Louisiana-born and Alabama-raised, artist and interior designer William McLure doesn’t remember a time when he wasn’t creating. As one of four boys growing up in the tiny town of Troy, finding outlets for his passion took a bit of resourcefulness. As a kid, he could often be found rearranging furniture, repainting his bedroom walls, and DIYing canopy beds by nailing sheets to the ceiling. For birthdays, it wasn’t bikes or action figures he asked for, but lamps and duvet covers. Though McLure excelled in high school art class and painted throughout his upbringing, he never imagined he would make a living through art. After graduating, college wasn’t in the cards, so he got a job at the Alabama Board of Heating and Air Conditioning Contractors.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement changed the course of history in America forever. Many of the places that created the environment for such monumental change are right here in our own backyard. Alabama’s role in the Civil Rights Movement is undeniable. All across the state, our cities and towns became the backdrop for sit-ins, marches, demonstrations, and protests that opened the world’s eyes to the inequality, injustice, and bigotry prevalent throughout our country. Nearly 70 years later, the sacrifices many Americans made to advance the cause for equality are more important than ever. And now more than ever, it’s important to reflect on that history. 

Legend says that the first tailgating party before a college football game was in 1869, but it wasn’t until after the University of Alabama first hit the gridiron a couple of decades later that its rabid fans perfected the art of the pregame party.

If a greased pig chase and a frog jumping contest sounds like you’re idea of a good time, then you’ve come to the right place. Each September, the small town of Eva in North Alabama comes together for a week of old-fashioned fun and games at Eva Frontier Days. The family-friendly festival, September 17-25 this year, includes the aforementioned greased pig chase and frog jumping contest, as well as a parade, hayrides, showings of antique tractors, and a rodeo. 

How many 20-year-old homeowners do you know? How about 20-year-old homeowners who also built their homes? In Birmingham’s Ensley neighborhood, a first-of-its-kind nonprofit private school is working to add to that number by making the dream of homeownership a reality for low-income students.

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Regarded as the father of contemporary country music, Hank Williams is without a doubt one of the most legendary music superstars to ever live. Despite his short career, which met […]

As it turns out, delicious BBQ is a perfect reason for the entire family to get out of the house and celebrate the end of summer. Gather your family and friends on August 28 to enjoy good music, Alabama’s best BBQ and fun activities for all ages!

After a 2020 hiatus, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival announced its 50th season earlier this month. What started in a high school auditorium in Anniston in 1972 has grown into a leader in the performing arts with a $21.5 million performing arts complex in Montgomery, a designation as the State Theatre of Alabama, and a loyal following. 

Born in Troy, Alabama, Fred Nall Hollis—known professionally as Nall—is the definition of a renaissance man. The artist has been working across multiple mediums—including paintings, mosaics, line engravings, sculpture, glassware, and jewelry—for the past 50 years.

It’s Saturday morning and while most of downtown Birmingham is still waking up, Pepper Place District is a few steps ahead. One hundred white tents line the couple blocks between 2nd and 3rd Avenues South and 28th and 29th Streets. Live folk music provides the soundtrack to a bustling farmers market where thousands of people meet to buy the area’s freshest bounty and a variety of locally made goods. 

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In the 1950s and 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement changed the course of history in America forever. Many of the places that created the environment for such monumental change are right here in our own backyard. Alabama’s role in the Civil Rights Movement is undeniable. All across the state, our cities and towns became the backdrop for sit-ins, marches, demonstrations, and protests that opened the world’s eyes to the inequality, injustice, and bigotry prevalent throughout our country. Nearly 70 years later, the sacrifices many Americans made to advance the cause for equality are more important than ever. And now more than ever, it’s important to reflect on that history. 

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With more than 1,500 items of space hardware in its permanent collection, as well as several rotating exhibits and dozens of interactive experiences that make you feel like you’re truly out of this world, the Space & Rocket Center is a must-visit for anyone in the area.

After a long year off, the live music industry is back, booming, and singing louder than ever. Beginning in early spring, concert announcements slowly started popping up, which turned into […]

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Is your four-legged best friend the outdoorsy type? Is your pup especially photogenic? Then you should enter them in the Best Black Belt Dog Photo Contest!

A Birmingham-based redevelopment firm is taking its next step toward creating a community gathering spot for fitness, fun, and food in the Magic City’s Parkside District. Orchestra Partners is beginning to lease spaces in the first phase of the Urban Supply buildout, which will combine offices, retail, and a pedestrian area near the 19-acre Railroad Park, Regions Field, and Good People brewery.

If you grew up in Alabama or have spent any amount of time in the state, then you likely know a little about Helen Keller’s life here. After suffering a severe illness at 19 months, she was left deaf and blind. For the next five years, her world was dark, lonely, and utterly silent until Anne Sullivan entered her life. On a spring day in 1887, the teacher made a breakthrough when she successfully taught Helen the word “water” by repeatedly pumping cool well water into her hand while tapping out an alphabet code spelling the word into her other. By the end of the night, Helen had learned 30 words.

Christy and Cal Breed are fluent in the language of fire. In 2002, the couple opened a hot shop and gallery to practice and teach others about the ancient art of glass blowing. Since then, Orbix Hot Glass, located on 26 acres bordering Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne, has become an established business—attracting visitors from near and far to see Cal’s extraordinary pieces and the fascinating process of creating them. We sat down with Christy to learn more about Orbix, glass art, and the Alabama maker community.