the band Alabama and Hank Williams Jr.
As music fills the air, a Kid’s Zone offers plenty of activities for children to enjoy and adults are invited to check out a variety of beers from several local and regional breweries, such as Rocket Republic, Back Forty, Mad Malts and Ole Shed at the Craft Beer Pit, located behind the Round House.
All activities take place on the grounds of the Historic Huntsville Depot located at 320 Church Street. Entrances are at the Church Street and Monroe intersections, the Church Street entrance of the Depot and on Meridian Street across from Walker Avenue. Festival hours are Friday 4 to 11 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Admission per person (ages 11+) is $25 and youth (ages 3-10 years old) is $5. VIP packages are also available. Proceeds support the history education initiatives of the EarlyWorks Family of Museums. For more information, visit www.whistlestopweekend.com or call 256.564.8100.
Scottsboro’s Catfish Festival Reels in the Fun
Decatur, Ala. – The Catfish Festival reels in plenty of free family fun each year on the banks of Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro, Ala. Now in its 19th year, the family-friendly event is centered on one of America’s favorite outdoor activities, fishing, and encourages anglers and non-anglers of all ages to attend. Along with fishing, additional activities include a catfish fry, arts and crafts, a car show, live music and more. Set for May 18, 2019, festivities kick off at 8 a.m. with the day wrapping up around 3 p.m.
Presented by the Scottsboro Small Business Council, the Catfish Festival is held along the banks of Lake Guntersville in Jackson County Park. From 8 a.m. to noon, children are invited to bring their fishing rods to try to catch (and keep) as many catfish as they can for free. Fishing will take place at the boat ramp in the park and bait is provided.
The car, truck, motorcycle and antique tractor show begins at 8 a.m. with arts and crafts, concessions and a free kids area offering inflatables and train rides opening at 9 a.m. Festival goers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and enjoy the live entertainment provided by the Bowman’s.
Festivalgoers can sink their teeth into the Shriner’s popular catfish plates beginning at 11 a.m. and there will be plenty of concession vendors offering typical festival food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, funnel cakes and snow cones.
All activities take place at Jackson County Park located off of Highway 72 at 2302 County Park Road in Scottsboro. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.catfishfestival.net or call 256.259.1503 or 256.574.4305.
About Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA)
AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. It is supported by 500-plus members consist of chambers of commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, attractions, campgrounds, festivals, communities, counties, golf courses, restaurants, tour operators, accommodations, vendors, financial institutions and individuals. Counties included within the AMLA region are Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston. Additional information on North Alabama destinations, accommodations and special events is available from the AMLA by calling 800.648.5381 or by visiting their web site at http://www.NorthAlabama.org.
2019 Panoply to Celebrate Alabama Bicentennial, Apollo 50 and Alabama Music
Decatur, Ala. – Art and music come together the last weekend in April for one big celebration in downtown Huntsville. The annual Panoply Arts Festival makes it way to downtown Huntsville’s Big Spring Park April 26-28, 2019, offering three days of live music, over 100 local and national artists, demonstrations, hands-on activities and two nights of fireworks.
Panoply kicks off at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 26th and during the three-day event, nearly 40 local and regional musical performances will take to three different stages. Friday’s headliner is Nashville soul-pop band The News Respects, a throwback rock and soul quartet that was named “10 artists you need to know” by Rolling Stone. Saturday will showcase local and regional talent throughout the day. Saturday closes out with a night of bayou soul from Louisiana singer-songwriter Marc Broussard. Rolling Stone Magazine describes Marc as “a soulful Americana performer” who is known for his “signature blues-influenced howl with doses of gospel and country.” On Sunday, Panoply celebrates a day of Alabama music, featuring a full-day lineup of artists from North Alabama. On Sunday evening, Panoply will welcome Florence’s own Grammy Award-winning artist, John Paul White, to close out the festival. His sound appeals to fans of indie rock, Americana music, and folk. A playlist of this year’s Panoply Arts Festival musicians is available at artshuntsville.org.
As music fills the air, festivalgoers can shop, participate in hands-on activities and watch demonstrations. Regional artists will offer demonstrations of their crafts at Panoply’s Arts in Action tents, where festivalgoers can get a first-hand look at the process of indigo dying, quilting, screen-printing and mosaic. The juried Art Marketplace, one of the most popular features of the festival, showcases the works of more than 100 artists from 19 states, with some traveling from as far as Oregon and North Dakota. Panoply’s STEAM Street will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Lunar Landing with space-themed activities. First Baptist Church will be returning to Panoply again this year with more tiles from the iconic Cosmic Christ mosaic. Together with festivalgoers, they’ll create a new mosaic based on Van Gogh’s “Starry Starry Night” to be placed at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center after the festival. In celebration of Alabama’s 200th birthday Panoply will create the ultimate Alabama bicentennial experience at the Panoply Bicentennial Village. This area will feature Panoply’s creative community art projects, all with a historical twist, and will offer hands-on activities and a chance for festivalgoers to step back in time and learn about the city and state during the 1800s.
Friday and Saturday evenings conclude with a spectacular fireworks display. Festival patrons are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets to enjoy the entertainment each day. Along with a diverse array of art and music, the Craft Beer Tent returns featuring craft beer from breweries located across North Alabama and there will be a great assortment of festival food and food trucks.
Arts Huntsville is offering a Panoply weekend pass available online in advance for just $18. Weekend passes are only available until 4 p.m. on April 26th. Day passes are $10 and can be purchased in advance online or at the event. Tickets are on sale now at artshuntsville.org. Admission is free for children 12 and under. Festival hours are 5-9 p.m. on Friday, April 26; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday, April 27; and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday, April 28. For more information, visit www.artshuntsville.org or call (256) 519-2787 (ARTS).
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About Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA)
AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. It is supported by 500-plus members consist of chambers of commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, attractions, campgrounds, festivals, communities, counties, golf courses, restaurants, tour operators, accommodations, vendors, financial institutions and individuals. Counties included within the AMLA region are Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston. Additional information on North Alabama destinations, accommodations and special events is available from the AMLA by calling 800.648.5381 or by visiting their web site at www.NorthAlabama.org.
49 County News.Net 