The Baldwin County Strawberry Festival, held annually in Loxley, Alabama, has been a beloved…read morecommunity event for over three decades. Celebrating its 35th year in 2024, the festival showcases the region's agricultural heritage, promotes local businesses, and brings together residents and visitors alike for a fun-filled weekend centered around the star of the show: the strawberry. I have wanted to come here every year but just haven't been able to work it out. This year we did it and now I'm happy :-) We brought a neighbor friend with us and I won her an ENORMOUS by shooting out a star with a bb machine gun. I did it in the first try, but I've always been good at that. I got a try for my honey and I was surprised how well she did, but it's tough.  The Baldwin County Strawberry Festival began in 1987 as a way to honor the area's strawberry farmers and their contributions to the local economy. Originally held on the first Saturday in May, the event took place in downtown Loxley before moving to its current location at the Loxley Municipal Park in 1999. The festival date was also changed to the second weekend in April to better align with the strawberry harvest season. This year's 35th annual Baldwin County Strawberry Festival promises to be an unforgettable experience for attendees. Taking place on April 13th and 14th, the festival offers free admission, making it accessible to everyone who wants to join in on the fun. With an expected turnout of thousands of visitors, the festival is sure to bring the community together in celebration. The Baldwin County Strawberry Festival has a wide array of activities, entertainment, and, of course, strawberry-themed treats. Some of the highlights are the Strawberry Shortcake Booth where you can indulge in delicious, freshly prepared strawberry shortcakes, a beloved festival tradition that tastes great! :-) There's vendors and exhibitors with a diverse selection of local arts and crafts, food trucks, and informational booths. There's live music with  performances by talented local musicians on the festival's main stage. Family-friendly activities so bring the kiddies along for face painting, pony rides, and other fun activities. Bottomine mine: The Baldwin County Strawberry Festival has evolved into a highly anticipated event that celebrates Loxley's heritage, fosters community spirit, and supports local businesses. As the 35th annual festival takes place, attendees can look forward to creating sweet memories with friends and family, all while savoring the delightful flavors of the season's strawberry harvest.

What Strawberries. A lot of great artist and vendor booth, plenty of food trucks. 2 strawberry…read moretrucks with horrific lines. Not worth going.

Ten Sixty Five Fest! The name gives me chills of excitement! The music spectacular of the fall…read morecalendar is Ten Sixty Five and makes music lovers of all kinds coming out and support local and nationally recognized musicians performing in Mobile! Put on through the Jake Peavy Foundation in partnership with many local businesses including Gulf Distributing, Austal, Regions Bank, and others, it's a 100 percent FREE festival held for an entire weekend in Downtown Mobile! Aptly named as Mobile is where I-10 and I-65 meet forming a crossroads for the nation, Ten Sixty Five brings a myriad of regional, local, and national music acts from all genres to Mobile to show us what they can do! The main festival stage takes over the end of Dauphin Street near Moe's BBQ in the Lower Dauphin Street Entertainment Area for three days allowing local bands and national headliners to descend on downtown Mobile to entertain Mobilians and visitors alike. Spanning the music of today in the genres of Folk, Rock, Alternative, and a little Bluegrass and Country there is something for everyone, Last year local heroes the Mulligan Brothers played, as did nationally renowned recording artists the Counting Crows, with Trombone Shorty and others rounding out the lineup! This year the list is riddled with alternative rock groups that will be sure to draw major crowds such as Cage the Elephant and Judah and the Lion; both of which have been featured on Sirius XM for years now. Local favorites Wet Willie will be jamming out like hometown hero Jimmy Buffet bringing that Mobile bay and beach vibe to Ten Sixty Five. In addition, Southern Rockers and national recording artists Blackberry Smoke will grace the Ten Sixty Five stage bringing their unique sound which seems to take its roots from that of Confederate Railroad and .38 Special! In my opinion Ten Sixty Five is a can't miss event of the fall and showcases the absolute uniqueness of the Mobile community and its desire to be known as a business, social, music, and food mecca of the Gulf Coast. With Bayfest being gone, this was an event that needed to happen and in the eyes of this Mobilian is a welcome addition to the entertainment calendar.

