Calendar of Events

The Order of Polka Dots was founded by 20 women in May 1949 and in 1950 was the first ladies' organization to parade in Mobile. Still a robust and active group, they were a trailblazer for a number of ladies' organizations.
The group's emblem is the Gypsy Queen, and its nine officers represent the nine ancient Greek Muses: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpischore, Thalia, and Urania.

The Incas formed in 1956 and held their first ball in 1957, but they did not parade until 1975.
Nowadays, it's hard to imagine Mobile Mardi Gras without the group's floats of ancient Incan temples or its distinctive emblem beads and doubloons.
It's said that the Incas were the first to bring the throw cup to Mobile Mardi Gras during the 1983 parade. Now cups are a staple among beads and Moon Pies.

Apollo's Mystic Ladies was founded in 2000 as a Daphne Mardi Gras group for ladies. According to the organization's website, "The first meeting was held at Manci's in July of that same year. The mission was to bring friendship, fellowship, and revelry to the city of Daphne in the true Mardi Gras spirit."

The Orange Beach Sports Association presents the 27th Annual Orange Beach Seafood Festival & Car Show at The Wharf. Come out to spend the day with family and friends while enjoying loads of tasty food, live music on two stages, and over 125 arts & crafts vendors!

Drop the kids off at the Kids Zone to play while you check out dozens of classic and hot rod vehicles and vendors. Bring the whole family including your furry BFF for our new Paws on Parade! We can’t wait to see the costumes! Come out and support this beautiful area and the sports-related activities in our community!

The Mobile Mystics, according to the group's website, was founded in May 1993 with 52 charter members. The group "quickly obtained use of Mardi Gras floats from another organization and made plans to stage (its) first parade" in 1994, according to the web site. But there were problems in getting a permit for that year, so the theme of the group's first ball was "Damn the Permit, Full Speed Ahead."
The Mystics was the first group to hold a ball at the then-new Arthur Outlaw Convention Center, and it remains the Mystics' home for the ball. The first Mystics parade was held in 1995.
The Mobile Mystics is the largest group to parade during the daytime outside of Fat Tuesday. On the parade route, the Mystics have earned the reputation of being heavy throwers. Anyone who walks away from one of their parades without a bagload of goodies just isn't trying.

One of Mobile's newest parading groups is also its most stripped-down. Two members of a much larger, more established mystic society decided they would start a group that existed solely to ride in a parade.

Brand new in 2017, the Mobile Mystical Friends has not yet paraded under its own banner. Technically, the group will make up the second half of the Mobile Mystical Revelers parade.
Founded by Chuck Hall, MMF is not a mystic society. It’s a parading group that, much like the Mobile Mystical Revelers, eschews much of the structure and bylaws of the average mystic society. “I built it on the concept known as KISS,” Chuck said with a laugh. “That means Keep It Simple, Stupid.”

One of Mobile's first two women's parading groups, the Maids of Mirth, first paraded in 1950, just days after the Order of Polka Dots broke the gender barrier. Members of the Maids, however, are quick to point out that their organization incorporated first.

The Order of Butterfly Maidens was formed in 2000 by a small group of ladies who had been members of other parading groups.
The idea was to form a parading organization that would stay fairly small, so all of the members would truly get to know one another. Some groups are so large that some members don't even recognize each other.
The OOBM paraded for the first time in 2003, and the organization celebrated its 10th anniversary during its parade of 2011.
The group currently holds its ball at the Fort Whiting Armory, and the emblem, Madame Butterfly, wears a ball gown and beautiful butterfly wings.

One thing that has remained fairly consistent about Mobile's mystic societies is that they are either men's groups or ladies' groups.
In 1993, the Krewe of Marry Mates changed all that, creating a society specifically for married couples. At least one other such group followed in the Marry Mates' footsteps, but it has since dropped from the parade lineup.
These days, several groups have both men and women on their floats (and some of the ladies' groups do have male marshals on horseback), but the Marry Mates remain the only group specifically for married couples to ride on the floats together.

As Mardi Gras historian Emily Hearin recounted the tale, the Knights of Ecor Rouge began as the brainstorm of several Eastern Shore friends while they were on "a spirited sailing vacation in the Grenadine Islands in December 1983."
"Ecor Rouge" is French for "Red Cliff" and is a specific reference to a triangular shaped bluff between Daphne and Fly Creek in Montrose.
 Incorporated in April 1984, the organization numbered 150 by the time of its first parade in February 1985, according to Hearin.
KOER's motto is "Chevaliers a se Rappeler," which means, "Knights to Remember" in French. That was the theme of the organization's first parade and ball.

Come see history come to life as our historical reenactors board the USS ALABAMA and the USS DRUM. These men share the stories of our original crewmen and demonstrate jobs aboard the battleship and submarine during WWII.

Don't miss the air attack and "call to battle stations" at 1pm on the main deck of the USS ALABAMA, included in your park admission!

The first ball was held in 1996, and the first parade was in 1997. Neptune's Daughters has grown from a charter membership of 21 to more than 300 members in less than two decades.
The group's emblem is a mermaid, and its logo depicts Neptune flanked by two mermaids. The Neptune's Daughters colors are teal, white, and green.

A ladies' organization, the OOI was formed in 2008, held its first ball in 2009, and staged its first parade in 2010 with an impressive nine floats.
As so often happens, OOI was formed after a number of friends in one of the established groups decided to splinter off. From there, membership grew by leaps and bounds.
The founders chose to name their group after the Egyptian goddess of love and motherhood. A quote at the end of the OOI oath is "Enter as strangers, leave as friends."

Founded on March 19, 2000, it started with "only a few members," according to the group, but grew quickly.
By OOV's 10th anniversary, it was 168 members strong. These ladies are known as big throwers, sometimes chucking huge stuffed animals.

Brand new in 2016, the Order of Many Faces is a mystic society that's dedicated to the memory of Louis Diemert, Mobile's Man of Many Faces.
At Mardi Gras time from the 1920s until about 1950, Diemert won a number of costume contests, dressing up as well-known characters from Scarlett O’Hara to Adolf Hitler.
He was famous around town, and people would eagerly await to see just who Diemert was going to portray next.
The founder and president of OOMF is a granddaughter of Diemert’s, and at least eight other Diemert descendants are in the group.
“I’m so super excited,” the president said. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do. My grandfather didn’t really get the recognition I thought he should, and this is a way of remembering him as a big part of Mobile Mardi Gras.”
One thing that's different about OOMF, the members don't wear masks. Like Diemert himself, they use makeup, wigs, etc. to disguise themselves.

The University of South Alabama’s Foundation, Department of Marine Sciences, and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab will host the 21st Wiese Distinguished Lecture Series on February 26. Dr. James Cloern, a world renowned estuarine scientist with the United States Geological Survey, will be the keynote speaker. Dr. Cloern is a senior research scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California.

His research addresses comparative ecology and biogeochemistry of estuaries to understand how they respond to climatic-hydrologic variability and human disturbance. His team has led investigation of San Francisco Bay that has included study of primary production, nutrient cycling, algal and zooplankton community dynamics, ecosystem metabolism and food web dynamics, disturbance by invasive species, ecosystem restoration, and projected responses to long-term change.

The public is invited to meet Dr. Cloern and hear him speak on Tuesday, February 26 at the University of South Alabama Student Center Ballroom beginning at 7pm.

