Where there’s smoke, there’s championship barbecue. At least that’s the menu for April 3-4 at Smoke on the Falls Noccalula Barbecue Competition weekend.
Smoke on the Falls is back at the Noccalula Falls Campground in 2026 with the Kansas City Barbecue Society-certified barbecue contests pitting 60 plus teams through the Professional and Backyard division.
A children’s division is also a part of the competition.
It will be held at Noccalula Campground and is earning a national reputation through its affiliation with KCBS.
Pro fishing tips on Logan Martin Lake and Neely Henry Lake with Zeke Gossett
Logan Martin
Days are getting longer and bass are on the move. Warmer and longer days these two months have the fish on the move from their wintertime homes.
Typically, in March, I still believe the bass are in their pre-spawn mood. They are feeding up and fattening up, preparing to move into their bedding areas to get ready to spawn. Usually, I’ll target most of these fish in 10 feet of water or less this time of year.
Fish love to stage on points that lead into spawning bays. Also, brush and shallow docks are great places to look for fish making a pit stop before they spawn.
A few lures I typically reach for would be a bladed jig, square bill crank bait or a topwater walking bait. If the water is still in the mid-50s, I reach mainly for the bladed jig and squarebill and cover as much water as possible.
I mainly target creeks on the lower end of the lake. Generally, this is where the fish will try and spawn first. I also like to target windy banks if possible.
Once the water temp reaches the 60-degree mark, that’s when I reach for the topwater walking bait. I do this especially on cloudy windy days. The fish will usually be one to three feet deep on points, and do not be afraid to throw it at midday if the conditions are right. This is my favorite technique to catch these fish, especially in April.
Usually, if we have our normal weather pattern, you will really start to see the largemouth bass lock on their beds. This is the time to get the spinning rods out and get on the finesse gear.
The tried-and-true wacky rigged senko is an awesome way to get these bedding largemouth bass to commit.
Now, I do switch gears when it comes to fishing for spotted bass. Spotted bass tend to spawn in shallow bays and flats in a little deeper water. An effective way to cover water and efficiently pick these more broader areas apart is with a Carolina Rig. I use about a 2-foot leader with a ½ oz. tungsten sinker.
One of my favorite baits to use is a Menace Grub from Strike King Lure Company in green pumpkin or chartreuse pepper. I typically want a smaller bait. That way, once you drag it across their bed, they can easily just pick it up and hold on to it longer.
This a great way to catch those big ole Coosa River Spotted Bass later on in the month once the fish really start to lock down on bed.
Neely Henry
These two months are when Neely Henry can really shine and produce some big fish. Just like Logan, these fish are on the move once the days start getting longer and warmer.
Neely Henry bass love to live shallow this time of year. My approach is a little different, though, on this lake. I like to target mid-lake areas this time of year.
My favorite places to find these fish are creeks mouths and small river pockets. Neely has a lot of bank grass and wood to offer in these short pockets. These pockets also have a lot of shallow docks that fish like to stage on before the spawn.
My three favorite baits to use are frog, swim jig and stick bait. In early March, I fish with the swim jig a lot more than the other two baits because the water temperature is usually still on the cooler side.
Another great way to find fish on Neely Henry this early in the spawn is on riprap banks. These banks hold heat and tend to hold fish any time of day.
A squarebill crankbait is usually what I will start with on the riprap banks. I normally have to play with a number of colors to find the right one! If the bass do not seem to want the crankbait, I’ll slowly fish down the riprap with a jig especially if it’s a very slick, calm day.
Just like Logan Martin you can also catch fish around shallow docks. Typically, the docks in five feet or less tend to be the best. If the fish seem to be active, I start out with a bladed jig. The bladed jig allows me to make more cast in, and in turn, I am able to present the bait to more fish.
Just like the riprap talked about earlier, sometimes on slick calm days, the jig will outperform any bait on the docks. Once the water temp reaches the 60-degree mark, that’s when I’ll pick up the frog. The frog and swim jig combo is something I can stick with all day.
Once we get into the month of April, that’s when I will start adding in the stick bait. And just like on Logan Martin, you can’t forget about the trusted senko-type bait. I generally texas rig the senko on light 5/16 oz. weight.
I really reach for this bait when I feel like the fish are full blown spawning mood. I’ll pitch this bait around stumps and docks or wherever I feel like a fish might be spawning. You might not be able to physically see the fish since Neely is generally pretty dirty water.
