Another fabulous coastal Mardi Gras season has come and gone. Now it is time to turn our attention to our favorite festivals and events in March. From arts and crafts in Fairhope to boats and yachts to tempt us in Orange Beach, March offers lots of great reasons to get out and celebrate.
Annual Arts and Crafts Festival in Fairhope
An Eastern Shore staple for more than sixty years, the Annual Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival takes place this year on March 16, 17 and 18. Vendors and attendees come from all over the country for the fine art, live music, kids’ art & delicious food!
The highly anticipated and family-friendly event takes place Friday-Sunday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. On the streets of beautiful downtown Fairhope, festival-goers will find over 230 exhibitors from all over the country offering their wares which include pottery, painting, woodworking, jewelry and more. Each year the event attracts nearly 250,000 visitors to the area, and more than $20,000 in prize money is awarded to winning artists in categories such as Graphics & Drawing, Pottery, Sculpture, plus Best in Show and Merit Awards.
The whole family will enjoy live entertainment throughout each day, and can dine on delicious cuisine from the food court which features a variety of delicious festival fare ranging from homemade ice cream to BBQ and funnel cakes. The shops and restaurants of Downtown Fairhope are open during the festival as well, adding to the variety of food and shopping opportunities available for attendees.
Truly a family-friendly affair, children can spend time at the Kids Art Tent where they can create a masterpiece of their own, such as crayon rubbings, face paintings, bird-house making, modeling clay projects, and more.
For more information about what you’ll find at the 66th Annual Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival, visit FairhopeArtsAndCraftsfestival.com.
The Wharf Boat and Yacht Show
Each March, The Wharf in Orange Beach transforms into a boating showcase for more than $150 million in boats and related products at The Wharf Boat and Yacht Show. Get up-close-and-personal with luxury when you set your eyes on fishing boats, sports boats, pontoons, runabouts, and luxury yachts in the water and on land.
On March 22-25, 2018, over 135 wet slip boats and yachts will be on display, plus more than 600 trailerable boats on land. Attendees can also view exhibits which highlight the latest products in marine electronics, outdoor equipment, and marine gear.
Now becoming a staple of the Boat Show is the Fighting Chair Competition with the proceeds going directly to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. For only $10 per person, participants take part in a unique battle of tug-of-war while being seated in the Release Marine offshore fighting chairs. Look for this fun competition from 11-3 in the BridgeWalk area.
Other activities to look out for include live music, The Wharf Boat & Yacht Fashion Show, instructional seminars, and marine artist Larry Rackley’s kid’s art classes. Free covered parking, complimentary golf car shuttle service, plus The Wharf’s restaurants and retail shopping round out the experience for a day of family fun.
General admission is $10 a day for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, however The Wharf Boat and Yacht Show offers both locals and military discounts, and kids under 12 are admitted free. Get tickets and more details at WharfBoatShow.com.
St. Patrick’s Day Fun
Getting access to the luck of the Irish is easy in Coastal Alabama with plenty of parades, pubs and parties! From celebrating in the streets with a green beverage to donning a green dress and running for charity, there is a bounty of merriment to be had this March 17th.
Starting with celebrations in Mobile, Alabama is the annual parade in which the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick wear green blazers and top hats while they parade through downtown Mobile each St. Patty’s Day following Mass at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.
Also an annual Mobile event – and one in its 72nd year – Callaghan’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Street Party is the kind of event that Mobilians claim must be experienced at least once in a lifetime. With bands playing all weekend long and fabulous food, this street party really is bucket list-worthy.
Other Mobile activities include the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations at O’Daly’s Irish Pub, which features the Green Dress Run. This annual 5K run is an out and back certified 5K course that starts downtown and runs through parts of midtown Mobile. Proceeds from the event benefit the Child Advocacy Center of Mobile.
There’s more pub-centered fun to be had on the Eastern Shore where folks can spend the day celebrating with corned beef, cabbage and plenty of green beer at McSharry’s Irish Pub in Fairhope.
If one pub visit isn’t enough for you, then the St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl in Gulf Shores is what you need! This long-standing tradition begins at 9:30 am at Papa Rocco’s in Gulf Shores on St. Patrick’s Day, and partakers are led by bag pipers to restaurants, pubs and bars in Gulf Shores for a day of celebration.
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Spring Thrills at OWA
OWA’s 21 thrilling amusement park rides will entertain kids, adults and everyone in between. Guests can play it safe on Leap Frog or go big on the Freedom Flyer or Rollin’ Thunder. No matter the age or thrill threshold, there’s a ride for everyone.