The Wiese Distinguished Lecture Series is endowed by a generous gift from the late Peter and Marty Wiese of Fairhope, Alabama. The series brings a preeminent scientist to coastal Alabama to speak to the public and interact with the students and faculty at the University of South Alabama and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.

The public lecture is sponsored by the Department of Marine Sciences at the University at South Alabama, the USA Foundation, and the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.

The Order of LaShe's, obviously a ladies' group, was founded in 1989 and held its first ball in 1990. The theme of that ball, according to Mardi Gras historian Emily Hearin, was "Angels Ready to Party," and it was held at the Elks Club on Dauphin Island Parkway.
The members of the LaShe's chose as their emblem The Broadway Show Girl in top hat and tails. Revelers can still see that figure depicted at the front of the group's emblem float.

As Mardi Gras historian Emily Hearin wrote it: "On the evening of the 1939 Mardi Gras celebration, a merry group of six friends, along with their wives and dates, left the Tea Dance at the Elk's Lodge ... and decided it was too early to abandon Mardi Gras for the Lenten season.
"One of the group was a part owner of the Imperial Laundry. He suggested they make use of some convict suits from the Atmore Prison Farm that had just been washed and cleaned. There were no hats or masks with the suits, so they purchased Chinese coolie hats and masks from a street vendor and proceded to parade on foot ..."
That little group led to the formation in 1940 of the Mystic Stripers Society - a reference to the prison stripes they wore a year earlier. The group first paraded in 1948 with an emblem portraying two striped animals, a zebra and a tiger.

Friday, March 1, through Sunday, March 3, 2019: Orchid Show and Sale at Bellingrath Gardens and Home

Bellingrath Gardens and Home will host the Mobile Area Orchid Society’s 42nd Annual Orchid Show and Sale from Friday, March 1, through Sunday, March 3.

Mobile Area Orchid Society members will display their best orchids and will be available to answer questions and provide tips on growing and caring for orchids. Vendors will be selling orchids, supplies and accessories. Guests may also shop for new spring merchandise in the Bellingrath Gift Shop.

There is no admission charge to the Orchid Show, but guests are encouraged to tour the Gardens and Home during their visit. The Magnolia Café will serve lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., making it easy for guests to visit the Gardens and Home either before or after viewing the orchids on display.

For details on the Orchid Show and Sale, visit bellingrath.org, email bellingrath@bellingrath.org, or call 251-459-8727.

The parade begins on Perdido Beach Boulevard at 6:30 p.m. at the traffic signal just east of Phoenix West and it will end at intersection at Highway 161 and Perdido Beach Boulevard. For more information, visit www.mirams.info.

The first thing you notice about the Crewe of Columbus is the spelling of the name. It's the only group on the Gulf Coast that uses "Crewe" instead of "Krewe." When the group was founded in 1921, it was the Krewe of Columbus, and it was only open to members of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men's organization.

After several years, however, membership was opened to others, and in 1937, the Krewe was reorganized and re-emerged as the Crewe. The main reason for the spelling change was so the initials of the Mardi Gras organization would not be confused with the Knights of Columbus.

In recent years, the COC parade underwent another big change. It was a longstanding tradition that members of the Crewe built the floats themselves. But in 2010, COC hit the downtown streets with professionally built floats, including their mainstays, the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.
Perhaps the best-known of their permanent floats is Isabella or "Izzie," a three-headed sea serpent.

The Maids of Jubilee, in Fairhope, was the first ladies' parading group to form in the Eastern Shore region of South Alabama.
Since the organization's founding in 1985, it has grown immensely, boasting more than 400 members these days. In most ladies' groups - at least in Mobile - there are male marshals on horseback or no marshals at all. The Maids of Jubilee, however, has female marshals on horseback. Or on a camel.
In south Alabama, by the way, "jubilee" does not mean "a special anniversary." No, around here, a jubilee is an infrequent phenomenon that occurs when the waters and the winds are just right, and all the fish in the shallows are rendered almost comatose. Word gets out quickly, and folks come and simply scoop up all the fish they want.

The Knights of Mobile was formed in April 1997, founded by "a small group of revelers who brought almost 150 collective years of Mardi Gras experience to the table with the desire to return to the smaller society and ball philosophy," according to the KOM.
The group "is based on the theme of the royal order of King George III (also referred to in history as the Mad King), who ruled over Great Britain from 1760-1820."

The Mobile Mystical Ladies formed in 1997 after 13 friends, who belonged to another parading group, decided to splinter off and form their own.
A couple of years ago, the members of the Mystical Ladies decided to change parading dates, going for a daytime run, rather than nighttime.

According to the written history of the Mystics of Pleasure, "while overlooking the Marina on Cotton Bayou and watching the sun set on a glorious April evening, a group of men planned what was to become ... Pleasure Island's very first nighttime Mardi Gras parading society."
By Carnival of 2001, the Mystics of Pleasure held its first ball and Mardi Gras parade in Orange Beach. Unlike parading groups to the west, marshals with the Mystics of Pleasure ride Harley-Davidsons, not horses.
The group also sponsored the Thunder Run boating event every year.

In 1928, Alfred Staples, longtime president of the Mobile Carnival Association, asked Sidney Simon to plan a parade for the Saturday afternoon before Fat Tuesday to keep people - especially out-of-towners - downtown for the entire weekend.
The Flower Parade, as it was first called, has always been for children. The MCA Juvenile Court, including a King and Queen, are among the float riders.
These days, the Floral Parade is one of only two that's scheduled to run twice, first on that Saturday before Mardi Gras, and again on Lundi Gras, along with the King Felix III parade, which also rolls again on Fat Tuesday.

Starts at Prichard Municipal Stadium; south on Whistler Street to Elm Street; east on Elm to Wilson Avenue; south on Wilson to Prichard Avenue; west on Prichard to U.S. 45; north on 45 to Bessemer Avenue; east on Bessemer to end at the starting point.

The Foley parade is not city-sponsored, and it's not the production of any one group. It's more a loose confederation of folks in this south Baldwin County town who want to make sure they have their own Mardi Gras down there.
"It's really open to everybody in this area," said organizer Paul Adams. "We have a lot of businesses that participate, as well as just groups of people."
Floats, trucks, antique cars, walking groups, just about anything you've seen in a parade before can be found in Foley. Usually, this parade has more than 25 units, and organizers stress the family friendliness of the whole thing.

In 2013 a nonprofit called Joy of Life on the Gulf Coast was formed to primarily benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Their board includes former patients of St. Jude and parents of St Jude patients.
The group’s big annual fundraiser is the Wind Creek Hospitality Joy of Life Mardi Gras Ball, which includes “the culinary skills of Mobile's most amazing chefs and restaurants,” according to the Joy of Life web site, and “a live and silent auction, as well as great musical entertainment, all while raising funds for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.”
Almost from the start, the group wanted to include a Mardi Gras parade as part of its fundraising efforts, and this year, they staged their first one.

The Order of Angels is a different kind of parading group. Two women, who were members of a different organization, were sitting at the kitchen table talking about what they did and did not like about Mardi Gras. "We love to ride," one of the women explained, "but the balls and the partying was not our cup of tea."
So they started their own organization in 2002 in order to parade, but they hold a reception, not a ball, for each member plus one guest only. Alcohol is not banned at the reception, but it's not provided.
Any money left over from dues is donated to charity, and every member is required to take part in at least two charity functions a year. Sometimes the Angels perform charity work as a group.