This was my first year to attend 1065. I love when Mobile is able to put events like this together…read more 1065 took the place of Bayfest and while it didn't secure the most popular bands or singers, it delivered fantastic groups- both local and non-locals (it did grab Cage the Elephant!). For a free event, it didn't disappoint. It's always nice to see a variety of people turn out to support and enjoy things like this. It's located in the heart of downtown with carrots stages scattered along Dauphin street, close enough to walk to the next but far enough the sounds don't take over each other. It's also in a prime location for fantastic restaurants and bars to keep you fed and hydrated. It's a must for anyone who hasn't been, at least once!

Had a great time at the food truck festival! Just prior to the start of the event the bottom fell…read moreout of the sky and there were high winds that may have kept some people away, but the weather cleared up before the event start. The selection of food at the trucks present was great! there was a vendor selling bamboo shirts that would have probably sold more if he had brough a variety of sizes. I was the lucky winner of the bay bites water bottle and beer glass! I'll be back next year! I enjoyed the live music and seating areas!

Although there were long lines, the good trucks had a wide variety of good and everything was…read moredelicious. The Sweetwater brews were great, too. We also enjoyed visiting the Yelp booth!

We found this one of a kind piece on our second visit to the show. Purchased from The Copper…read moreColumn. For the price paid we feel like we got a great piece for a large wall at our home. They even delivered it to our house within 15 minutes of our purchase.

Super fun art fair to be involved in as a vendor and a spectator. Well organized and tons of…read morepeople. Super fun!

Looking forward to anything Art wise, arriving to Loud music kids dancing tents with nice people…read moretrying to sell their art. If Only rude people would not unleash their children on others. The loud out of tune and spastic music selection, loud TV with football, and 4 wheeler with his own music which was not only annoying but even caused the artists headaches. Good advice to planners of these types of events, alittle quiet please so those sincere appreciators can enjoy and shop. People with dogs should understand it's not a dog show, your dog loves you but not the heat of blacktop, crowds and noise. To those people who's parents never teaching the art of etiquette, using interrupting behavior makes you appear classless. It doesn't help in sales or elsewise.

Y'all....go. Just go. The Jubilee Festival is awesome!…read more I try to go every year and I always find the cutest stuff. Some of my finds included a Corian trivet shaped like a turtle, and I got our niece one that's shaped like a mermaid. I also bought a spoon made from Corian with a notch on it so it can rest on the side of the pot. I bought a print of the Middle Bay lighthouse painted by a retired fireman. I bought two prints of sea turtles painted by an up and coming artist named Gary Pope, Jr. My friend Bev kept telling him he should increase his prices before I paid for mine. She's totally right, but wait until after I buy mine. My favorite local photographer/candle maker was there selling her candles and wax melts and I loaded up. That's Lynn Jordan/Bon Secour Candle Company, in case you're wondering. I bought Jasmine a tutu from a booth that had everything you could possibly want for your pet. Of course I bought some pottery. I got the most fabulous and practical utensil holder with crabs on it for only $36! I wanted so much more and the prices were great. In addition to what we bought, we saw wood bowls, gorgeous and well-made handcrafted jewelry, paintings, clothing, address plaques and so much more. There were several food stands as well and some live music. This festival is not huge. We walked in in a matter of a couple of hours and saw everything. It's really a can't miss annual event. There's no admission and parking is free.

Thriller nights of Lights is unlike anything else in the Gulf Coast area to have a family friendly…read moreand fun Halloween celebration. When you arrive you turn the radio to a certain station in order to hear the music. A note here, the music isn't a weak signal it comes in super clear and strong the entire time. Take your time as you drive through with no headlights on and flashing lights all around it would be easy to have a car wreck. The lights and different Halloween symbols and characters dance and sync up to the music. It's a good little attraction for the 6 dollar price. It took us about 20 minutes to go through it. The lines can get long on weekends and on Halloween night but in general the hours are dusk till 10pm. Go see it, it's super fun and we had a blast!

This show was amazing. I can't even imagine how long it took to synchronize thr music to the…read morelights the way that they did. Good for people of all ages. I was in awe the entire ride. No traffic, everything flowed smoothly. I really wanted to hear a Harry Potter song "Toil and trouble ". Music played without a hitch. You have the option to pay with cash or card.

