Annual Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival
11/07/2024 - 11/17/2024
***
(850) 492-7664
For information on venues and times, please visit the event website.
This annual songwriters and listeners event runs across multiple venues at different times. To be sure you don't miss one of your favorites, please be sure to research venues and times at the event website.
Festival attendees enjoy an up-close and personal concert experience and are often able to learn the stories behind the songs as told by the original author. Venues of all kinds welcome the over 200 songwriters that come from around the country and around the world.
The festival is dedicated to the late Frank Brown, who was night watchman at the Flora-Bama for 28 years, and whose moral values, integrity and strength of character still endure. During this festival, Grammy Award-winning songwriters and the up-and-coming stars of tomorrow come into the spotlight to perform original songs in multiple locations in beautiful Perdido Key and Pensacola, Florida and Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Whether you are looking for a "listening room" experience, a pleasant dinner and music venue, a family-friendly musical adventure or a gritty roadhouse, FBISF has a place for you. Most venues are free to attend; a few charge a modest cover at the door. The Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival has consistently been named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society.
Coastal Alabama Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival
11/09/2024 - 11/10/2024
101 Gulf Shores Pkwy., Gulf Shores, AL 36542
(251) 968-2040
Food Truck Festivals of America is bringing the 3rd Annual Coastal Alabama Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival back to Town Green area of Gulf Shores on Saturday and Sunday, November 9 and November 10, from 11 am to 5 pm.
This 2024 festival will be a weekend of craft beer, great food, lawn games and fun for the whole family.
Most importantly - bring your friends and family, lawn chairs, blankets, and soak in the sun!
The event runs rain or shine!
Magic Christmas in Lights at Bellingrath Gardens & Home
11/29/2024 - 01/05/2025
12401 Bellingrath Gardens Rd., Theodore, AL 36582
(251) 973-2217
Explore the enchanting 29th Annual Magic Christmas in Lights at Bellingrath Gardens & Home a festive paradise on the Gulf Coast. Wander through a dazzling 65-acre Garden estate adorned with thousands of lights. The Bellingrath Home adds to the ambiance with holiday finery and poinsettias.
Discover the magic of Alabama as our dedicated staff crafts each holiday light set piece with passion. Immerse yourself in the season's sounds with live musical performances.
Savor the festive spirit with delectable holiday treats and warm beverages. From seasonal delights to classics, there's something for everyone. Craft lasting memories with family and friends against the radiant backdrop of our displays. Bellingrath Gardens and Home's Magic Christmas in Lights is a cherished tradition that brings people together in the true spirit of the season.
In this Gulf Coast holiday tradition, guests stroll through a dazzling light display that features more than 1,100 set pieces, 3 million lights and 16 scenes throughout the 65-acre Garden estate.
(The show is closed only on Christmas and New Year's days.)
In 2022, Bellingrath Gardens and Home was named No. 9 in USA Today's list of the Top 10 Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights. Bellingrath's show is the only one in the Southeast that made the list.
Holly Days on Main at The Wharf
12/07/2024 - 12/08/2024
23101 Canal Rd, The Wharf, ORANGE BEACH, AL 36561
(251) 224-1000
We anticipate this event occurring around these estimated dates. Once we learn the confirmed dates, we will update this page. Meanwhile, read about last year's event details below.
Holly Days on Main is returning to The Wharf. When it comes to Christmas, we do it right in paradise!
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, so call all your friends and join us this season for the annual Holly Days on Main Festival.
Guests can enjoy arts and crafts vendors, special performances, a lighted boat parade and more. It's guaranteed to be two days of jam-packed holiday fun, thanks to the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber.
See you here!
The Annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade
12/14/2024 - 12/14/2024
200 East 25th Ave, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
(251) 967-5858
We anticipate this event occurring around these estimated dates. Once we learn the confirmed dates, we will update this page. Meanwhile, read about last year's event details below.
Come by LuLu's for a magical night on the Waterway Village with LuLu's Lighted Boat Parade!
We like to celebrate the Holidays Gulf Coast style with brightly decorated boats to light the night! Arrive early if you want a table and stick around for the festivities.
