My absolute Favorite local art festival in and around Birmingham. Where else can you puruse booths…read moreof both local and regional artists in one location. Not to mention strolling along while enjoying a beverage of choice. Love how the event has included food trucks in recent years to accommodate the 'Foodies'. Bonus: with the additional Beer Garden add on one can also come and go between both events during the evening of choice.

I frequent the area fall festivals every year, and this was very disappointing. (1) you pay $12 to…read moreenter & then you have to purchase anything you want from the vendors. I've never paid to enter a festival, and I always make purchases. (2) They had several vendors with quality merchandise, but the overwhelming majority was art (wall art, jewelry, carvings). So the variety was lacking - only saw 2 selling edibles & don't remember any clothing. I go to Pepper Place regularly & it's a better mix/balance... farm fresh veggies, pastries, art, jewelry, a number of food trucks, etc. & it's FREE to enter. Mt. Laurel even has a better balance/variety of vendors & it's FREE. Will stick w/the free ones

Came here on a Saturday for the day. We got there when it opened. It was already crowded. We had to…read morepay 20$ to park in a lot nearby. Right away I was surprised by how much had been added since we visited a few years prior. It has really grown! There are a lot more vendors especially food vendors. Everything looked so good that it was tough to figure out what to get. We got the potato spiral and the schnitzel bites. Potato spiral was good but more of a novelty. The schnitzel bites were fabulous. I would get those again for sure. There were a few guys walking around playing Christmas music and some guys hopping around on stilts. It was very festive! Lots of German beer to try. They also have wine. There are cold and hot drinks. Another surprise were the rides that were added. They have a Ferris wheel, a merry go round, kiddie swings, and an ice skating rink! If you haven't been, go! Bring cash as you needed cash for the parking and some of the vendors charge a credit card fee.

This festival was so well put together. Everything was quality, from the rides to the vendors to…read morethe quality of food. That said, it was very pricey. We enjoyed everything but that part : ) We will be back next year.

Free Fall Festival at Buck Creek in Alabaster next to City Hall. This is an annual event that…read morestarted in 2009 and is always the Saturday before Halloween/ 3rd Saturday in October. There are tons of vendors a hayride, a haunted trail, inflatables, games, a cupcake walk where all the kid win,food trucks, live music and much more. I spent a whopping $6.00 today. The vendors hand out candy to the kids, several vendors handed out bottled waters and fans/ huggies, frisbee etc... the inflatables were free, a bank handed out balloons. It's great for all ages and pets are welcome. It's partially wooded and shaded. Lots of kids and adults alike wear costumes but they're not required. We will be back next year for sure! Oh and since a large portion of the trail is gravel break out the big stroller or big wheeled wagon. The umbrella stroller we took ended up being carried more than pushed.

Have been to the Christmas and summer market since moving to the area. Great turnout each time…read more Very organized and fun for the family! Love the coffee cart. Love all the local vendors and a chance to suppose local. Whether you like handmade things, upcycled things, or just there for food and music, I highly recommend!

Crafts of any kind you can think of.Has a working blacksmith shop and basket makers .Live music and…read moreplenty of food vendors.Always worth the trip and The Working Man Review.

Everything was even better than the previous year. It seemed to be more vendors there this year. We…read moredefinitely had some delicious and different gumbo there. I enjoyed the music and the other treats offered. Bellini's was my all time favorite and I hope they won at least placed. The gumbo was amazing and so was the bread pudding. I love the interaction with all the different people. I was with 5 others friends and family this year and it was a joy to watch them experience the different flavors and taste. Some was reallllllly bad as well and it was quite funny to us all that they even served it there. We were over stuffed by the end. It was just that many tastings there. I enjoyed and can't wait until next years event.

Amazing event. Family friendly. Pet friendly. Gumbo friendly!! We usually like to get there early…read moreso that we don't miss out on any good tents. We like to try everyone before we sacrifice our one voting ticket!! There are PLENTY good ones and a few bad ones here and there. But that's what makes it exciting!! Overall a very fun event. Only our second year attending but I will definitely make it a point to keep attending as long as they have it. Never judge a gumbo by the color of it roux! Lol!!

Located in Kentuck Park in Northport, Alabama-been coming here since the first year I moved to…read moreAlabama in 1989-so much fun! Always in October, sometimes hot and sometimes freezing, you never know about the weather in Alabama. This year they had over 270 artists exhibiting their work for sell-contemporary and expert craftsman. I love all of the unique forms of art and handmade jewelry. There is pottery, woodwork, quilting items and so much more. They also have someone "story-telling" at different hours along with live music and all kinds of festival food. You can park in downtown Northport and take the shuttle or park near and walk. Parking is free. $10/person admittance. Make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes. You will be walking on paved paths and also not on paved paths. The exhibits wind all through the park and you have to watch out for uneven ground and sticks that have fallen from the trees.