Just fish slow inside pockets and really pick everything apart. This is the best way to get bit while the fish are really locked on beds.
The bass are in big time transition during these two months, however, these months can offer up some of the most rewarding fish catches for the entire year.
Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grew up on the Coosa River and Logan Martin Lake. He is a former collegiate champion and is now a professional angler on the B.A.S.S. tour circuit and is a fishing guide. Learn more about Zeke at: zekegossettfishing.com.
Looking for free kids events this Spring? Look no further! Coosa Riverkeeper and our partners at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve are kicking off 2026 spawning season with Take a Kid Fishing Day.
We’re excited to be introducing both beginner and intermediate classes for ages 5-18. So whether your kids are seasoned anglers or wanting to start their journey, this event is for you and your kids to enjoy quality time on the water (stocked pond). Learn how to bait your hooks, cast, catch and more during Take a Kid Fishing Day.
Join us at Big Springs Park in Springville on March 28, by 10 a.m. for fishing fun. Registration is not required, but it helps us know how many fishing poles are needed. Visit TinyURL.com/BigSpringsFFC to register.
All of the required materials are provided by Coosa Riverkeeper.
Volunteer Appreciation Week and Earth Day are within the same week, and we would love to see folks on the water, making waves! Volunteers can participate at events, help river cleanup and restoration efforts, and more. Sign up for our volunteer list to make an impact this Spring by visiting our website below.
Want to join us as we protect, restore, and promote the Coosa? Visit CoosaRiver.org to sign up for our email list or check us out on Facebook & Instagram.
Follow Coosa Riverkeeper on Facebook & Instagram @CoosaRiverkeeper For more information, swim over to www.CoosaRiver.org.
Even before the first light’s glow at the inaugural Lantern Festival at Noccolula Falls Park and Campground, one of the area’s youngest residents was already abuzz about the newest event on Gadsden’s calendar.
“After school, I took my nine-year-old daughter Lizzy by where they were unloading the lanterns and things when they were setting up,” said Noccalula Falls Park and Campground Director Brandson Stephens. Her first words when we pulled up were, ‘Gosh Dad, that’s so cool!’”
Dazzling lights cast in the spirit of Chinese legend and lore, as well as world-class Chinese acrobats are wowing visitors amid the natural wonders of Noccalula Falls Park on weekends – Friday through Sunday through April 5 from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. From the excitement already evident, prepare to be amazed.
“This enchanting night walk, inspired by traditional lantern festivals is the perfect adventure for friends and families,” according to event organizer Kaleido Entertainment (kaleido.com), and its ticketing platform, feverup.com. “Wander through hundreds of glowing lanterns, enjoy live acrobatic performances, grab tasty bites from local vendors and soak in a magical atmosphere surrounded by nature.”
Tickets for the family-friendly event range from $15.99-$21.99 per person. Children three and under are admitted free. Local vendors will have food and drink available for purchase.
The lights and entertainment are only part of the story. As the event weekends move deeper into spring, the magic of the park’s plant life – hyacinths, buttercups and daffodils, will blossom, dependent on the weather. The festival and the flowers make this the unofficial start of spring, Stephens said.
“We used to open later and that would give us time to get the Christmas lights down,” Stephens said. “But there was so much blooming in late February that would die out by the time we opened in late March and the first of April, so we decided to open earlier. The lantern festival (organizers) reached out to us and said they wanted to come, so it was a perfect fit.”
Live performers are on hand to entertain and amaze
Stephens added, “All those flowers are coming up and blooming and sprouting, and if the weather is warm enough, you might even see azaleas popping up about that time.”
Kaleido Entertainment operates the festival, which brings a combination of art, tradition, talent and technology together for an amazing experience.
Chinese lantern festivals date back to the Han Dynasty that began more than 200 years B.C. The festival grew during the Tang Dynasty (608-907 A.D.). The displays have grown through the years into widespread celebrations. The lanterns symbolize wishes for prosperity and brighter futures.
The acrobats will be a first for the park. “The acrobats, we’ve never had anything like that inside the park,” Stephens said. “That’s going to be pretty cool.”
Food trucks will be on hand and music will be piped in through the park.