The boats will leave LuLu's Gulf Shores and Homeport Marina at dusk and head to the Wharf in Orange Beach. The boats will be visible along the canal from Gulf Shores or Orange Beach.
The Big Beach Marathon
01/25/2025 - 01/26/2025
101 E. Beach Blvd., Gulf Shores, AL 36542
(251) 948-3030
The Big Beach Marathon and Half Marathon take place in beautiful Gulf Shores, Alabama. The courses are flat and fast, running on the fully paved trails through Gulf State Park, with the start and finish located at The Hangout. In addition to Sunday's Marathon and Half Marathon, the Safari 7K on Saturday gives attendees an opportunity to take on the Shark or Dolphin challenge!
Run the 7K Saturday and the full or half marathon Sunday to secure medals, cool shirts, extra beer tickets and the ultimate bragging rights. We can't wait to see you at Big Beach!
Annual Fort Morgan Oyster Fest
02/22/2025 - 02/23/2025
925 Beach Club Trl., Gulf Shores, AL 36542
(251) 224-2500
Happiness on a Half Shell at the 2025 Fort Morgan Oyster Fest!
Each ticket includes admission to the festival grounds, parking, all-you-can-eat oysters, and non-alcoholic beverages.
Whether you like 'em naked or dressed to impress, Sassy Bass, The Beach Club Resort and Spa, and Navy Cove Oysters will be serving up happiness on a half shell at the Annual Fort Morgan Oyster Fest held the last weekend of February each year. Held at The Beach Club Resort and Spa, join us for food, fun, and oyster perfection.
We'll be serving up Navy Cove and other Fort Morgan oysters in several ways, so wear your stretchy pants and bring your appetite! Additional festival food and drinks (including beer and cocktails) will also be available.
Entertainment, Arts and Crafts, and Contests
When you're not slurping down your favorite seafood, tap your toes to great live music on the music stage, where bands will perform throughout the day. Alabama-based arts and crafts vendors will be on-site for browsing. You can also enjoy a host of fun games, contests, and kid's crafts and activities throughout the day. Practice your oyster-shucking skills, and you may be invited to enter the Oyster Shucking Contest!
There is an Admission fee to the festival, which includes all-you-can-eat oysters!
Mystics of Pleasure
03/01/2025 - 03/01/2025
24281 Perdido Beach Blvd, Orange Beach, AL 36561
According to the written history of the Mystics of Pleasure, "while overlooking the Marina on Cotton Bayou and watching the sunset on a glorious April evening, a group of men planned what was to become ... Pleasure Island's very first nighttime Mardi Gras parading society."
Ballyhoo Festival
03/01/2025 - 03/02/2025
20115 State Hwy. 135, Gulf Shores, AL 36542
Event Schedule:
Saturday- 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday- 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Annual Ballyhoo Festival features the juried fine art of 100 artists and combines that with a unique focus on cultural exchange. The history of the Poarch Creek Indians is presented on Saturday of the festival with historical narrative and original tribal dance in ceremonial regalia. The meaning of each dance is described by the PCI Cultural Director.
The Ballyhoo Festival cultural exchange on Sunday is in the form of Early Americana music with a Fiddle/Banjo Competition and performances by some of the best musicians in the Southeast.
The Children's Art Pavilion, local bands, a wide variety of food, art demonstrations and the hospitality of the fun-loving residents of Coastal Alabama make this an event you do not want to miss.
Let's Ballyhoo!
The Marshals
03/01/2025 - 03/01/2025
24281 Perdido Beach Blvd, Orange Beach, AL 36561
The Marshals parade will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Mystics of Pleasure at 6 p.m. There will be a slight gap between the parades.
All parade routes on Perdido Beach Boulevard start at the traffic signal just east of Phoenix West and travel east, ending at the intersection at Highway 161 and Perdido Beach Boulevard, just past the Publix shopping center. At the median, the parades will move to the eastbound lanes (southside of the beach highway).
