ANNUAL EVENTS

Monster Walk

Kids can celebrate Halloween safely in downtown Columbiana as Main Street closes down to host this popular event each year. Businesses along Main Street set up booths for kids to walk the street and trickor-treat. Be sure to wear your costumes! cityofcolumbiana.com

Tinglewood Festival

Montevallo is often recognized for the carvings of in. Each year thousands of visitors come to Orr Park to see more than 40 tree carvings by Tim Tingle, and once a year a festival in the park fittingly celebrates wood carving and other wood working crafts. The free one-day event is typically held in September organized by the Montevallo Chamber of Commerce, Montevallo Main Street and the Montevallo Arts Council. tinglewoodfestival.com

Grape Stomp

Vincent in the Park Vincent Municipal Park is filled with everything from a fireworks display to kids’ activities to a cruise-in car show in July during this annual outdoor event. Admission is free for the day of fun, which also features arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, musical acts and carnival rides. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair with them. townofvincent.com

Fall

Alabaster Fall Fest

An annual event in the city of Alabaster, Fall Fest will turn 15 in 2023. Held at Buck Creek Trail from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., the event not only celebrates fall but brings together the city for Halloween fun. The event features vendors for food and arts and crafts, carnival rides, trick or treating, live music, hay rides, inflatables, a pumpkin hunt and pumpkin painting and much more.

A Taste of Shelby County Vendors from across Shelby County offer a “taste” of their specialty dishes from their menus at this Greater Shelby County Education Foundation and The Partnership of Shelby County event, typically held in September. Proceeds benefit the Greater Shelby County Education Foundation. shelbyedfoundation.org

Buck Creek Festival

The Buck Creek Festival is a free, family-friendly community event featuring crafts, children’s activities, food and live music. The annual festival raises for various projects in the Helena community and used to be held in May. Now, the event, which takes place at Amphitheater Park in Helena, is held during the fall for the time being. buckcreekfestival.com

Morgan Creek Vineyard’s annual Grape Stomp is the biggest event of the year celebrating the harvest or “crush” as it’s known at wineries. Visitors get to stomp grapes with their feet in wooden barrels, take free tours, enjoy free wine tastings, plus enjoy food and other fun activities. The event is typically held in September or October. morgancreekwinery.com

Cotton Pickin’ Celebration

Old Baker Farm holds its Cotton Pickin’ Celebration in late October. Exhibitors from all over the South will bring handmade Indian arts and crafts, baskets, brooms, goats milk soap and more. Come enjoy live music, an antique tractor show and parade and pedal tractors for the kids. oldbakerfarm.com

Hoover

Hayride and Family Night

The Hoover Hayride & Family Night is an annual familyfriendly celebration held in October. The event features hayrides, candy giveaways, vendors, face painting and more. The event is typically held at Veterans Park on Valleydale Road in Hoover. hooveral.org

Montevallo Artwalk

The Montevallo Artwalk, typically held the last Saturday in October, features art, food, fun and activities for all ages. During the Artwalk, Main Street businesses fill their storefronts with a variety of artworks including, but not limited to: sculpture, paintings, photography and functional art. montevalloartwalk.com

Winter

Stevan Grebel’s The Nutcracker

The Alabama Youth Ballet Company brings the magic of “The Nutcracker” to stage each holiday season. The event is sponsored by the city and is held at Pelham High School. grebeldance.com

Colonial Christmas Lunch and Tour

The American Village’s Christmas Lunch and Tour consists of a concert in the Chapel, lunch in the East Room at the White House with entertainment by a patriot of the past. americanvillage.org

Columbiana Tour of Homes

Each year the Columbiana Beautification Board invites you to take a tour of homes in December. All proceeds are used for Beautification Board projects for the city of Columbiana. cityofcolumbiana. com

Christmas Tree Farm

Old Baker Farm in Harpersville hosts a Choose and Cut Christmas Tree Farm seven days a week from 9 a.m. to dark from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve. Visitors can enjoy complimentary hot apple cider, candy canes and hayride through the Christmas trees before they pick out their tree. oldbakerfarm.com

Juried Art Show

The exhibit for the Shelby County Arts Council’s annual Juried Art Show is typically held in January. A winner is announced and submitted pieces are exhibited at the show, which is held at the Shelby County Arts Center in Columbiana. shelbycountyartscouncil.com

Have a Heart for the Arts

The annual Have a Heart for the Arts luncheon benefits the Shelby County Arts Council and is typically held in mid-February. The event features a fashion show with clothes from local boutiques. shelbycountyartscouncil.com

Cowboy Day

This day, which is usually held in mid-February in Columbiana, features a parade with non-motorized vehicles such as wagons, horses, mules, donkey’s and more. It also includes cowboy demonstrations, herding, blacksmith, roping and various other activities. Admission is free. cityofcolumbiana.com

Cattlemen’s Rodeo

The Shelby County Cattlemen’s Rodeo is held each February at the Shelby County Expo Center at 1 Argo Road in Columbiana. The rodeo has been held since 1989 and usually includes a live rodeo, chuck wagon races, bull riding, calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling and bareback riding. 669-6921 or 669-7806

College Night

The University of Montevallo’s homecoming culminates in College Night, an evening of musical shows written, produced and acted by students. Homecoming is held in February. Make sure to pick a side – purple or gold – before you go. montevallo.edu