The train, the animal habitat and the petting zoo, three park mainstays, will be on hand as always at the park. The petting zoo has some new arrivals – monkeys, sloths and Highland cattle, the long-haired bovines that are always popular. A small family of kangaroos and a toucan now call the park home.
“What’s cool about Noccalula Falls, too, is that when you come in, you’re still getting the train ride. You’re still getting to visit the animal habitat and the petting zoo and seeing everything that’s new there.”
The park also features 16 miles of hiking and biking trails.
Stephens and the crew at Noccalula Falls have been going full blast during the holiday season, first with its Christmas event and now with the Spring Lantern Festival.
“It’s been a chore, because we only had two weeks to remove a lot of our items that take us months to put up, so that (Kaleido) could come in and unload their stuff.”
The last trucks for the lantern event were unloaded in late January.
For Stephens, who began his love affair with the park as a kid, the Spring Lantern Festival is another magical chapter. “My Dad would bring me and my brother down here, and we would go underneath the falls and be walking the trails when people used to collect driftwood that would wash up,” Stephens recalled.
“There was a tennis court across the road and evidently, people were really horrible at tennis because they were hitting the ball over the fence and into the creek. My Dad would be getting driftwood, and my brother and I would take plastic bags and collect tennis balls, take them home and play home run derby.”
He added, “But when you’re here, you’re in nature. You get to clear your mind, relax and enjoy what’s around you. You’re in the city, but you’re out of the city. (Kaleido) reaching out to us is a testament to how big Noccalula has grown. The company reached out to us, I think because they see how much the park has grown.”
During the Christmas season alone, some 110,000 visitors came to the park.
Stephens gives high marks to his team at the park that works night and day to prepare for events like the Spring Lantern Festival.
“The team at Noccalula Falls is the best anywhere,” Stephens said. “They’re passionate about what they do. They’re passionate about the falls. These same guys are also cutting grass. They’re also landscaping. They also have to take care of everything inside and outside the park.
“A lot of people don’t know that they take care of 50-plus properties downtown. It’s a lot.”
But even when they’re weary, something changes when families come into the park at Christmas, or in February when the Lantern Festival gleams brightly, acrobats soar and joy abounds.
“We hear that kid, or we see those kids coming through … smiling and saying, ‘Look, Mom. Look, Dad.’ It gives you a second wind.”
Excitement was building weeks before opening weekend. “You can almost feel it,” Stephens said then, “because nothing around here has ever been done like this. There’s a buzz around it. I know when the kids see what they’re putting out there, they’re going to love it.”
Cooking event an annual draw for Central Alabama and beyond
With names like Kickin’ Quail Quesadillas, Gobblin’ Turkey Taco Soup and Venison Bang Bang Chili, you know culinary creativity is at the pinnacle and tastebuds are sure to be tantalized.
That’s just what you would expect from the Alabama Wildlife Federation Wild Game Cook-Off. The regional cook-off in Talladega is set for Saturday, March 14 at 4 p.m., at Talladega Superspeedway. Tickets are $50 for up to two adults.
The Talladega cook-off is part of a statewide effort to support Alabama Wildlife Federation. Local AWF chapters host annual Wild Game Cook-Offs across the state and “everyone is invited to participate,” according to AWF. “These competitions are excellent ways for backyard chefs to show off their culinary skills and enjoy some good ‘ol fashion fun, fellowship and fabulous food.
Whether it’s fish, fowl or game, this cook-off has it all. There’s even a youth division.
If you would rather eat than compete, you can sample some of the best wild game dishes around. Previous winning creations in the past have included “Grilled Dove Breast,” “Smoked Venison with Cajun Wild Rice,” and “Flounder stuffed with Shrimp and Crab topped with a Butter Cream Sauce.”
Other activities and entertainment are part of the day’s festivities. Music, door prizes, raffles, and a silent auction that includes outdoor themed art prints and ladies’ items.
For more information, contact AWF at (334) 285-4550. To register your team or purchase a ticket online, go to: AlabamaWildlife.org.
At most houses on Logan Martin Lake, the view of the water is the most mesmerizing feature.
Guests to Harold and Virna Settle’s Cropwell home, however, are often greeted with such a spectacular sight in the front yard that they often forget to even look past it to the lake. In the spring, summer and fall, some 400 rosebushes, with thousands of blooms in a dazzling array of colors, create such a splendor that it can be difficult to notice anything else. “It’s just breathtaking,” Harold said.