Gulf Shores Mardi Gras Parade
03/04/2025 - 03/04/2025
Gulf Shores, AL 36542
This history of the Gulf Shores Mardi Gras parade dates back to 1978 when a group of locals decided Gulf Shores needed a parade. Those locals formed the Pleasure Island Players and thus Mardi Gras began in Gulf Shores. A year later the Mystic Order of Shiners joined the Pleasure Island Players to become what is now the oldest parading order in Baldwin County.
Orange Beach Mardi Gras Parade
03/04/2025 - 03/04/2025
24131 Perdido Beach Blvd., Orange Beach, AL 36561
The Orange Beach Parade started as a loose confederation of large and small groups that wanted to parade by the beach. The city of Orange Beach stepped in and took over the parade's planning. It's still open to participation by just about anybody, even groups outside of Orange Beach.
The Mystical Maids of Miram and the Mystics of Pleasure contribute to the parade, as do groups from Foley to Perdido Key. Even groups that parade in Gulf Shores earlier in the day move up the road to be in the Orange Beach procession.
Orange Beach Festival of Art
03/08/2025 - 03/09/2025
26389 Canal Rd., Orange Beach, AL 36561
(251) 981-2787
The Orange Beach Festival of Art celebrates an extraordinary amount of arts, including visual, performing, musical and culinary. With more than 100 vendors displaying a variety of media, festival attendees will have plenty to see, touch, taste and hear. The event also has a kid's art alley, a culinary arts court featuring local fare, and a music and songwriter's stage.
For more details and information on parking, please visit our website.
Annual Fairhope Arts & Crafts Festival
03/14/2025 - 03/16/2025
Fairhope, AL
(251) 229-1874
The Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival Foundation takes place in beautiful downtown Fairhope.
The Festival was recently named one of the TOP 15 art shows in the nation by the prestigious Sunshine Artist Magazine in their annual ranking of the nation's top festivals.
See the event website for more information on parking, entertainment, and artists.
The Wharf Boat and Yacht Show
03/21/2025 - 03/23/2025
4550 Main St., Orange Beach, AL 36561
(251) 224-1000
Featuring over $100 million in boats and marine products and more than 120 exhibiting companies, it's the "Top Boat Buying Show" in the northern Gulf.
Take in a display of 80 wet slip boats and yachts, more than 300 sport and console boats on land, live music, kid's art classes with marine artist Larry Rackley, instructional seminars and much more. There's something for everyone, from an entry-level boater to a seasoned veteran.
The best part? This three-day blockbuster event will benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, so make plans to attend and bring your friends!
To purchase tickets online and to find a complete schedule, list of exhibitors and all other details are available at www.wharfboatshow.com. It's a Southern Tradition!
Bama Coast Cruisin’
04/24/2025 - 04/26/2025
4830 Main St., Orange Beach, AL 36561
(251) 224-1000
The Annual Bama Coast Cruisin' will be held at the Wharf Resort and Marina in Orange Beach. Come and see the beautiful cars on display at The Wharf, and enjoy a day of shopping and dining at one of The Wharf's several delicious restaurants.
Bama Coast Cruisin'is an absolutely stunning show set against the backdrop of the Inter-Coastal Waterway and the Canal Bridge. It's a laid-back, family-friendly weekend full of amazing cars, fun events, entertainment and Southern hospitality.
Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party
04/25/2025 - 04/27/2025
17401 Perdido Key Drive, Pensacola, FL 32507
(850) 492-0611
The Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast's Greatest Beach Party is legendary. What started as just a reason to party has become one of the biggest beach parties on the coast. Those who participate in the Mullet Toss will throw a dead mullet over the state line of Florida and Alabama to see who gets the farthest. Not to mention, it's a great excuse to throw a weekend-long party with lots of fun activities, great music and food!
Hotel bookings are done months, if not years in advance for this event. People travel from across the globe to see what all the fuss is about here at the Flora-Bama; the memories are priceless.
See the event website for all the details!
Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival
05/01/2025 - 05/03/2025
100 N. OWA Blvd, Foley, AL 36535
(251) 943-3291
Foley is the spot for high-flying adventure and family fun at the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival. Enjoy the entertainment, arts and crafts displays and more at the festival site daily. Balloon flights, glows, and tethered rides (weather permitting) add to the fun at dawn and dusk.
Admission is FREE!