The rides at OWA are fabulous, but so are the dining options. Get your March Madness fix (and some fantastic fare) at Groovy Goat, which offers the largest screens for sports in the area. Nearby, Wahlburgers serves up Whalberg family favorites like Sloppy Joes, Mac ‘n Cheese, and plenty of burgers, of course! After lunch or dinner, step back into the ‘50s, and get your sweet fix at Hershey’s Ice Cream Parlor.
Get your park admission tickets at VisitOWA.com
Art Takes Center Stage in Mobile
Superb artistic displays are par for the course in Mobile. Experience classical music and ballet as they come to life through the Mobile Symphony Orchestra, Mobile Opera and Mobile Ballet Company this spring.
If you’re looking for a culturally enriching night out on the town, look no further than Mobile’s displays of performing arts. The Mobile Symphony Orchestra features talented musicians, including a Grammy-award winning cellist, performing famous symphonies by Mahler, Beethoven, Mozart, Shostakovich, and more.
The Mobile Ballet Company will close out its season on Saturday, March 3rd and Sunday, March 4th, with a stunning performance of Shakespeare’s beloved classic comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, while the Mobile Opera will present their Winter Gala Concert in February and Puccini’s La boheme in March.
Weeks Bay Plantation
Located in Fairhope, Alabama, Weeks Bay Plantation is an organic farm and so much more. From blueberry picking and live music to water skiing and working farm tours, visitors find a one-of-a-kind, all encompassing organic experience.
Weeks Bay Plantation specializes in organic berries, and from April through June, visitors can pick their own blueberries. Picking times are from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm with the exception of Harvest Nights, which begin at 4:00 pm and feature live music and food trucks. Other events include farm-to-table dinners, weddings and even spending the night on the farm.
For information on events and berry picking, visit WeeksBayPlantation.com
Spring in Bloom in South Mobile
This spring, enjoy the blooms of more than 250,000 lively azaleas in an explosion of color throughout the 65-acres of Bellingrath Gardens and Home. Hydrangeas, Easter lilies, fuchsia, cape daisies, delphiniums, and more will also be featured.
Once the azalea watch is winding down, the roses become the star of the show. In April, be sure to tour the award-winning Bellingrath Rose Garden during its first bloom, which features more than 2,000 plants representing 75 varieties. Roses are also available for sale in the Gift Shop during this time, so onlookers can take a piece of Bellingrath back home. The roses will continue to bloom throughout spring. For more information, be sure to visit Bellingrath.org.
Cast Your Line in North Baldwin County
The most touted fishing spots by anglers in North Baldwin County include Stiggins Lake, Holly Creek, Mifflin Lake, and Dixie Landing, but the number of places for anglers to reel in a big one goes much further.
One of those places is Live Oak Landing, which is adjacent to the Mobile Tensaw Delta. This popular launch spot is well known to fishing (and largemouth bass) enthusiasts. Live Oak also plays host to several fishing piers as well as a pond where anglers can fish under the shade of oaks and Spanish moss.
Other popular boat launches include Hubbard’s Landing, Boatyard Landing, Cliff’s Landing, and Dixie Landing.
To obtain a fishing license, visit OutdoorAlabama.com or call 1-800-848-6887.
Orange Beach Festival of Arts
Known to some as Coastal Alabama’s first rite of spring, the Orange Beach Festival of Arts is a celebration of visual, performing, musical and culinary arts on Wolf Bay.
Taking place in 2018 on March 10th and 11th, this free festival offers more than 100 artists who display their crafts in a variety of mediums including oils, acrylics, pottery, wood, glass, jewelry, metal, photography, and more. The beautiful location on the shores of Wolf Bay will showcase the brand new 10,000 square foot Coastal Arts Center gallery.
From 10:00 am – 5:00 pm on Saturday and 10:00 am – 4:00 pm on Sunday, festival-goers will also find live music and entertainment on two stages and food vendors galore! Sunday’s events will also include a Kid’s Art Alley.