While the Krewe of Mullet Mates is technically a Fairhope group, it does not follow the downtown Fairhope parade route. Instead, it hugs Bon Secour Bay on Baldwin County Highway 1.
The group was formed as a more laid-back parading organization for the folks in the southwest end of Baldwin County. "We are very low-key, and we have very few rules," according to the president.

One of Mobile's most popular parades, the Mystics of Time, comes out on the Saturday before Mardi Gras and unleashes smoke-breathing dragons on the streets of the city.
The MOT formed in 1948 and first paraded the next year. As the story goes, a group of friends, while playing their regular poker game, started discussing forming a new Mardi Gras group. One day, in the old Azalea Grill, that group bumped into a group of men who were members of another parading organization but were disenchanted with that organization. Together, they formed the MOT.

The Shadow Barons was founded in the summer of 1999 after the idea was put in motion "in the dugout of a men's softball game," according to the group's website.The first Shadow Barons parade was held in Daphne in 2002, and since then, the group has been working hard to move from float-renting status to an organization that parades with its own floats. In 2009, The Shadow Barons completed construction of its own 12,000-sqare-foot float barn, and float production has gone from one in 2010 to three in 2011 to seven in 2012 to a full complement of 10 this year.The group got its name from Louis Guillaume Laland Marie Hiacinthe Arnould, also known as Baron de Feriet. A career officer in Napolean's military in the New World, the baron retired to a large estate in what is now Montrose, in Baldwin County. The group has taken great delight in composing a fictional tale of the ghost of the baron.

Take a journey back to when native tribes and early colonizers needed to rely on the land around them to supply the medication and food they needed to live in this coastal habitat. This walk will begin at the Jeff Friend Trail. Walks are limited to 12 people, reservations are required. To sign-up for a tour or for more information please contact the Refuge Office, Monday – Friday, 9am – 2pm at (251) 540-7720.

Kick off festival season with Ballyhoo! This exciting festival event is unique in its focus on fine art, combined with cultural charm, and the fun-loving spirit of residents of Coastal Alabama! Enjoy fine art from all across the southeast, local seafood and live music!

Ballyhoo is an event of the Gulf Coast Arts Alliance, whose mission is the development and promotion of the arts on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Join us Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the Waterway Village located at 225 East 24th Ave., Gulf Shores.

After MAMGA'S King Elexis I arrives at the foot of Government Street, he is joined by his Queen and court and a bunch of Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association members, and they make their way through town to the MAMGA den, just above Congress Street.
Not many years ago, this was a motorcade in the strictest sense - car after car rolled down Route E (the motorcade is the only procession to follow this route), and MAMGA members tossed throws to the sizable Joe Cain Day crowd.
Recently, though, a few MAMGA floats have been added to the motorcade, giving the crowd even more reason to shout for throws. Boxes of Little Debbie oatmeal sandwiches are especially popular.
There's still plenty of cars in the motorcade, including the one carrying Elexis I and his queen to the den.

Founded in 1996, the Loyal Order of the Fire Truck began almost by accident. A Daphne resident, who was a member of Mardi Gras groups in Mobile and Baldwin counties, bought a 1950 Mack fire truck from the Bon Secour Volunteer Fire Department.
"Of course I bought it. Who wouldn't want an old fire truck?" the group's founder asked. He drove the truck in a few Baldwin parades, then decided he would build a parade around it.
"We were determined to be organized about the whole thing," he said, "and it was disorganized from the get-go."
The group parades in Daphne on Joe Cain Day. Out of respect for the Joe Cain Procession, the LOFT begins its parade one minute earlier, at 2:29pm.
In the spirit of Joe Cain Day, LOFT is a true peoples parade with homemade floats and decorated vehicles of all kinds. Membership has few requirements: If you show up and parade, the founder said, you're in.

The Joe Cain Procession, often referred to as "The People's Celebration," has been a huge part of Mobile Mardi Gras almost since it began in 1967.
For more about the Procession (never call it a parade - just don't) and Joe Cain Day, click HERE.

We are business owners, teachers, medical professionals, entertainers, artists, creative minds, and good citizens who enjoy the fellowship of the krewe and the merriment of Mardi Gras.  We love  music and costumes and we enjoy providing entertaining events for others in our community.  Our vision is to provide the  most entertaining, spectacle of a parade followed by the most extravagant ball.   
Our krewe also has many philanthropy projects in the community and we enjoy volunteering and donating to those in need.

A Mardi Gras experience like no other, Parade Du Cirque offers a spectacle of outrageous characters, street performers and the best throws.  We are welcoming marching bands, quirky walking groups, dance troupes, theatre groups, puppet artists, queens and fellow krewes to join us at OWA!
Our parade will be held at OWA on Sunday, March 3 at 4pm followed by a Light Up the Street Dance Party!

According to Le Krewe de Bienville's website, the organization was founded in 1961 as Mobile's "only civic Mardi Gras organization ... chartered for the purpose of promoting Mobile as the birthplace of Mardi Gras in the United States."
"To this end, members of the krewe travel to festivals throughout the U.S. to tell the story of Mobile's Mardi Gras and invite visitors to our Carnival."
The krewe, created by downtown hotel owners and then-Mayor Joe Langan, was started as a non-parading organization, and its ball was often referred to as the out-of-towners' ball. The idea was that folks visiting from out-of-town could never attend a Mardi Gras ball because they couldn't score an invitation. Attending the ball put on by Le Krewe de Bienville, however, requires only the purchase of a ticket.

Have you ever wanted to know what that plant was? Or maybe that butterfly? Oh wait I just saw a dragonfly! Oh look at that bird! No experience is necessary just come with your curiosity. The walk will take place on Sundays from the Pine Beach Trail. Binoculars are encouraged but not necessary to enjoy the walk. Note the office is closed on Sundays, please come prepared.

This is Mobile Carnival Association's gift to the community. There's lots of royalty association with 60-plus Mardi Gras organizations in Mobile, but only two groups stage public coronations - Mobile Carnival Association and the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association.
The coronation is open to the public, and estimated the crowds at about 2,500. Most of the guests wear formal attire as they sit in the stands watching the events unfold.

After the Mobile Carnival Association's King Felix III arrives by boat at Cooper Riverside Park on Lundi Gras, he climbs aboard a float and rides through downtown Mobile to wave to his loyal subjects and throw them some royal stuff.
Coupled with the Floral Parade, this procession includes just about every member of MCA's royal court, including the Juvenile Courts.

The MLK Business and Civic Organization sponsors a parade it calls the Krewe of the Avenue that's largely for children and young people.
Children from 6 years old to college age participate, and the parade usually has 36 units - that's the limit allowed by the police department for any parade.
The daytime parade is usually held on Lundi Gras, the day before Fat Tuesday, leading off three big parades on Route D.

Formed in 2003, the MLK Monday Mystics was a coming together of four historically black social and civic groups that had one goal in mind: to bring Mardi Gras back to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, "like it used to be," said one of the founders.
The first parade was held in 2004, and it included seven floats. In subsequent parades, the float count went to nine, then 11, then 15, then up to 20.
The MLK Monday Mystics' motto is "Back in stride down the avenue," and it includes a number of smaller groups, such as the Monday Nighters Sports Club Incorporated, the Down the Bay Boys, the Insatiable Ladies, and the Progressive Black Firefighters.

