The Year of Alabama History

Mar 11 - 13 Alabama River Festival
Mar 11-13, Franklin Alabama River Festival 251-575-7433. Alabama River Museum at Claiborne Lock & Dam--Travel back in time to an early 1800s camp on the river. Visit with Indians, frontiersmen, traders, and travelers. Also enjoy music, demonstrations and food, all at the only museum on the Alabama River. School groups must call to schedule. 9 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Mar 13 R'ides of March
R'ides of March Poker Run Sponsored by The Collinsville Historic Association Start and Finish - Downtown Collinsville Ride the Mountain along the Little River Canyon Ride the Valley where the Cherokee walked and Lived

Mar 13 Sophie Milman-Jazz
Mar 13, Decatur Sophie Milman - Jazz 256-340-1778. www.Princesstheatre.org. Admission charged. Princess Theatre Center for the Performing Arts--This Toronto-based jazz singer whose unique style has captivated audiences worldwide makes a significant leap currently on her third album, taking familiar songs into new territories and branching out by bringing pop songs into jazz repertoire. Her second album “Make Someone Happy” won the Juno Award for Jazz Vocal Album of the Year after it topped the iTunes jazz chart in the U.S and Canada for months and cracked the top 5 on Billboards jazz chart.

Mar 13 - 14 Festival of Art
Mar 13-14, Orange Beach Festival of Art 251-981-2787. www.orangebeachartcenter.com. Free. Waterfront Park, 26425 Canal Rd.--Fine Art Festival with music, food and demonstrations.

Mar 13 - 14 Festival of Art at Waterfront Park
Mar 13-14, Orange Beach Festival of Art at Waterfront Park 251-981-2787. www.orangebeachartcenter.com. Free. 26425 Canal Rd.—Celebrate the Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns during the fine arts festival at Waterfront Park. The weekend event will feature music, food, demonstrations and the unveiling of Orange Beach’s hsitoric marker. In the early years of Orange Beach, the property where the park now resides was the original downtown. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Mar 20 Spring Farm Day
Mar 20, Dothan Spring Farm Day 334-794-3452. www.landmarkpark.com. Admission charged. Landmark Park--Come and experience living history demonstrations, including sheep shearing, blacksmithing, plowing with draft animals, basket weaving, quilting and other traditional spring farm activities. Entertainment, music, food, arts and crafts, and more. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Mar 24 - 27 Sylacauga's 2nd Annual "Magic of Marble" Festival
Mar 24-27, Sylacauga Sylacauga's 2nd Annual "Magic of Marble" Festival 256-249-0308. www.sylacaugachamber.com. Fee for participants only. Blue Bell Central Park & Downtown--Sculptors arriving March 16th, Italian Sculptor, Giovanni Balderi will be teaching. March 17th & 24th, Ruth Cook will conduct brown bag lectures at the Comer Library. March 24-27...painting in the parks. Downtown Merchants events. March 27th- 1st 5K run. 8 a.m.- til dark.

Mar 1 - 28 "Grits on the Side"
Mar, Dothan "Grits on the Side" 334-792-1268. Admission charged. Call for dates. Understudy Dinner Theatre--Original musical comedy based on dozens of Southern legends and myths. 6:30 p.m., show, 7:30 p.m.

Mar 27 - 28 196th Anniversary of Battle of Horseshoe Bend
Celebrate the park's 51st anniversary and enjoy this festival of culture and history on the grounds of Alabama's first national park. Enjoy Creek hunting camps, military camps, dance, cannon fire demonstrations, exhibits, and more.

Mar 27 - 28 Siege of Bridgeport Re-enactment
Bridgeport brings history alive when almost 1,800 re-enactors thrill thousands of curious visitors and history buffs with their authentic re-creation of this fateful battle of the Civil War. Also included are period music, authentic encampment and vendors of historical objects and clothing.

Apr 2 Lafayette Slept Here
Apr 2, Montgomery Lafayette Slept Here 888-240-1850. www.oldalabamatown.com. Admission charged. Old Alabama Town--On the evening of April 2, 1825, the famous French hero Marquis de Lafayette stopped for food, drink and a night's rest at Lucas Tavern, located on the Old Federal Road. Visit the Tavern and have Mr. Lucas relive that famous evening for you. 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.