For more information, visit OrangeBeachArtsFestival.com www.orangebeachartsfestival.com
Upcoming Events
- Through February 28: Winter Camellia and Cold Hardy Annual Displays, Bellingrath Gardens and Home
- Through March 4: Ice Skating At The Fort, Mobile
- Through April 15: Titanic Honour & Glory, History Museum of Mobile
- Through April 21: Savage Ancient Seas, GulfQuest, Mobile
- February 7-18: The annual Snowbird Production presents: Nana’s Naughty Knickers, Gulf Shores
- February 16-18: Mobile Area Orchid Society’s 41st Orchid Show and Sale, Bellingrath Gardens and Home
- February 16-March 4: Theatre 98 “The Mousetrap” by Agatha Christie, Fairhope
- February 17: 2018 Sweetheart 5k, Sea Turtle 1/2 Marathon and Sweetheart 1 Mile Fun Run, Gulf Shores
- February 17: Battle of Mobile Bay 5K, Dauphin Island
- February 17: LuLu’s 10th Annual Tropical Re-union Wedding Vow Renewal Ceremony, Gulf Shores
- February 17: Mobile Opera Presents Winter Gala Concert
- February 19-20: 2018 Winter Edition of Small Town, Big Beach Productions presents 62nd Addition of It’s Magic!, Gulf Shores
- February 20, 27: Civil War Tour Series, Fort Morgan, Gulf Shores
- February 21, 28: Winter Wednesdays, Bellingrath Gardens and Home
- February 21, March 7, 21, April 4, 18: Boardwalk Talks, Estuarium at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab
- February 24: 26th Annual Orange Beach Seafood Festival & Car Show
- February 24: Taste of the Bayou, Irvington
- February 24: Heritage Junior Women’s Club Chili Cook Off & Rotary Club 5k and Fun Run, Bay Minette
- February 26-27: 2018 Winter Edition of Small Town, Big Beach Productions presents The 3 Redneck Tenors, Gulf Shores
- March 1, April 5: 2018 Lecture Series on Fairhope History, Fairhope
- March 1-31: Spring Azaleas, Bellingrath Gardens and Home
- March 2-4: Columbus Ships Pinta and Nina at The Wharf Marina, Orange Beach
- March 3: Mobile Chocolate Festival
- March 3: Ballyhoo A Celebration of Art and Culture, Waterway Village, Gulf Shores
- March 8-May 31: Tuesday and Thursday Spring Break Guided Tours, Fort Morgan
- March 9: Ladies Night Out hosted by the City of Bay Minette
- March 10: Civil War Trust Park Day at Blakeley State Park, Spanish Fort
- March 10-11: 44th Annual Festival of Art, Orange Beach
- March 15, April 19: Olde Towne Daphne’s Third Thursday
- March 16, 18: Mobile Opera presents “La Boheme”
- March 16-18: 66th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival, Fairhope
- March 16-18: 46th Annual Outdoor Art Show, Eastern Shore Art Center, Fairhope
- March 17: Bicentennial Pre-Easter Festival, Stockton
- March 17: BBQ & Blues Cook-off, Foley
- March 22-25: 2018 Wharf Boat and Yacht Show, Orange Beach
- March 22-25: Festival of Flowers, Mobile
- March 23: Foley’s Movie in the Park
- March 23: Downtown Cajun Cook-Off, Mobile
- March 24: Azalea Trail Run – 10k, 5k, 2k Fun Run and ATR Health and Fitness Expo, Mobile
- March 31: The Original German Sausage Festival, Elberta
- April 7: 25th Annual Camellia Classic Open Car Show, Bellingrath Gardens and Home
- April 7: Discovery Day, Estuarium at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab
- April 7: Stapleton Bluegrass Festival
- April 7, 14, 21, 28: Downtown Foley Walking Tours
- April 7, 14, 21, 28: Walking Tours of Fairhope
- April 12-13: 2018 AISA Outdoor Track & Field State Championship, Gulf Shores
- April 13, 14, 20, 21: The Snow White Variety Show, Gulf Shores
- April 14: 2018 Waterway Village Zydeco & Crawfish Festival & 5K Run, Gulf Shores
- April 14: C Spire Concert Series presents: Styx & REO Speedwagon with special guest Don Felder, The Wharf, Orange Beach
- April 19: Burgers and Bingo on the Square, Bay Minette
- April 20: C Spire Concert Series presents: Chris Young Losing Sleep 2018 World Tour with special guests Kane Brown, Morgan Evans & Dee Jay Silver, The Wharf, Orange Beach
- April 20: Heritage Park Marketplace and Music and Movie in the Park, Foley
- April 21: 22nd Annual Mullet Man Triathlon, Flora-Bama
- April 21: Coastal Alabama Bird Banding Project, Fort Morgan
- April 21-30: Rose Bloom Out, Bellingrath Gardens and Home,
- April 26-28: 9th Annual Bama Coast Cruise, Orange Beach
- April 26-29: Interstate Mullet Toss & Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party, Flora-Bama
- April 27: Heritage Park Marketplace and Music and Movie in the Park, Foley
- May 3-5: 2018 AHSAA State Track Championship (4-5-6-7 A, boys and girls), Gulf Shores
- May 3-6: 2018 National Collegiate Beach Volleyball Championship, Gulf Shores
- May 4-5: Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival, Foley
- May 12-13: Art in the Park, Foley