The Northside Merchants Association forms the last of the trio of parades that traverse Mobile's Route D on Lundi Gras, the day before Mardi Gras.
The MLK Business and Civic Organization has the first parade, which is primarily for children. The second, the MLK Monday Mystics, is made up of smaller adult Mardi Gras and social organizations.
The third, obviously, is a parade that offers MLK-area businesses the chance to participate.
Robert Battles, coordinator of the Northside Merchants parade, said it has been going on since 1989. When it first started, he said, "We didn't need but one police motorbike and one police car."
Since then, the whole thing has grown quite a bit. "We probably throw more candy than any other parade," Battles said.

In April 1993, a group of women met at Gambino's Restaurant in Fairhope and created the Order of Mystic Magnolias, according to the group's history. With a lot of hard work and help from other organizations, the OOMM was able to hold a parade in 1994.
Unlike most ladies' groups, the Mystic Magnolias have female marshals on horseback.
The group has grown to more than 300 members, and most of those founding members still ride in the parade. The OOMM owns its floats, which is a feat for such a young organization.

According to the Infant Mystics' own history, published on the occasion of its centennial, the group was formed out of the bankrupt ashes of a previous Mardi Gras organization, known only as H.S.S.
H.S.S. was organized in 1870 and staged parades that year, as well as 1871, 1872 and 1873. Following the 1873 ball, however, the group was $1,500 in debt and disbanded, according to the IM history.
Then, an ardent nucleus of its members met to reorganize and formed the Infant Mystics, adopting a constitution on March 27, 1873. The group's first parade was held February 17, 1874 and the theme was "The Fair Maid of Perth." After the parade, "Joe Cain was thanked for the use of his flats and for his voluntary aid in forming and conducting their procession."

The Order of Doves is a new men’s mystic society founded in 2012, holding its first ball on Lundi Gras 2013 at Bishop State. On the other hand, according to the OOD vice president, the group is a reboot of Mobile’s very first African-American Mardi Gras mystic society, founded in 1894.

“We felt like the younger generation doesn’t have any ownership in Mardi Gras,” said the OOD vice president, who is also a founding member. “We wanted a fresh new start, but we also wanted a name that would gain support in the community right away.”
And though they adopted the name and history of the Order of Doves, and the 75-member group is almost entirely African-American, it also has an open-door membership policy, the vice president said. “This is a group of young men, who are active in the community and we embrace the mayor’s ‘One Mobile’ motto.”

This talk explores the diversity and complexity of our oceans apex predator and the integral role they play in sustaining a healthy ecosystem.

The Shark Spiel talks will be held at Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Station #1 located next to Shell Banks Baptist Church at 12105 State Highway 180, Gulf Shores.
Attendees are asked to park their vehicles on the helicopter pad adjacent to the fire station.
These talks are free to the public but are limited to 24 people. Reservations are required.

The City of Gulf Shores will celebrate the 41st Anniversary of the Mardi Gras Parade on Tuesday, March 5 at 10am. The City of Gulf Shores is excited to continue its expanded role as lead organizers for the Gulf Shores Mardi Gras Parade. 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.

The Orange Beach Parade started way back when as a loose confederation of groups, large and small, that wanted to parade by the beach.

About 10 years ago, the city of Orange Beach stepped in and took over the planning of the parade. It's still open to participation by just about anybody, even groups from outside of Orange Beach.

The Mystical Maids of Miram and the Mystics of Pleasure contribute to the parade, but so 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.

Typically, these days, there's about 55 units in the Fat Tuesday afternoon parade, and about 30,000 people gather along the two-mile stretch of Perdido Beach Boulevard to stand in the rain of throws.

Beginner and experienced bird watchers of all ages are welcome to come out and enjoy the beauty of birds and nature itself. Walks will take place from the Jeff Friend Trail on Tuesdays. Binoculars are encouraged but they are not necessary to enjoy the walk.

Organized on Aug. 27, 1954, at the home of one of its founding members, the Order of Athena is the only ladies' group that parades in Mobile on Fat Tuesday.
Athena's first parade was held in 1955, and it included three floats depicting the life of the Greek goddess Athena.
These days, the group has a membership of more than 125, and every Mardi Gras morning, they have have the honor of kicking off the city's daylong festivities. Anyone who gets to Church Street extra early that day can see Athena's foot parade to the waiting floats in front of the Civic Center.

Organized in 1874 and staging its first parade on Fat Tuesday of 1875, the Knights of Revelry is Mobile's third-oldest Mardi Gras parading group. From the start, KOR has paraded during the day on Fat Tuesday.
Like the Order of Myths, the Knights of Revelry has an emblem float that harkens back to the beginning, and it, too, includes a member playing the role of Folly, who swings a mace made of inflated cow (not pig, like OOM) bladders.
There's a distinct difference between the bladder balloons swung by the two groups: OOM's are painted gold; KOR's are painted silver.
In the earliest days, according to the group's written history, the KOR emblem float had Folly dancing on a golden goblet between two crescent moons, one happy, one sad. In 1912, a crown formed the base of a silver cup, the handles of which were the faces of comedy and tragedy. In later years, the cup became a champagne glass, as it is today.
And as anyone who has seen it can tell you, Folly vigorously beats the side of that champagne glass with his cow bladders. The loud wallops, which can be heard above the din of the crowd, are meant to chase away evil.

There's nothing fancy or pretty about them, but the Comic Cowboys are as much a Mobile Mardi Gras icon as Folly and Death or Cain's Merry Widows.
The Cowboys' parade is about as stripped-down as they get. First, the group's queen, Queen Little Eva, is always a guy in a dress. It's said that the group simply picks the burliest member it can find to be the queen that year.
Beyond the queen's float, there is a series of rather plain wagons or trailers (it's hard to call them floats), each with two plywood billboards, one at the front, one at the back. On each side of each billboard is painted a joke or humorous observation about some event in the news or sports or entertainment, local or national. It's all done, the group points out, according to the longstanding motto, "Without Malice." All along the parade route, revelers stop, look up, read, then either laugh or groan.

According to the online Encyclopedia of Alabama, Mobile's African American community had no mystic societies or Carnival balls of its own until the Order of Doves was established in 1894. The OOD held its first ball in the Gilmer Rifles Armory and continued to host balls until 1914.
The first African American parading society, the Knights of May Zulu, organized by float-builder A.S. May in 1938, paraded along Davis Avenue (now Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue) until 1952.
The Colored Carnival Association was founded in 1938, held its first parade in 1939 and presented its first royal court in 1940, according to the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association's written history.
Alex Herman was the first king, and Aliene Jenkins Howard was the queen. As an homage to Herman, the MAMGA king is always referred to as King Elexis I. The Colored Carnival Association became the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association, or MAMGA, in the 1970s.

According to MAMGA's written history, Dr. Wilborne Russell, a dentist and civic leader, was president of the CCA and then MAMGA over the course of 50 years. He wrote the proclamation that is read aloud every year at the coronation ceremonies.
Every year, MAMGA sponsors a parade on the afternoon of Fat Tuesday that is referred to as the Mammoth Parade, and it is a big one. A couple dozen or so floats send a barrage of throws on the streets. The parade is a real favorite with many revelers.

Founded in 1867 and putting on its first parade in 1868, the Order of Myths was Mobile's first and is the oldest continuous Mardi Gras parading group.
The OOM always presents the last Mobile parade on Mardi Gras Day, closing the day with a procession that always nods back to the old days.

From the beginning, the Order of Myths has always had the same emblem float, a simple affair with a broken column in the middle. Often referred to as the broken column of life, there has been much discussion over the years as to its meaning, including the idea that it's a reference to the defeated post-war South.
Around the column, a member of the group dressed as Death is chased by another member dressed as Folly. As they chase round and round, Folly beats on death with a bunch of inflated pig bladders painted gold and tied to a piece of broomstick.