This was my first time attending the butter bean festival. It's family and dog friendly. There…read morewere different vendors and lots of food options. I parked off the detour from main street. Kinda stumbled upon this parking situation... it was perfect and easily accessible to get into festival. I didn't stay long but long enough to enjoy a bowl of butterbeans & cornbread! I really enjoyed this pregame snack before the Bama game. Very filling & delicious! There is a carnival and live entertainment . This is definitely a fun time for all!

Great place to bring the kids. They have a lot of rides and fun and interesting vendors. Be…read moreprepared to have cash because the ATM fees are outrageous! Friday nights are always packed and Saturdays are more subtle. You do have to purchase tickets to ride the rides. Parking can be a bit hectic.

The Buck Creek Festival is a FREE, family-friendly community event held on the second weekend of…read moreMay in Helena's Amphitheater Park. On the banks of Buck Creek, just below the dam, the site together with the stage provides a wonderful venue for people of all ages to enjoy crafts, children's activities, food, and music. There is a large playground on site and in addition to the playground was a large children's play area with slides and bounce houses and rides with unlimited access for a mere $5.00. My family and I just enjoyed the 15th annual event last weekend. This year could have been the largest crowd to date. The Helena Amphitheatre venue is unique small venue along buck creek with walking paths and ample tree cover providing shade. Established in 1999, the Helena Amphitheater Park is located at Helena's Old Town district. It is an outdoor concert hall, festival grounds, movie theater and nature park. In the spring, summer and fall it is host to many events. Aside from the music and fun, the Buck Creek Festival has become known for its charity efforts that include the star of the event: the rubber duck race. The race is held at 3 p.m. on Saturday along the banks of Buck Creek. The duck race in previous years has benefited SafeHouse of Shelby County, local schools, band boosters, the library and more. Be aware there are a few rules. Park Rules *No Dogs *No Coolers *No Alcohol *No Golf Carts or Bicycles The weather couldn't have been better, the tree cover and lack of asphalt provide comfort with temperatures in the 80s. Live music from talented artists can be heard throughout the park, children were running around playing, my wife shopped in vendor tents housing varied merchants ranging from artists, boutique owners to local stores and shops in Helena and many more. It reminds me of small intimate city stages the way it was designed to be. I even found a couple that make and sell Biltong and it was awesome! I would very highly recommend this event to anyone who enjoys being outside and live music. It's not often you find an event that is really enjoyable for the entire family.

I had a great time at the Magic City Brewfest on Friday night and I'm so glad that they went back…read moreto two nights instead of one. This particular Friday night the crowds were low which made it easier to get around and you could actually stop and talk to the brewers. Also, there was a nice breeze. I highly recommend attending this event. This is the 12th year and it is run by Free The Hops a group of people who are passionate about good craft beer. In fact, a lot of them are homebrewers themselves. They are also the people who helped change the legislation in Alabama to allow breweries and homebrewing to be legal. Before this, there were no craft beers being brewed legally in Alabama! This event used to be held at Sloss Furnace and has moved to Avondale Park. I really like the new location. It seems to have a more laid-back feel, and everything is in one area which makes it easier to find the beers you like. Before you go, make sure you look at the beer list. You can access it on their website https://magiccitybrewfest.com/list/. Some of my favorites beers that were served were Back Forty's Paw Paw's Imperial Peach Wheat, Black Warrior's Sipsey Strawberry Blonde, Goat Island's Blood-Orange Berliner-Weisse, all of Interstellar's ginger beers and Straight to Ale's Big Beautiful Bear.

Once a year Free the Hops puts on the Magic City Brewfest. This was the eleventh year. They had so…read moremany brewers come to Birmingham to share their beers that it would be impossible to sample all of them in 4 hours. If you plan to go to one of these events download the beer list. Research the breweries and select the ones you want to try. You don't want to waste any time on something you do not like. They not only had beer but also ciders and meads. They had several food trucks for eats. This is an event I will not miss. They also do one In Huntsville.

Note: This review comes from a guy that has never read a comic book and is not even sure what…read moreBattlestar Galactica is. This is one of the most fascinating events of the year. For me, it's an eye opening look at a world that I barely knew existed. There are people dressed up as their favorite characters, quasi-celebrities, cool exhibits, and relics from my childhood. The back to the future Delorean, R2D2, and the Ghostbusters car were among my favorites. Whether you're a nerd or not, try not to miss the best people watching event of the year when it comes back around.

This sci-fi/fantasy festival is amazing. There are great local authors, artists, and filmmakers…read moreattending so that gives you an excellent opportunity to support their craft and be "local" minded. There are also actors like Ernie Hudson, Colin Ferguson, and Gil Gerard attending and doing Q&A Panels. You'll seeing storm troopers mingling with Vulcan and Dr. Who hanging with the Ghostbusters. Oh and something about a Bronie. Just ask Will Lochamey he'll tell you all about it.