Calendar of Events

Calendar of Events ANNUAL

Art Walk

Millbrook Mardi Gras

AWF Cookoff

FEBRUARY

Mardi Gras Festival: The Millbrook Krewe of Revelers hosts a Mardi Gras Festival annually on the Saturday before Fat Tuesday. Thousands turn out for a mile-long parade along Main Street and dozens of vendors selling Mardi Gras-themed food and items.

Mardi Gras Parade: The Order of Cimarron in Wetumpka also hosts a Mardi Gras Parade and includes entertainment, vendors and children’s activities.

ECAG Winter Show: Elmore County Art Guild hosts its annual winter art show with awards and a reception. MARCH

Big Fish Bass Tournament: The Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce hosts this annual fishing tournament at Bonner’s Landing on Lake Jordan the Saturday before Easter. With hourly weigh-ins for biggest fish, the event entertaina all ages.

Arbor Day: The towns of Tallassee, Wetumpka and Millbrook all celebrate the holiday with formal tree plantings in their respective communities. Each town receives free seedlings or trees to coincide with their efforts.

Easter Egg Hunts: The Alabama Wildlife Federation presents an annual Nature Eggstravangza at the Alabama Nature Center with activities for children. Included in the event are egg hunts, games, crafts and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Various Easter egg hunts are also held throughout the area in Eclectic, Wetumpka, Millbrook and Tallassee. They are sponsored by the towns’ local organizations and churches. APRIL

AWF Tri-County Wild Game Cook-off: The Alabama Wildlife Federation presents its wild game cook-off where numerous cook teams show off their cooking skills to tasters. Awards are given to cook teams for three different divisions: fish, fowl and game.

Attack on Swayback: This annual mountain bike race is held on the rugged 12-mile Swayback Bridge Trail, which is maintained by the Trail of Legends Association. This weekendlong event offers competitions in trail racing, short track racing and mountain biking.

Coosapalooza Brewfest: Main Street Wetumpka hosts this annual festival featuring dozens of craft breweries, musical acts, local food vendors and more.

Tulotoma Art Trail: Main Street Wetumpka, in collaboration with The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery and the City of Wetumpka, allows guests to experience the art and music of local artisans throughout the downtown area, encouraging visitors to stop in local shops and restaurants, as well as purchase handmade wares.

Community Market: Join the patrons of Wetumpka every first Thursday, April to November, in Merchants Alley for the monthly Community Market, featuring local businesses showcasing some of the best handcrafted and homegrown goods around.

First Fridays: Take to the streets of Wetumpka every first Friday April through November and watch the Village Artists in action as they create and curate new pieces of art for onlookers. MAY

Hot Rods in the Park: Restored cars are exhibited at the Village Green for enthusiasts to admire in this nonjudging show that is free to the public. This event benefits the WELCOME food pantry in Millbrook, and admission is a donated can of food.

Antique Tractor Show and Pull: The Southern Antique Iron Association hosts this annual event with antique tractors and activities for all ages.

Cops and Kids: The Millbrook Police Department partners with Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce to host an annual event at the Village Green for children to get to know their local officers and experience fire trucks, police cars, K-9 demonstrations and drones.

Main Street Wetumpka Wine Pull: Main Street Wetumpka’s annual event is held at the Wind Creek Wetumpka Hotel and Casino penthouse suite. A ticket covers admission for two, signature wine glasses, and hors d’oeuvres, and each couple pulls a bottle of wine to take home. JUNE

Summer Reading Program Kickoff: Public libraries will host summer reading program kickoffs, followed by five weeks of events and programs for children based on a statewide theme.

Fourth of July events:

Lake Jordan HOBOs hosts a fireworks show on Lake Jordan every year, which can best be seen by boat. It also hosts an annual boat parade on Lake Jordan. The City of Wetumpka usually displays fireworks over the Coosa River, which residents can enjoy from Gold Star Park.

Russell Lands On Lake Martin hosts fireworks and a concert at the Lake Martin Amphitheater in Eclectic each year, along with an annual boat parade starting at Kowaliga Marina and parading passed Children’s Harbor on the morning of July 4.