Yes, they do still use pig bladders, and former Follies have reported that though largely dried by parade day, the gold balloons can have a powerful smell. The float is still pulled by mules and illuminated by flambeaux.
The lesson to be taken away from the float is that while Death always beats us eventually, on one day of the year - Mardi Gras - Folly beats Death.

Curious about the local plants? What this habitat is? Or the history of this area? Well, that is what you will find, and more on this diverse walk. This walk will start from the Pine Beach Trail.

Come join us for a walk along the Gulf shore and discover why this dune habitat is so important. The talk includes a bit of history, coastal ecology, and native plants. The guided walk will meet at the Mobile Street parking lot.

Multi-platinum singer and songwriter Luke Combs stormed onto the country music landscape as one of the format’s burliest and brightest stars with three consecutive number 1 hit radio singles - “Hurricane," “When It Rains It Pours” and “One Number Away” from his GOLD-certified debut album, This One’s for You.

The iHeart Radio Awards “Best New Country Artist” released This One’s for You Too, a 17-track expanded collection of his critically acclaimed debut album, on June 1 - with five brand new tracks that landed at number 1 on Billboard Country Albums Chart, number 4 on Billboard 200 Chart and immediately charted in the Top 10 on iTunes All-Genre Songs Chart.

Named Billboard’s Top 100 Artist and Top New Country Artist of 2017, Combs made country radio history as the first new solo male artist to achieve a multi-week number 1 since 2001. The CMA, CMT, ACM and Billboard Music Awards nominated road warrior recently wrapped his 55-city sold-out first headlining Don’t Tempt Me with a Good Time Tour, performed on all-star lineups for CMA Music Fest, Stagecoach and Austin City Limits and joins Jason Aldean on his summer 2018 nationwide High Noon Neon Tour.

Please join us March 9 from 2 - 4pm for a fun-filled afternoon of tea, delicious treats, and a delightful appearance by Mobile Ballet’s Little Mermaid Dancers! The Bragg-Mitchell Mansion is collaborating with Mobile Ballet to bring the story and dancers of the Little Mermaid to life. This delightful fundraiser is sure to please. Make sure to bring your camera!

Doors open 2pm for refreshments prior to the introduction of the characters and reading of the Little Mermaid story. We will have a drawing for two tickets to the Little Mermaid Performance, Mobile Ballet memorabilia for sale, and treats for everyone! Tickets to the performance will be available at this wonderful event. Seating is limited. Tickets are $12 each. Please contact Brown Paper Tickets, or call the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion at (251) 471-6364 for ticketing information.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the restoration and operation of the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion.

Festival of Art celebrates an extraordinary amount of arts and artists from visual arts and fine arts and crafts to glass artists, potters, painters, sculptors, watercolorists, textile artists and wood artists. The event will also hold a kid's art alley, a culinary arts court featuring local fare and a music and songwriter's stage.

Satellite public parking is available with shuttle and will be provided by BRATS for a $5 daily rate. No public parking will be available on site. Parking this year is at The Wharf in Orange Beach on the west side of the property near the former Burris location. Bike Village will provide bicycle parking at the festival!

For more information visit our website.

Come and experience a day in the life of a World War II soldier. The soldiers will be doing drills throughout the day with authentic camping and blacksmithing in the fort's original blacksmith shop.

Have you ever been curious where the sea turtle story all began? Join us for this talk on the history of the conservation movement and the efforts to protect the sea turtles. 

The talk will be held at Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Station #1 located next to Shell Banks Baptist Church at 12105 State Highway 180, Gulf Shores.
Attendees are asked to park their vehicles on the helicopter pad adjacent to the fire station.
These talks are free to the public but are limited to 24 people. Reservations are required.

The 66th Annual Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival is scheduled for March 15-17. Festival hours are Friday - Sunday from 10am - 5pm. The festival is free to the public.

More than 230 exhibitors from all over the country will bring their best works. This prestigious juried show showcases artists from across the country including many from the Southeast. Enjoy live entertainment and delicious cuisine from the food court throughout this great three-day event. An Eastern Shore staple for more than 60 years, there’s something for everyone at the Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival on the streets of beautiful downtown Fairhope.

The Bragg-Mitchell Mansion is hosting their annual Spring Tea Fundraiser. Guests are invited to enjoy delicious treats, tea, and an informal look at one of Mobile’s most iconic antebellum homes, Bragg-Mitchell Mansion. Our magnificent oak-lined drive welcomes visitors to the Mansion.

Inside the home, one can sense the comfort, beauty, and hospitality for which the South is recognized. Guests are treated to a relaxed look at the Mansion complete with curved Mahogany staircase and exquisite 12ft.+ pier mirrors gracing our double parlor. Beautiful antique furnishings throughout the mansion compliment the delicious signature tea and treats.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the on-going restoration and operation of the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion. For questions, please contact a staff member at the Mansion (251) 471-6364. Tickets sales begin February 15 through Brown Paper Tickets. Limited seating.

The South Baldwin Chamber Foundation is cooking up a whole lot of fun while raising funds supporting Foley area schools during the Annual BBQ & Blues Cook-Off!  On Saturday, March 16, in Heritage Park, located at the intersection of Hwy 59 & 98 in Downtown Foley, festival-goers will enjoy award-winning barbeque, popular blues bands, craft and retail vendors, children’s activities and silent auction bidding.

As a part of the Alabama BBQ Trail, cook team competition rules follow guidelines of the Alabama Barbeque Association.  Competition categories are:  Chicken, Ribs, Boston Butts, Sauce and Anything “Butt” which includes exotic items, seafood and desserts.  The team earning the most “People’s Choice” donations will be awarded “Baldwin’s Best Q.”  The cooking competition is open to everyone (backyard and professional) with the $100 entry fee covering all competition categories and up to six team members.  Deadline for registration is March 1st.

For those who have an appetite for more than cook team samples, the South Baldwin Chamber Foundation will be selling barbeque sandwiches from LA Barbeque and pre-cooked Boston Butts. Beer, wine, soft drinks and water will also be for sale, along with the official event T-shirts.

Special thanks to Riverview Turf as the Presenting Sponsor of the BBQ & Blues Cook-Off!  All proceeds benefit the South Baldwin Chamber Foundation to support local schools through programs and partnerships that enrich education, develop leadership and better the community.

Festival Schedule
10AM         Gates Open & Student/Teacher Grants Announced
11AM         Samples Begin!
11 - 11:30AM     Magnolia Dance Company
12 - 12:45PM     Spearman Brewers
1 - 2:30PM     True Blue Band
2:45 - 4PM     The Defrosters
4:30PM         Cook-off Awards Presentation

Admission is $10. Tickets can be purchased at the gate.

For more information, visit www.foleybbqandblues.net
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/bbqandbluescookoff

Learn more about the sea turtles that nest along Alabama’s beaches and the efforts involved in protecting their nests. This talk will be held on the beach at the end of Mobile Street.

Thursday, March 21, through Sunday, March 24, 2019: Festival of Flowers at Providence Hospital Campus

The theme of the 26th annual Festival of Flowers is "Dutch Gardens," and Bellingrath Gardens and Home's display is at the heart of the exhibits! The show, held at the Providence Hospital Campus, is the largest outdoor flower show in the Southeast and features garden displays, art exhibits, gardening seminars and vendors.