This was such a fun event! If you missed it this year, you certainly won't want to miss it next…read moreyear. We arrived a little early and set up a booth with a crawfish race and prizes for the kids, Yelp swag for adults. Some of the first people to stop by the booth were with the bands. Yes, they had great live music. There was also a silent auction with some of the coolest stuff ever, including a pottery platter, a football autographed by Nick Saban, two autographed baseballs, art by Ricky Trione, and much more. The crawfish was honestly some of the best I've ever had! It had the perfect amount of spice and was plentiful. Still not convinced? Free beer! Yep, all the Fairhope Brewing beer your wife will let you drink, for free!!! Well, all of this was included in the price of admission, which was only $25 per person. That's a great deal, really! Oh, did I mention all the proceeds are for charity? The money raised goes to the Univ of South Alabama Arnold Luterman Burn Center. Now you're wishing there was another one next weekend, aren't you? It happens once a year folks, and it's a can't miss event!

It's great for Mardi Gras and holidays when the drop the moon pie. Just all around fun place to be.read more

This Festival is an annual event for the city of Mobile AL. While The first Moonpie Drop festival…read moreoccurred in 2007 (spearheaded by councilman Fred Richardson), the celebration of Mardi Gras started in Mobile Alabama in 1703. The reason the festival is called "Moonpie" is because the main things that the revelers throw from the floats during all Mardi Gras parades are moon pies. While it was not that way in the very begining, it has developed into a phenomenon. In New Orleans, the revelers throw mostly beads, trinkets and other non-edible things; while in Mobile, they throw beads, candy and other edible goodies. Speaking of New Orleans...most people think that Mardi Gras originated there. That is completely false. New Orleans did not begin to celebrate Mardi Gras until after the Civil War when a ,Prominent Mobilian introduced the concept to that city. So for Mobile, then the moon pie became the icon and the symbol for Mardi Gras. Sometime in early 2000s, councilman Fred Richardson came up with the great idea to have a celebration of the New Year in Mobile much like the celebration in New York City's Times Square. So his idea was to have a moon pie descend from the tallest building in the city of Mobile and let this be a countdown to the New Year. Hence, the moon pie drop over Mobile celebration was born. The first drop occurred in 2007 and it has grown to a really nice, family-friendly celebration . Usually, the 4-6 hour schedule includes, among other things, City dignitaries welcoming the crowd, giving a short history of the Celebration, cutting the World's largest Moonpie and joining the Historic Excelsior Band in a parade to the music stage, which is next to the beautiful, historic downtown park, Bienville Square (so named for one of the founders of the city of Mobile) about 4 blocks away. Then, some semi-popular band plays until about 11p and prepares the crowd for the feature entertainment. Generally, the featured band gets the crowd hyped for the countdown and the dropping of the Moonpie. Once the moonpie has finished its descent, Fireworks continue to mark the arrival of the New Year and the featured band continues to entertain the crowd. One really positive thing about the Moonpie Drop is the weather. Usually, Mobile's temperature on New Year's Eve is conducive to standing outside for hours on end. Even if the temperature is in the 30s or 40s, numerous downtown restaurants, bars and coffee shops open their doors on that night. It's just one big party..... that I've attended for the last 7 years. Mobile's finest in blue (city police) provide security and in a decade of the Celebration, I've never beard of any violence occurring there. So.....If you are planning to go South to escape the brutal cold elsewhere, this Celebration of the Moonpie Drop in Mobile, AL is worth a visit.

