Can’t Miss Alabama: It’s a big weekend for food festivals, concerts, Black history and more
There is something for everyone at the Orange Beach Seafood Festival and Car Show at The Wharf Feb. 25. (contributed)
Great entertainment will keep you on the move all weekend.
Orange Beach Seafood Festival and Car Show
More than 15,000 people are expected to attend the annual Orange Beach Seafood Festival and Car Show at The Wharf on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival will have its first Makos on Main parade with students and a Mako Mudbug Mania crawfish-eating contest. The festival is a major fundraising event for Makos Academics Arts & Athletics Club (MAAAC), which also benefits Orange Beach schools. The festival will be a full day of food, artists, music and a kids’ zone. Food and drink selections include fried shrimp, alligator, frog legs, oysters, fish, seafood etouffee, seafood po’boys, jambalaya, shrimp tacos, red beans and rice, seafood gumbo, crab cakes and crab bites, Pepsi products and beer. The car show will feature antique, classic and hot rod vehicles. Awards will be presented to the Top 10 cars. Booths offering handmade jewelry, yard and garden art, beach-inspired signs, homemade candles, nautical décor, clothing, glass art and other crafts are part of the festivities. For general festival information, email jfitz@orangebeachal.gov. There is no admission charge and plenty of parking.
Don’t miss the Orange Beach Seafood Festival and Car Show at The Wharf Feb. 25. (contributed)
Montgomery Jewish Food Festival
The annual Jewish Food Festival and Treasure Market is a fun and friendly introduction to Montgomery’s Jewish community. There will be culinary treats available for sale (dine-in or carry out). Attend a short session in the sanctuary with Rabbi Scott Looper of Temple Beth Or to learn about Jewish customs. Enjoy lunch in the courtyard with live music by Dahlia Road. You don’t have to know how to pronounce rugelach (roo·guh·laak) or challah (haa·luh) to know how delicious these baked goods are. Other menu items include beef brisket, potato latkes (pancakes) and stuffed cabbage, kugel (noodle and raisin casserole), and quajado (spinach, egg and cheese casserole) – not to mention Carnegie Deli cheesecakes straight from the Big Apple. Frozen to-go items include matzah ball soup, cabbage rolls, kugel, quajado and challah. Check out the menu page to place your order. The festival is Sunday, Feb. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Temple Beth Or, 2246 Narrow Lane Road. Visit the website or follow along on Facebook.
Festival of Tulips
Stroll through a field of 100,000 tulips with family and friends at American Village in Montevallo as long as the flowers are in bloom and weather permits. Bring your camera and take advantage of a beautiful backdrop for photos. Tulips are $2 each, bulb included, and can be purchased at the tulip field. The flowers last longer if left on the bulb until you get them home. American Village merchandise will be available for sale at the tulip field. Before your visit, check the website, Facebook or Instagram for instructions in the event of inclement weather and for updated field conditions. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 per person but free for veterans and children ages 4 and younger.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Black History Month is a great time to explore a variety of exhibits at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI), including the Barriers Gallery, Confrontations Gallery, Movements Gallery, Human Rights Gallery and Procession Gallery. Current special exhibits include Emmett Till, A.G. Gaston and Mothers of the Movement. BCRI is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stay updated on current events by visiting the website.
Equal Justice Initiative
Learn more about Black history in America at the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration in Montgomery. The museum examines the legacy of slavery, from the transatlantic slave trade to ongoing issues related to mass incarceration. The building that houses the Legacy Museum includes a gift shop and the popular restaurant Pannie-George’s Kitchen. A few blocks away is EJI’s National Memorial for Peace and Justice. Follow this link to read more about the Legacy Museum.
Huntsville’s Civil Rights Landmarks Driving Tour
Experience landmarks in Huntsville that tell the story of the civil rights movement. Understand the people, places and events that carved out American history within the Deep South on the four-hour tour. Attendees will stand in the shadows of the earliest public school in Alabama to integrate; discover original locations used to strategize and organize civil rights meetings; walk in the places of sit-ins and street marches; pay homage to sacred cemeteries for enslaved people; discover the valiant military impact of the Buffalo Soldiers; and celebrate the vision and footprint of William Hooper Councill, the first president of the institution that became Alabama A&M University.
The tour includes:
- Private driver.
- Private transportation by Rocket City Shuttles.
- Professional tour guide.
- Immersive learning experience.
- Engaging discussion on significant spaces.
- Civil rights and Black history landmarks and narratives.
- Boxed lunch.
- Sharable photo album.
Dates and times vary. The tours are offered year-round. All tours are private. To learn more or to book a tour, visit the website.
Huntsville’s Civil Rights Landmarks Driving Tour is offered during Black History Month or any time of the year. (Nick Evans)
Gadsden Symphony Orchestra
The Gadsden Symphony Orchestra will have its first concert of the season Saturday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. at Gadsden City High School. The family concert, “The Musical Zoo,” features compositions from Rossini and Haydn as well as from “Cats,” “Jurassic Park” and “The Lion King.” Tickets are available at the Hardin Center, online at gadsdensymphony.org or at the door.