Make a weekend of it! Spend a day at the Festival and a day at Bellingrath Gardens and Home. For information about special group packages to attend both, please call or email Shanna Bennett at 251-459-8986 or sbennett@bellingrath.org. 

For details on the Festival of Flowers, visit festivalofflowers.com.

This talk will introduce audiences to the ecology of Little Lagoon along with its important and complex relationship with the humans that have enjoyed it throughout the decades.

The talk will be held at Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Station #1 located next to Shell Banks Baptist Church at 12105 State Highway 180, Gulf Shores.
Attendees are asked to park their vehicles on the helicopter pad adjacent to the fire station.
These talks are free to the public but are limited to 24 people. Reservations are required.

The Wharf Boat and Yacht Show will offer the largest in-water display of any boat show along the upper Gulf Coast. It will showcase the latest offerings from boat manufacturers and dealers throughout the Southeast.

In-water displays will allow prospective buyers to test drive the boat of their dreams before taking advantage of on the spot financing. Last year there were over $90 million in boats and marine products for display, including more than 135 in-water vessels and an additional 450-plus boats displayed on land.

This year, show organizers report a sell-out crowd of exhibitors, promising even more variety. Virtually every type of vessel will be shown, ranging from luxury yachts and sport fisherman, to center consoles, cruisers, pontoons and runabouts.

But it doesn't stop there. Visitors can get their hands on the hottest marine electronics, fishing tackle, marine engines, and outdoor equipment as numerous exhibitors showcase the cutting edge in marine gear and personal watercraft.

The Elberta Sausage Festival makes its semi-annual return to that South Baldwin hamlet. Held in Elberta Town Park, just north of the town’s only stop light on Hwy. 98, the event attracts up to 20,000 revelers, according to organizers. A 40-year tradition, the festival is a major regional event that attracts a cross section of the community in what has become a reunion type atmosphere. It is also the main revenue source for the area’s volunteer fire department.

Festival fans can enjoy Elberta's famous German sausage and sauerkraut, plus continuous entertainment
for adults and children, and 250 arts & crafts booths. There will also be carnival rides and a full-scale Midway. Of course, there will also be a Bier Garten featuring a large selection of imported and domestic beers.

Other scrumptious foods will include German-style filled cabbage, potato salad, goulash, red beans and rice, hamburgers, hot dogs, BBQ sandwiches, ice cream, popcorn, peanuts and homemade baked goods.
The Bellview Stumpfiddle Band will perform with the North End Stompers and other cloggers. There will also be polka, country and German music.

Spearheaded by Elberta's Volunteer Fire Department since 1978, festival proceeds are used for improving not only the fire department, but the town as well. Additionally, local non-profits benefit from the festival through proceeds from their booth sales and parking lot fees. The festival is held twice a year - on the last Saturday of March and the last Saturday of October. Although it has been tweaked a bit over the years, the original secret recipe for Elberta's famous sausage is credited to Alfred Stucki, who managed Elberta's Locker Plant from 1953 until his death in 1973. About 7,000 pounds of German Sausage are consumed at each fest.

Make plans with your family to join us at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab for Discovery Day.

Discovery Day takes advantage of all the resources on the Dauphin Island Sea Lab's campus, from The Estuarium to our Research Facilities. Visitors will also have a chance to tour our research vessel Alabama Discovery.

Touch tanks, arts and crafts, and interactive exhibits create an amazing learning experience for all ages. Our marine scientists and graduate students will be on hand to answer your questions and share their ongoing research projects.

Discovery Day is from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Admission is free to all exhibits outside of the Estuarium. Adults will pay a reduced admission to the Estuarium. Children receive free admission to the Estuarium.

Stroll among hundreds of classic and vintage automobiles displayed on the Great Lawn at the Mobile Bay Mustang Club’s 26th Annual Camellia Classic Open Car Show. Snacks and lunch will be available to purchase on the Great Lawn and in our Magnolia Café. Judging begins at 11 a.m. and awards will be announced at 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 13: Easter Egg Hunt and Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Bellingrath Gardens and Home

Bellingrath Gardens and Home invites children of all ages to join us for Breakfast with the Easter Bunny and the annual Easter Egg Hunt on the Great Lawn on Saturday, April 13. Thousands of Easter eggs will be scattered across the Great Lawn, and there will be plenty of candy and treats for little ones to fill their Easter baskets.

After the egg hunt, families are encouraged to enjoy other Easter activities within the Gardens. The Easter Bunny will also be available for photos on the brick patio by the Great Lawn, and education students from the University of South Alabama will hold arts and crafts projects for children from 9 a.m. to noon at Live Oak Plaza, where special Easter snacks will also be available for purchase.

There will be three Easter Egg Hunts on the Great Lawn. The egg hunt for ages 4 to 6 begins at 10 a.m., the egg hunt for ages 7 to 11 starts at 10:15 a.m. and the continuous egg hunt for ages 3 and younger will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Parents and children are asked to bring their own baskets or bags and to arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of the egg hunt to allow time to walk from the entrance to the Great Lawn.

The Easter Egg Hunt is open to the public. There is no admission charge for members of the Friends of Bellingrath. Regular Gardens admission of $14 for adults and $8 for children ages 5-12 will be charged. Children ages 4 and younger are always admitted free.  For details, visit bellingrath.org, or email bellingrath@bellingrath.org.

Saturday, April 13, 8 a.m.: Breakfast with the Easter Bunny

The Magnolia Café will host the sixth annual Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, with pancakes, sausage patties, fruit and beverages, from 8 to 9 a.m. The Easter Bunny will visit guests at their tables and pose for photos throughout the breakfast. Reservations are required in advance. The breakfast is a popular event and seating is limited, so be sure to make your reservations early! The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 5-12. To reserve a spot, call 251-459-8727 on or after March 1, 2019.

Public bird banding returns to the Alabama Gulf Coast again this spring, courtesy of Birmingham Audubon and its partners Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Mississippi State University, Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, the Alabama Historical Commission, Mobile Bay Audubon Society.

This year’s banding event runs from Tuesday, April 16 to Saturday, April 20 at Baldwin County’s historic Fort Morgan. We invite the public to join us during the following hours:

• Tuesday, April 16, noon – 3pm
• Wednesday, April 17, 8am- 3pm
• Thursday, April 18, 8am- 3pm
• Friday, April 19, 8am - 3pm
• Saturday, April 20, 8am- noon

Reviving the bird banding program originally championed by the late Bob Sargent and his wife, Martha, this event provides an invaluable look at spring migrants traveling across the Coastal Alabama section of the Mississippi Flyway. Throughout the week, participants enjoy unparalleled access to the researchers and the work, with up-close-and-personal views of some amazing birds.

Remember to bring water, bug spray, sunscreen, and perhaps an outdoor chair; restrooms and concessions are available next to the ferry, and all ages are welcome to attend. (Please note that while the Coastal Alabama Bird Banding Project is free, there is an admission fee to enter the park. For up-to-date pricing, visit http://www.fort-morgan.org.)

The annual Waterway Village Zydeco & Crawfish Festival boils up a beaucoup (French for a lot) of fun! Sink your teeth into hot, juicy, lip-smacking crawfish throughout the day while dancing to the infectious rhythms of some of the best Zydeco bands from around the South. There will be arts and crafts vendors as well as children's activities offering nonstop fun for all ages.
If that's not enough, work up an appetite with the 5K Run/1 Mile Fun Run and Laissez les bons temps rouler (let the good times roll) all day long.   