I have wanted to do Bellingraths Christmas since we moved here 7 years ago. The price always held…read moreme back before, but I saved up enough this year to be able to experience it so off we went! The price as of 2023 is $17pp for anyone over 12. It was free for kids under 4 and $12 for kids under 12. I have 3 teens. There was no student or senior discount. So it was a cool $100 with tax. But my, was it worth the price. I've seen lots of light displays. This one was one of the best. I loved the fact that it was one long continuous display that you walk through, that makes it much more immersive. It was romantic and lovely which makes it great for couples, but still welcoming for kids. We got there later around 7:30. Parking was free. There were no parking attendants that I saw and not designated handicapped section. Luckily my hubby as a professional driver and found a good spot up close. They took cards at the door and though the line was long we didn't wait too long. If you can, buy ahead online. That line was way shorter. Google coupons. I did see some online but they don't allow you to purchase tix the day of your visit, or at least when I tried which was only an hour before we went. One thing I wish I'd seen or had been notified of: there was a cell phone tour at the beginning and I missed it. I also wish they'd given me a map and showed me the QR code at the beginning. I feel like because of that omission, I missed some things (from looking at other peoples pictures.) But the lights! They're all done to the theme of botanical gardens. So they're mostly flowers and things you would see in a garden. Like beautiful swans. Lovely lily pads. A rose garden made of lights. Everything was tasteful and not gaudy. And Everything reflected in the pond was so beautiful. I think you definitely want to go at night. There are themed sections, like the Underwater Garden, a Mardi Gras section, and the Japanese garden. There was a Coca Cola section but they kept it small and tasteful. I appreciated the life-sized nativity scene. The flowers in some places were taller than my son who is taller than me now. I felt a little like Alice in Wonderland. I feel like my words can't do this place justice, just like my pictures can't, and I think that has to do with the scale of everything. There was just SO MUCH. and it was SO BIG. and around every corner, there seemed to be another nice surprise. Master decorators must have decked this place out. They did AMAZING job. Everything was tasteful too, just what you'd expect at a botanical gardens. Unfortunately I would have to say that it's not very wheelchair friendly. Probably not stroller either. There are steep hills and cobblestones and sharp turns. They did have wagons and wheelchairs for rent at the front. But I think if you are trying to push or pull a vehicle along those paths, you're going to have a hard time. If you bring a stroller, bring your heavy duty one. There were also not really enough benches for resting. There were places they could have put them but didn't. My daughter has Down syndrome and some leg issues and needs frequent rests. It was difficult for her the last leg of the journey. They had refreshment stands scattered around. Some had beer & wine. I drink seldom so I didn't check the price. Others had hot dogs For $4. We stopped for hot cocoa and s'mores. The cocoa was $4 a cup and was delicious. The s'mores looked good but were $6 a piece so we opted for sticks with a marshmallow for $1 and we toasted them on nearby fire pits where there were plenty of chairs to sit in and toast ourselves by the fire. Very nice touch. The service was pleasant when we encountered it. They did take cards, a plus. We started late so we finished late. We started at 8. The last tickets are available at 9. We left at 9:30 and the gift shop and cafe and Santa were closed. Just to give you a heads up - get to that portion, which is at the beginning, before 9. It did take us about 1.5 hours to walk through and we stopped several times. I am not in the best shape and I was tired afterwards. If you're in bad shape physically it might be too challenging for you. They need outdoor bathrooms by the gate. We couldn't find any when we left after hours because the gift shop was closed. A porta potty or two would do. Also they need more trash cans and benches like I already mentioned. When we finally came across a trash can it was overflowing with cocoa cups that people had been carrying for an hour through the park. There were also no attendants anywhere to be seen throughout the park except at the refreshment stands. The lights were romantic and I would definitely like to go again with just me and my husband. Worth the price all the way. In conclusion it was a beautiful sight and despite some bumps I still give it five stars. At least now you know what those bumps are! Merry Christmas everyone!

When we arrived there were people guiding us into parking, which was free. As we were walking to…read morethe entrance, I noticed the director telling them that the people who were coming in were handicapped. They gave them a different parking spot and also had a little cart to go pick them up. They all had walkie-talkies to make it more efficient and the flow to be smooth. When we got to the entrance they had 2 separate lines. They both were for everyone. Once we got to the front and inside the entrance they directed you to go to one of multiple cashiers. They accept cash or cards. The staff were kind and courteous. The facility was clean, inviting, very appealing to the senses, and well maintained. There is a gift shop as well as a small cafe. They had down home meals for purchase. Peas, cornbread, chicken, Mac and cheese, cobbler, rolls and a few other things more suitable for little palates. Walking through the gardens was an adventure for the young and old. It gives you so many different feelings and emotions. There is definitely something for everyone. You should definitely take the time to stop by. I'm so very glad I got to experience this. Location 5 Cleanliness 5 Quality 5 Customer service 5 Price 5 25/5 = 5