Apr 6 - 7 A Day In Maycomb
Apr 6-7, Monroeville A Day in Maycomb 251-575-7433. www.tokillamockingbird.com. Admission charged. Old Courthouse Museum, Downtown Sq.--A day of immersion into the historical surroundings associated with the novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Guests will have the opportunity for a guided tour to see the exhibits in the Old Courthouse Museum: “Courthouse Exhibit: Heart of the Community,” “Harper Lee- In Her Own Words;” “Truman Capote- A Childhood in Monroeville;” Probate Judge Millsap’s Office: The 1930s Law Office, the original courtroom maintained to its 1930s appearance, and the Atticus Finch monument. Groups must call ahead. 9:30-noon.

Mar 30 - Apr 10 "Come Home, It's Suppertime"
Mar & Nov, Brundidge "Come Home, It's Suppertime" Dates: Mar 30 & Apr. 1-3 , 6 & 8-10 & Nov. 2, 4-6, 9 &.11-13. 334-735-3125, 334-670-6302. Admission charged. We Piddle Around Theater--Alabama's "Official Folklike Play tells stories of ordinary people during the Great Depression of the 1930s. 6:30 p.m.

Apr 9 - 10 Ancestor Swap Meet 2010
Apr 9-10, Gadsden Ancestor Swap Meet 256-490-4683. www.neags.com. Admission charged. Gadsden Senior Activity Center--Workshop on Friday, with Saturday Swap Meet features guest speakers, and opportunity to research more than 5,000 family files collected by Northeast Alabama Genealogical Society. Saturday's admission includes a catered lunch. Vendors, door prizes. Fri., 6-8 p.m; Sat., 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Apr 9 - 10 Annual St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church Lebanese Food & Cultural Festival
Apr. 9-10, Birmingham St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church Lebanese Food & Cultural Festival 205-251-5057. www.stelias.org. Free. St. Elias Church--Enjoy homemade Lebanese food including baked kibbee, lemon grilled chicken, rolled grape leaves, spinach and meat pies, loobia (green beans with sauce and spices), rice, Lebanese salad, and much more. Heritage room featuring the history of this 100 year old church community; daily church tours; silent auction; music and dancing demonstrations each night. 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.

Apr 10 C.W. Preservation Trust - Park Day 2010
Apr 10, Dauphin Island C.W. Preservation Trust Park Day 2010 251-861-6992. www.dauphinisland.org. Admission charged. Historic Fort Gaines--Volunteers are invited to spend the day in the park and help to preserve it during a joint cleanup effort. 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Apr 10 - 11 Alabama Chicken and Egg Festival
Chicken-clucking contest, karaoke, live bantam chicken display, egg-eating contests, entertainment, arts and crafts fair and Down on the Farm agricultural expo.

Apr 13 - 14 Young Audience Performances of “To Kill a Mockingbird”
Apr 13-14, Monroeville Young Audience Performances of “To Kill a Mockingbird” 251-575-7433. www.tokillamockingbird.com. Admission charged. Monroe County Heritage Museum--Monroeville's 20th annual performance is performed for school children studying the famous novel. Schools must schedule. $15 for students and chaperones. 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Apr 17 Crawfish Festival
Mar 20, Mobile Crawfish Festival 251-404-1213. www.expositioninc.com. Free. Mobile Fairgrounds--We combine the best Cajun, Zydeco, and New Orleans sounds of music, tons of fresh crawfish prepared Louisiana style and served by authentic Cajun chefs, giant food court, children’s area, dance floor, music stage and beach bars to create the largest Crawfish Festival on the Alabama Gulf Coast. 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Apr 17 Furman History Celebration
Apr 17, Furman Furman History Celebration 251-746-2519 or 334-682-9825. Free. Furman School & Other Historic Landmarks—Celebration begins at Furman School with display and video of town’s history. Walking and driving tours of historic landmarks take place throughout the day with lunch served from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Furman School Community Center, followed by the unveiling of Furman’s historic marker at 2 p.m. Historic homes and churches open for touring include Bethsaida Baptist Church, Furman Methodist Church, Wakefield Plantation, Fox Hill Plantation, Stabler Home and the Palmer-Britt Home. 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Apr 9 - 18 DAY OUT WITH THOMAS
Apr 9-11 & 17-18, Calera Day Out With Thomas 205-382-3946. www.HODRRM.org. Fee for attractions only. Heart of Dixie Railroad Musuem--All aboard for the best birthday party ever! Take a ride with everybody’s favorite #1 engine, Thomas the Tank Engine, and enjoy Thomas-themed activities at the Imagination Station, including stamps, temporary tattoos and hands-on arts and crafts. Have your photo taken with Sir Topham Hatt and enjoy storytelling, Jump Maze, Putt-Putt Golf, Bubble Station, Railroad Signal Yard, and live music. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Apr 15 - 18 The Face in the Courthouse Window by Barry Bradford
Apr 15-18, Carrollton The Face in the Courthouse Window by Barry Bradford 205-469-1701. www.courthousewindow.com. Admission charged. Old Carrollton Courthouse--The First National Bank of Central Alabama presents "The Face In the Courthouse Window" by Barry Bradford. Striving to rebuild its shattered economy, plagued by fear of Northern domination by carpetbaggers and opportunists, shackled by prejudice, the Old South fights to reassert its authority as former slaves breathe the air of freedom for the first time. Thurs.- Fri. 7 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.