Music Lineup
10 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.:               Rusty Metoyer & Zydeco Krush
11:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.:          Excelsior
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.:                 Lil Nate and the Zydeco Big Timers
1 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.:                   Excelsior
1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.:              Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers  
2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.:             Excelsior
2:45 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.:             Chubby Carrier
4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.:             Excelsior
4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.:                  Step Rideau

The wait is over! Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will perform at The Wharf Amphitheater for one night only, Tuesday, April 23 at 8 p.m., as part of Jimmy Buffett’s “Son Of A Son Of A Sailor” Tour 2019.
Tickets will be on sale Friday, November 2 at 10 a.m. Eight ticket limit per customer. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Ticket prices subject to applicable fees.

Local Parrotheads won't want to miss their chance to soak in the full Margaritaville experience.
“There isn’t a better way to kick off the summer than a Jimmy Buffett concert ,” said Art Favre,
owner of The Wharf Amphitheater. "We are thrilled to welcome Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer
Band back to The Wharf Amphitheater for another fantastic night of music and fun. Don’ t miss the party! "
Jimmy released his famous Son Of A Son Of A Sailor LP in 1978, and sang the title track on Saturday Night Live that year. The song was written about his grandfather, James Delaney Buffett, Sr., who was a huge influence on his life. The tour is called Son Of A Son Of A Sailor as 2018 was the record's 40th anniversary, and the celebration continues through 2019. The record also includes the hit, “Cheeseburger In Paradise,” a Parrothead favorite, as well as “Livingston Saturday Night” and “Cowboy in the Jungle.”
The long-awaited Margaritaville musical, "Escape to Margaritaville," opened on Broadway in New York, had its world premiere in La Jolla, California, and then made pre-Broadway stops in New Orleans, Houston and Chicago.
The original Broadway cast recording of the musical was recently released. The musical will go on tour in 2019. For the first time ever, music from the platinum selling 2004 License To Chill is being released as a digital and streaming CD worldwide on November 15, 2018. Many musical friends joined Jimmy on this record, including Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Clint Black, George Strait, Toby Keith, Martina McBride, Bill Withers and Nanci Griffith.

Interstate Mullet Toss is always held the last full weekend in April. 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! Each year, with your help, we raise and contribute over $20,000 to local charities, especially youth organizations. The event begins Friday at noon, and Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. Celebrity tossers are at high noon Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Friday, April 26 & Saturday, April 27
9 a.m.: Gates Open
10 a.m.: Oyster Bar Opens & Beach Concessions Open
10 a.m.: Children's Toss (16 & Under)
1 p.m.: Mr. Mullet Hot Body Contest | Tent Stage
2 p.m.: Children's Toss Finals (16 & Under)
Noon: Miss Flora-Bama Bikini Contest Registration Opens | Tent
3 p.m.: Miss Flora-Bama Bikini Contest
4 p.m.: Celebrity Toss
4:30 p.m.: Mullet Toss Finals Begin

Sunday, April 28
9 a.m.: Gates Open
10 a.m.: Oyster Bar Opens & Beach Concessions Open
10 a.m.: Children's Toss (16 & Under)
2 p.m.: Children's Toss Finals (16 & Under)
4 p.m.: Celebrity Toss
4:30 p.m.: Mullet Toss Finals Begin

The 10th 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, enjoy a day of shopping and dine 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.

Tickets go on sale Friday, December 7 at 10am through Ticketmaster and at the venue box office.

After playing 19 major stadium concerts, breaking 11 records and playing to over 1.3 million members of No Shoes Nation, Kenny Chesney decided to scale things back, head to where the fans are and create a more intimate concert experience. Though known for his high impact shows, Songs for the Saints 2019 Tour is
going to bring all the energy, all the intensity and all the songs.

The Dauphin Island Sea Lab Foundation Trustees invite you to the Fourteenth Annual Cocktails with the Critters celebrating the sea life in our bay and the gulf on Thursday, May 2 from 6 – 9pm at the BLUEGILL Restaurant on the Causeway

Join us for an exciting evening overlooking the Mobile River Delta featuring delicious hors d’oeuvres from our Gulf, beer and wine.  Live entertainment featuring famed local singer songwriter: Eric Erdman
 
There will be a lively Silent Auction featuring travel, boating, jewelry and fishing opportunities as well as original artwork. For more Information please call 251-307-5903 or visit the website at sealabfoundation.org.

The Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival, presented by Tanger Outlets, welcomes more than 30 hot air balloonists from across the country. Enjoy the floating works of art as they grace the skies of South Baldwin County on Friday and Saturday morning. Get up close and personal as the hot air balloons and their pilots light up the evening skies at the nightly balloon glows, held Friday and Saturday night.

Guests enjoy free, fun entertainment featuring something for every member of your family. Spread out your blanket, grab an ice cold drink and enjoy a variety of live music daily, from country to rock and roll. Be sure to catch one of the many shows by the Disc Connected K-9 World Famous Frisbee Dog Show. Toss after toss you will be amazed as man’s best friend defies gravity catching their prized flying saucers. And don't forget about the Carnival!

Grab a cone of homemade ice cream or delicious BBQ plate as you shop through an eclectic array of local crafters, artisans, and retailers. Many crafters provide onsite demonstrations. Find a one of kind piece of art, or grab a souvenir to commemorate your visit.
Balloon Festival merchandise and weekend parking passes are now live on our website.

The Hangout Music Fest is known for sugar white beaches, starry nights and red hot music. The award-winning festival takes place in Gulf Shores, Alabama just a short drive from the Pensacola, FL and Mobile, AL airports. Hangout is as much a vacation as it is a concert event. Offering more than just music, fans can take advantage of festival amenities including beach volleyball, carnival rides, Gulf-front hammocks, delicious seafood and more. It was awarded as Pollstar’s “Music Festival of the Year” in 2011 and is continuously recognized as one of the best festivals in the US. The festival infuses over $40 million into the local economy each year.

Hangout Fest’s Thursday Kick-Off Party, a separately ticketed event, will be announced later along with full lineup details and ticket information.

Join us for our Summer Kick Off Party! We will have bands in our dining room and on our big Crazy Sista Boat Stage all day. Fun for all ages!

Bands to be announced soon! Check our website for more details!

Experience the raising of the colors, guided tours, historic weapons demonstrations and artillery shoots scheduled throughout the day. 

Fort Morgan Historic Site comes to life on Tuesday evenings during June and July. Historic eras of the fort's military history are portrayed by staff in period clothing. Stationed throughout the fort you will encounter Weapons demonstration, artillery shoot, laundresses, and soldiers.  See what it would have been like to live at Fort Morgan during the Civil War, WWI and WWII, then watch the sun set to finish your visit. 

Tours are weather dependent. For closures and cancellations visit our website www.fort-morgan.org or our Facebook page Fort Morgan State Historic site.

If you would like to volunteer for this or any event, please call 251-540-5257.

Photo galleries to include domestic life, recreation, military training, medical and cavalry at Fort Morgan during WWI will be stationed inside the fort.  There will be living history participants, dressed in period clothing, stationed throughout to answer questions and provide additional information.

Commemorating the events that happened at Mobile Bay August 5-23, 1864. Learn about the famous naval battle, "The Battle of Mobile Bay." Living history staff and volunteers will perform drills and demonstrations inside the fort. For cancellations and closing due to weather check us out on Facebook Fort Morgan State Historic Site. If you would like to volunteer for this or any other event please contact Dylantucker@fort-morgan.org.

