It’s here! The entire Alabama family has the opportunity to come together and lift up the next generation of legends. The University of Alabama explains Bama Blitz as “an inspiring […]

  For years, a giant sign reading “It’s nice to have you in Birmingham” greets people crossing the Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard bridge toward downtown. A distinctive landmark, the mural […]

Every culture has its own special crowd-pleasing baked sweets such as cookies, cakes, pastries, and breads. In Mexico, and to people worldwide with Mexican roots, these treats are collectively known […]

  The Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts, most often referred to as The Kelly, is a cultural gem in the heart of Wetumpka. With a vision to “engage, inspire, […]

  As Alabamians and as Southerners, tradition is a huge part of our culture. And no one knows that better than Temple Bowling, part-owner of one of the state’s oldest […]

Spring is in full swing and for those making their way to The Plains to catch some spring football action, there will be plenty of things to do surrounding Auburn […]

If you want the freshest locally grown vegetables for your family, there’s no easier solution than joining a CSA. Community Supported Agriculture programs give small family farms a crucial economic boost […]

Sustained warmth, blooming flowers, and singing birds all are welcome indicators that winter is ending in Alabama. But for me, the appearance of locally-grown strawberries – all juicy, sweet, and […]

  Well-known throughout the country for its fan-favorite football program, The University of Alabama is an increasingly well-loved university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama steeped with history. The campus takes on a […]

In early spring, when the weather grows warmer and the rain picks up across southern Louisiana, the farmed and wild crawfish that grow there reach a perfect balance of size and flavor. Whether you call them crayfish, crawdads, crawdaddies, ecrevisse, mudbugs, or crawfish, these small lobster-looking freshwater crustaceans reach their peak around then in Louisiana, which produces up to 95 percent of the nation’s harvest. Crawfish season in bayou country generally runs from November into early summer, but spring time is prime time. By Easter, farmed and wild crawfish are abundant through the Southeast region, including restaurants and markets across Alabama. But while crawfish is a popular protein for those observing Lent, most Alabamians really don’t need much of an excuse to fill a plate, pop out some tail meat to eat, and then repeat. No surprise, then, that April is the month for crawfish-themed festivals across Alabama. Whether or not you opt to suck the crawfish heads is your choice.

Peggy Allen Towns has always had a natural inclination toward history and uncovering stories that need to be told. She recalls walking from her home on Church Street with her […]

Barbecue is so integral to the diet of average Alabamians it might as well be considered its own food group. Several festivals scheduled through May pay tribute to our favorite smoked meats, cooked low and slow. Some of the events double as competitions—for bragging rights as well as cash. Others serve their ’cue with a side of tunes (blues music seems to pair particularly well). All support worthy causes. Here are 6 barbecue festivals that will get you fired up for spring.

Craig Underwood, better known as Craig Legg, grew up listening to rock ‘n’ roll in Homewood in the 1960s. More than five decades later, he’s paying tribute to his favorite bands and artists with an art show all about Birmingham’s rock ‘n’ roll history. The multidisciplinary artist is well-known as a spoken word artist in Birmingham, but about 10 years ago, Legg says he got bored of writing and decided to take on a new pursuit—painting. Since then, Legg has been creating and showing his unique style of neo-realistic paintings across the Magic City. 

Our team recently had the opportunity to sit down with “home-grown” students from The University of Alabama to learn more about their thoughts on staying in-state for college. These aspiring […]

“Showcase the good.” Three simple words with profound meaning were spoken by Olympic Gold medal winner and track and field superstar Jesse Owens. These words, however, encapsulate that reality that […]

New Orleans may be considered the Mardi Gras capital of the world, but did you know that the first Mardi Gras celebration actually happened right here in Alabama? In 1703, French pioneers at Twenty-Seven Mile Bluff, the first settlement of Mobile, threw the first official Carnival celebration. The Azalea City has been rocking and rolling with weeklong Mardi Gras celebrations ever since. If you can’t make it down for the parades and parties this year, don’t fret. Local businesses and restaurants all over the state let the good times roll all month long. Here are seven places in Alabama to visit when you’re ready for a little Cajun revelry. 

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, which means it’s time to start planning something special for the lucky guy or gal in your life. This year, skip the tired old dinner reservation and surprise your sweetie with a completely unique date idea. Here are 10 great Alabama date ideas guaranteed to sweep your partner off their feet. 

At the Woodlawn Marketplace in Birmingham, economic empowerment can be both beautiful and delicious.

The marketplace is a business incubator created by REV Birmingham, a revitalization and economic development nonprofit. Under a single roof, entrepreneurs pursue their dreams to build businesses around their handmade crafts and food-related products. All are veterans of the periodic Woodlawn Street Market run by REV and the Woodlawn Merchants Association.

Strike up the band and march on down to The Camp in Huntsville for the fourth Mardi Gras in MidCity, a three-week New Orleans-style party that runs through Fat Tuesday on February 21. Organized by Octo Hospitality and Huntsville developer RCP Companies, the pop-up draws inspiration from the Big Easy as it lets the good times roll in the Rocket City. 

“It’s like a college class,” the website for the group Discourse BHAM says about its new and unusual lecture series. “But there’s drinking.” Run by three Birmingham residents—two college professors and a publishing agency executive—the goal is to provide a forum where, as co-founder Lawrence Cappello puts it, “smart people talk about smart things.” Only in this case the forum is in a decidedly non-academic setting: a bar.

Politics and art don’t typically go hand in hand, but for Birmingham-based artist Kyle Rodgers, the two will forever be intertwined. The Charleston native discovered a passion for art during a decades-long career as a lobbyist where he traveled up to 300 days a year. During long and lonely business trips, he created constantly. Using an iPad app, he interpreted everything he saw, from people dining at coffee shops to folks waiting at airport terminals. He quickly found faces to be his forte and spent hours painting blues and jazz musicians, cowboys, and Native Americans. Though he certainly has his favorite subjects, Rodgers will paint just about anything that comes to his mind—and on any surface that he can get. During the pandemic, he painted an entire series of magazine covers on brown paper Trader Joe’s bags. “I just have to create,” he says. “If I’m out jogging, and I hear a song, I’m painting the song in my head.” Though Rodgers still works as the vice president of external affairs for Spire, he paints any chance he gets and is excited to get more of his work out in the world.