Apr 17 - 18 French and Indian War Encampment
Apr 17-18, Wetumpka French and Indian War Encampment 334-567-3002. www.fttoulousejackson.org. Admission charged. Fort Toulose-Fort Jackson State Historic Site--Historically correct re-enactors portray depict actions during the French and Indian War between France and Brittan. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Apr 20 - 21 Young Audience Performance of "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Apr 20-21, Monroeville Young Audience Performance of "To Kill a Mockingbird" 251-575-7433. www.tokillamockinbird.com. Old Courthouse Museum--Monroeville’s 20th annual production of Harper Lee's novel is performed for school children. Schools must schedule in advance. $15 for students, teachers and chaperones. 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Apr 22 - 25 Battle of Selma Civil War Re-enactment
Apr 22-25, Selma Battle of Selma Civil War Re-enactment 334-875-7241. www.battleofselma.com. Admission charged. Battlefield Park--Sites and Sounds of the 1860's. Period battles, sutlers, music, and living history comes alive during your visit. School Days are April 22-23, and the Re-enactment is April 24-25.

Apr 22 - 25 Battle of Selma Reenactment
Apr 22-25, Selma Battle of Selma Reenactment 334-412-3131. www.battleofselma.com. Admission charged. Bloch Park--Soldiers and Calvary of the Blue and Grey clash once again. School Tours, camp dance, grand ball at Sturdivant Hall, memorial service and re-enactment fill the weekend. 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Apr 24 - 25 Circle of Life Expo 2010
Apr 24-25, Perdido Circle of Life Expo 2010 850-941-4321. www.circleoflifeexpo.com. Admission charged. Alabama Adventure, Fair Grounds--Features showcases products, services and resources for growth, and fosters the individual quest for wholeness and self understanding. In representing such a diverse field, the show seeks out extraordinary individuals, businesses and organizations that offer products and services that facilitate this quest. The Event will have an array of Television Celebrity Guests, vendors, speakers, musicians, artists, performers, door prizes, product, samples, demonstrations, exhibits, practitioners. Sat., 10 a.m.- 7 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.

Mar 2 - Apr 30 1000 Years of One Great Book
Oct 1-Nov 30, Birmingham 1000 Years of One Great Book 205-326-4460. jimreedbooks.com. Museumof Fond Memories at Reed Books, downtown--An exhibit featuring selections from a lifetime private collection of editions of the 11th-Century Persian poetic work, THE RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM. Curator Jim Reed displays some of his favorites and personally describes the importance of Khayyam's best verse. The first time this collection has been shown publicly.

Apr 29 - May 1 13th Annual Alabama Writers Symposium
Apr 29-May 1, Monroeville 13th Annual Alabama Writers Symposium 251-575-8226. www.ascc.edu. Admission charged. Alabama Southern Community College Writers Fountain--Two days of author readings, panel discussions, and literary entertainment, all moderated by some of our state's finest literary scholars. The Harper Lee Award for Alabama's Distinguished Writer and the Eugene Current-Garcia Award for Alabama's Distinguished Literary Scholar will be presented at the Friday awards luncheon. 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Apr 30 - May 1 Recall LaGrange
Apr 30-May 1, Tuscumbia Recall LaGrange 256-383-0783. www.www.recall-lagrange.00me.com. Free. LaGrange College Site Park & Antebellum Cemetery--A vignette of Civil War life with skirmishes, re-enactments, a Civil War-era funeral, a daily life camp, musical entertainment, and more. 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Calendar and Events

"Year of Alabama History" Events