Tickets go on sale Friday, February 15 at 10 AM.

Little Big Town—consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook--entered the music scene over 18 years ago with hits like "Boondocks," "Bring It On Home," "Good As Gone" and "Little White Church." Albums Tornado and Pain Killer delivered massive success with #1 singles "Pontoon," "Tornado," "Day Drinking," and the history-making, best-selling country single of 2015, "Girl Crush." Little Big Town recently received their third career Grammy Award for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their multi-week #1, platinum-selling hit, "Better Man" off their chart-topping album The Breaker. Their latest album debuted #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and Top 5 on the Billboard 200 All Genre chart. In the past 7 years they have won over 20 awards, including GRAMMY, CMA, ACM, People's Choice awards, and also an Emmy.

*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.*

We’re excited to announce that tickets are now on sale for our 5th annual The Wharf Uncorked Food & Wine Festival September 13-15! Help us raise funds for a good cause and enjoy great local food and 100+ wine labels while you’re at it.
•    Sample 100+ wine labels from all over the world, enjoy regional craft beer selections, or sip on something stronger like infused vodka and single-malt whiskey
•    Some of the Gulf Coast’s finest chefs will be cooking up a storm, including cooking demos, food tastings, culinary competitions, and cookbook signings
•    Other activities include a VIP Kickoff Party, live and silent auctions, luxury yacht walks, and the Grand Tasting on Saturday
•    Proceeds will benefit Make-A-Wish® Alabama, an organization devoted to granting wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions

Wharf Uncorked - Combo Ticket (Sep 13 and 15)
Early Bird Pricing Ticket
$70 each plus Fees

Wharf Uncorked - Kickoff Party & Chef Showdown
Early Bird Pricing Ticket
$35 each plus Fees

Wharf Uncorked - Saturday Grand Tasting
Early Bird Prcing
$50 each plus Fees

*As you make plans to attend this event during these confirmed 2019 dates, we will update this section with more details as soon as we learn of them. Meanwhile, last year's details are included below for you.*

Always the first full weekend of October, birders know the Alabama Gulf Coast is a prime spot to see birds during the fall migration, and since 2004, BirdFest has attracted visitors from more than 27 states and Canada—many returning multiple times. For both experienced birders and those new to birding, BirdFest offers more than 30 expertly guided tours, evening dinner events, workshops, and the free, family friendly Bird & Conservation Expo. Now a “birding and nature festival,” BirdFest features trips that highlight local and migrating birds, wildflowers, alligators, dolphins, and other creatures that share our world. Check trip schedule for dates, prices and times. Registration will be open from 9 a.m. August 13 – 4 p.m. September 21.

***As you make plans to attend this event during these confirmed 2019 dates, we will update this section with more details as soon as we learn of them. Meanwhile, last year's details are included below for you.***

The 47^th Annual National Shrimp Festival will open at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 12. Questions related to the festival should be addressed to the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber office at 251-968-6904 or by going to www.myshrimpfest.com.

Savor fresh from the Gulf seafood at the 47th Annual National Shrimp Festival during this four-day event from October 11 - 14 that attracts over 300,000 people. This year the festival will play host to more than 100 hours of musical entertainment featuring a lineup of national, regional and local acts. There will be musical acts to please all palates, including blues, Motown, southern rock, jazz, zydeco and country. The music plays daily Thursday through Sunday. Click here to discover this year's music line up.

Food is another highlight of the festival with 50 local and regional vendors lining the boardwalk at the public beach with mouth-watering delights. Due to the generous sponsors Organized Seafood Association of Alabama, Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission and Wind Creek Casino, 10,000 pounds of shrimp per day will be prepared by some of the area's best chefs in their award-winning recipes and given away for people to sample at different tasting times that will be posted on the outside of the sponsor tent.

Activities this year include Outdoor World and Singing for Scholarships. Outdoor World will feature fishing, boating, hunting and other outdoor vendors and activities. Singing for Scholarships will be a competition where high school singers from seven local schools will compete in elimination rounds to find out who will receive scholarships. Scholarships will be awarded to the top three contestants.

Families can enter the Annual Sand Sculpture Contest on Saturday. Kids can take part in a myriad of activities in the newly relocated Children's Activity Village, including face-painting, karaoke and much more.

Runners and walkers can enter the 10K and 5K races to help work off some of the great food at the festival. All net proceeds of the Run will be donated to Coastal Baldwin Education Enrichment, benefiting the local Gulf Shores and Orange Beach public schools.

Art lovers will have almost 200 booths of fine art and arts and crafts vendors from which to choose. Car lovers will have a chance to preview many of the new Chevrolet models that will be on display.

To learn more about road closures associated with the festival, view this update or map.

Take a tour by candlelight through the brick tunnels of this massive structure and hear the stories of visitors from the past. Historical interpreters dressed in period clothing will be throughout the fort portraying the life of someone who once lived at Fort Morgan.    

Tours will be guided through uneven surfaces in dark areas and visitors may encounter wildlife. This tour is recommended for ages 13 and over. Tickets will be sold in advance. Check our Facebook page Fort Morgan State Historic Site, website www.fort-morgan.org, or call 251-540-7202 for more information.

*As you make plans to attend this event during these confirmed 2019 dates, we will update this section with more details as soon as we learn of them. Meanwhile, last year's details are included below for you.*

The Elberta Sausage Festival makes its semiannual return to that South Baldwin hamlet. Held in Elberta Town Park, just north of the town’s only stop light on Hwy. 98, the event attracts up to 20,000 revelers, according to organizers. A 40-year tradition, the festival is a major regional event that attracts a cross section of the community in what has become a reunion type atmosphere. It is also the main revenue source for the area’s volunteer fire department.

Festival fans can enjoy Elberta's famous German sausage and sauerkraut, plus continuous entertainment
for adults and children, and 250 arts & crafts booths. There will also be carnival rides and a full scale Midway. Of course, there will also be a Bier Garten featuring a large selection of imported and domestic beers.

Other scrumptious foods will include German style filled cabbage, potato salad, goulash, red beans and rice, hamburgers, hot dogs, BBQ sandwiches, ice cream, popcorn, peanuts and homemade baked goods.
The Bellview Stumpfiddle Band will perform with the North End Stompers and other cloggers. There will also be polka, country and German music.

Spearheaded by Elberta's Volunteer Fire Department since 1978, festival proceeds are used for improving not only the fire department, but the town as well. Additionally, local non-profits benefit from the festival through proceeds from their booth sales and parking lot fees. The festival is held twice a year - on the last Saturday of March and the last Saturday of October. Although it has been tweaked a bit over the years, the original secret recipe for Elberta's famous sausage is credited to Alfred Stucki, who managed Elberta's Locker Plant from 1953 until his death in 1973. About 7,000 pounds of German Sausage are consumed at each fest.

***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.***

The Coastal Alabama Business Chamber's 33rd Annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade will take place on Saturday, December 8.

The Coastal Alabama Chamber of Commerce lighted boat parade takes off at about 5:30pm from LuLu’s at Homeport Marina and finishes at Flora-Bama. More than 45 decorated vessels, including sailboats, charters and even a kayak or two, make this boat parade one of the largest in the Southeast. There are great viewing sites all along the Intracoastal Waterway, but for groups the best spot is The Wharf at Orange Beach, adjacent to the convention center.

To sign up to participate call the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber at 251-968-6091. Additional information on the parade route, viewing stations and registration is at http://www.mygulfcoastchamber.com.