Entertainment

Enjoy Alabama's entertainment scene with exclusive SoulGrown stories

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Chef Chris Hastings needs no introduction. A James Beard Award winner who beat Bobby Flay on Food Network in the Iron Chef America competition is a highly recognizable name both in and out of the South. As a well-known chef, he’s also no stranger to the creative world. From the novel approach he takes in his kitchens to the delectable dishes he consistently churns out, it’s easy to see he values the process of innovation when it comes to cuisine. This ability to intertwine the need for originality while also utilizing simple foods that tend to reflect the community from which they are harvested truly makes him a gifted craftsman.

Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival Artist Series: Chef Chris Hastings

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November 4, 2022

Celebrate those dears who have departed and enjoy a fiesta of Mexican culture at Birmingham’s 20th Dia de los Muertos gathering, set for Wednesday, November 2, at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark. The Day of the Dead observance will include parades, music, dancing, colorful costumes, crafts, personalized altars to ancestors, and a memorial roll call. Food trucks will dish street tacos, tamales, pupusas, and other snacks both savory and sweet.

Celebrate Dia de los Muertos in Birmingham on November 2

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November 1, 2022

Get in the spooky spirit in South Alabama with a host of special events and festivals happening all October long. From haunted houses and fall festivals to a boat party […]

10 Ways to Celebrate Halloween in South Alabama

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October 14, 2022

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14 Ways to Celebrate Halloween in Central Alabama

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October 11, 2022

From art galleries to sports stadiums and banks to bottling companies, Dirk Walker’s signature style of abstract realism can easily be identified by his untraditional, brilliant, thick and thin brushstrokes. Without question, his technique also puts a fresh spin on a very traditional genre: sporting and wildlife art.

Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival Artist Series: Dirk Walker

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October 2, 2022

Grits, smoked sausage, and sweet potatoes set the table for a unique lineup of October public gatherings this fall in central and south Alabama that celebrate food and drink. The Alabama Mushroom Society’s first-ever festival will feed budding interests in the fruiting fungi that’s not only essential to nature’s cycle, but mighty tasty as well. Sample beers and ciders in Tuscaloosa and wine in Opelika. Classic Alabama foods—grits, Conecuh sausage, and sweet potatoes—all get their moments in the sun. (October, after all, historically brings the least amount of rain to Alabama).  Here’s what to look for in October across central and south Alabama. 

6 food festivals to attend this fall in Central Alabama

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September 30, 2022

There’s a little something for all tastes at October food and drink festivals in Alabama’s coastal counties. Many of the gatherings also symbolize how the port at Mobile was the entry point for immigrants who would find the American Dream here. Festivals set for October celebrate cultural and culinary contributions from Alabamians with roots in Germany, Greece, Mexico, and countries across both Central and South America. 

6 food festivals to attend on Alabama’s Gulf Coast this fall

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September 29, 2022

Florence, Alabama doesn’t lack for exciting breakfast dining options year-round, but during ShoalsFest music festival happening October 1st and 2nd, it’s not unusual to find yourself sharing the morning meal across from rock stars. Hazy ShoalsFest mornings bring local love and Nashville star power together at welcoming breakfast tables dotted around the sleepy college town.

Best Breakfast Spots to visit during ShoalsFest Weekend in Florence, Alabama

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September 28, 2022

A fun array of festivals built around food and drink are on the menu this fall across northern Alabama. Bacchus, barbecue, and butterbeans are the themes at September and October fêtes in Huntsville, Attalla, Jasper, Madison, and Cullman. Hit ’em all and you’ll be as busy as bees—especially at the fourth Alabama Honeybee Festival outside Huntsville the first Saturday in October. Here are six events where food shares a plate with musical acts, arts and crafts vendors, and runners. 

6 fun food festivals to attend this fall in North Alabama

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September 27, 2022

Mariachi music swells, salsa dancers twirl in brightly colored skirts, and the smell of freshly griddled corn tortillas wafts through the air. These are the sights, sounds, and smells of Fiesta, Birmingham’s long-running festival celebrating Hispanic culture and heritage. Each year, Linn Park comes alive for the giant party with thousands of locals gathering for the celebration that includes music, arts, dance, food, activities, and education for the entire family. And this year, the festivities will be even grander because Fiesta is celebrating its 20th birthday. 

Fiesta celebrates 20 years of championing Hispanic heritage in Birmingham

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September 22, 2022

Birmingham’s demographics go way beyond Black and White, including the Lebanese, Greek, Italian and other European and Middle Eastern immigrants who settled during the city’s early years as a steel boom town, to more recent arrivals with Asian and Latin-American roots. This colorful tapestry is reflected in several food and beverage festivals scheduled this fall in the greater Birmingham area.

6 food festivals to attend in the Birmingham area this fall

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September 20, 2022

Although it might still be a few weeks until the Deep South will feel a true nip in the air, the calendar says that fall has officially begun. Football is back, school is in session, and pumpkin spice season is upon us. Small-town festivals and county fairs are popping up across the region, and North Alabama is here for it. This month is full of down-home entertainment everywhere you turn. Is there a better way to enjoy the impending crisp autumn air during this season change? We don’t think so. Use the list below to fill your fall weekends with a different fair or festival throughout the month of September. 

9 fairs and festivals to attend in North Alabama this month

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September 13, 2022