Grandview YMCA hosts a fireworks display and cookout on its grounds during the week of July 4. 4-H Events: Elmore County Extension hosts summer-long events for children up to age 18. For a full list of this year’s events, visit the Elmore County 4-H Facebook page.

Jake’s Day: Sponsored by the National Wild Turkey Federation, this event will take place at Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park and include archery, sling shots, tomahawk throwing, air rifles and shotgun shooting, building bird houses and walking sticks for youth 17 years old and under. Lunch is provided. AUGUST

AWF Youth Fishing Rodeo: Designed to give youth the chance to experience the outdoors and learn about fishing, this annual event is held on AWF grounds in Millbrook. The rodeo is open to anyone age 15 and under, and admission is free.

Celebrate Tim Burton Week: In honor of the multitalented director and producer, Downtown Wetumpka celebrates Tim Burton and all of his 40-plus movies. Beginning on his birthday, Aug. 25, the town celebrates his expressionism art, his films and, of course Big Fish with scavenger hunts, contests, trivia nights and much more. Visit mainstreetwetumpka.org/events for more information. SEPTEMBER

Titus Bluegrass Festival: For nearly two decades, the Titus Community Center has presented live music throughout the day in its shady grove with multiple artists performing, along with food vendors and booths filled with crafts, cookbooks and peanuts. OCTOBER

Coosa River Challenge: This team-adventure race is a course that combines trail running, mountain biking, paddling, repelling and surprise obstacles along the way. Individuals may participate as well. The route incorporates the Coosa River and its shorelines and concludes in downtown Wetumpka.

Alabama Cotton Festival: Vendors line Main Street in Eclectic with food and local treats. There will be live music, dancers and the Miss Cotton Queen Pageant. The family-friendly event highlights Eclectic with thousands of visitors at the event.

Alabama Frontier Days: Visit Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson State Historic Site in Wetumpka for a reenactment of Alabama’s frontier days from French colonial times to the early American period. Includes Native American reenactors, period traders, merchants and entertainers.

Millbrook BooFest: The Saturday before Halloween, the Millbrook Area Chamber of Commerce hosts a safe alternative to trick-or-treating for children at the Village Green. The event boasts candy, games, prizes and other surprises.

Wetumpka Candy Walk: The City of Wetumpka hosts this annual event for kids up to fourth grade to safely trick-or-treat behind the City Administration Building. Alabama Frontier Days

The Cotton Festival NOVEMBER

Veterans’ Day program: Dixie Art Colony teams up with Trinity Episcopal Church to host an annual Veteran’s Day celebration with presentations, a video regarding World War II and memorial displays.

Golf Tournament: The Wetumpka Chamber will host the Great Balls of Fire golf tournament. DECEMBER

Christmas Parades: Tallassee, Millbrook, Wetumpka and Eclectic all have Christmas parades throughout the holiday season featuring community organizations, and festive decorations. The parades typically coincide with other events, such as open houses, tree lightings and festivals.

An Eclectic Christmas: Hosted by volunteers from An Eclectic Ministry, this annual live presentation of the Christmas story draws crowds from around the country. Experience the story on an outdoor walking trail and be part of the live drama that is set during the Roman Empire. Usually taking place the first week of December, guests must make reservations, but admission is free. Donations are appreciated to continue funding for the show.

Christmas on the Coosa: The City of Wetumpka hosts this annual event on the second Saturday of December. The full-day event has activities throughout Gold Star Park and along the Coosa River, including arts-and-crafts vendors, kids’ activities, live music, a street parade, fireworks and the highly anticipated wakeboarding Santa.

Downtown Dickens’ Christmas: The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce converts downtown into a magical Christmas village scene with costumes, decorations and plenty of holiday fun.

New Years Eve Fireworks: The City of Wetumpka hosts an 11:59 p.m. countdown for the meteor strike and fireworks to bring in the New Year. There will be live music and fireworks from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. behind the City Administration Building.

July 4 fireworks

Dickens Christmas