Virna is a master when it comes to pottery
And when the flowers put on their show, the Settles have been known to put out a spread. “We want to invite people when our flowers are blooming,” Virna explained. As a result, “we have a big party every spring, and almost every weekend during the summer there are people here,” Harold added.
Since they both enjoy cooking, guests are treated to all kinds of cuisine. Virna, originally from Manila, Philippines is an expert in Filipino dishes. And after years of managing two Birmingham restaurants – La Dolce Vita and Amore Ristorante Italiano – with her former partner, she’s mastered Italian meals, as well.
“She’s really been working at it and she’s almost as good a cook as I am,” joked Harold, a retired cardiologist. Although he especially enjoys Cajun and Creole cooking, one of his specialties is a Spanish paella that feeds a crowd.
“We used to have contests,” Harold said. “We’d start with the same cuts of meat. She’d prepare it her way and I’d do mine. For some reason, I never seemed to win.”
Food is actually what brought the couple together. Harold and his former wife, Jean, first met Virna when they frequented her restaurants. Jean passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2010, and Harold and Virna reconnected about a year later. They will celebrate their 14th anniversary next month.
In addition to cooking, they share a love of wine and travel, but that’s not all they have in common. They’re both artists, as well. While Harold’s canvas is the yard, Virna is a painter and potter.
Discovering talents
Virna discovered her passion for art about 12 years ago when she went to a painting party with friends. Perhaps it’s appropriate that she painted a fish, because after the experience she was hooked. She began taking classes and experimenting with texture and color, acrylics and oils, and her hobby soon became much more. Her bold, bright paintings – often abstract impressionistic renderings of flowers and ladies – were well-received, and she began showing and selling her work. “Her color palette is outstanding,” Harold said. “She mixes colors beautifully.”
Her true calling, Virna said, is pottery, which she took up about six years ago. Interestingly, that journey started with fish, as well. After talking with a friend about ways to prepare it, Virna decided to get a palayok, an earthenware pot used to prepare Filipino dishes.
“I just decided to make my own,” Virna said, so she started looking around for someone to teach her how. It didn’t take her long to find renowned potter Tena Payne of Earthborn Pottery in Leeds. Virna began taking classes and discovered how much she enjoyed working with clay and coaxing it into shapes on the pottery wheel.
“It’s challenging,” she said. In addition to unleashing more creativity, the process of manipulating the clay has helped her in other ways, too. “I used to have carpal tunnel but since I’ve started doing the pottery, I don’t have it anymore.”
Virna especially enjoys creating dinnerware – plates, bowls, and mugs – and she also makes serving pieces including trays, chip and dip sets, and vases. Once the pieces are shaped and dried, the next step is bisque firing at a low temperature in the kiln to harden the clay.
Next, she glazes the items – Virna is drawn to shades of blue, green and brown – and the pieces are fired again at a higher temperature to fuse the glaze to the pottery. “It makes me feel good when people buy it,” Virna said of her pottery. She also enjoys using the pieces at home and gifting them to friends. Although she doesn’t have a website, her pottery is currently available for sale at The Fish Market Restaurant in Birmingham and The LakeLife Store in historic downtown Pell City.
While clay quickly became her favorite medium, Virna’s kiln is currently in the garage, which got chilly in the cold, winter days. That’s why Virna said she feels fortunate to have two artistic outlets. “When it’s cold, I can do my painting inside,” she said.
Outdoor artistry
The Settle House on Logan Martin Lake is framed through rose bushes
Although it was the lake that lured Harold to St. Clair County, he discovered that the peninsula where he built his home 32 years ago was a “gardener’s paradise.”
The site is nearly surrounded by water, which keeps the temperature several degrees warmer for a longer portion of the year, he explained. “We don’t have a hard, killing frost until the first of December, so the growing season is nine months out of the year,” he said. Plus, “the water is free. You just pump it out of the lake.”
Harold said he’s been gardening most of his life, and as an adult, he became fascinated by floral gardens. He grew up in Virginia, which he calls “a floral garden paradise” and went to medical school at the University of Virginia, with its pavilion gardens tucked away behind serpentine walls.
While in med school, there was a vacant lot next door, and “I dug that up and planted tomatoes.” He planted his first roses in the 1970s while he was living in Cincinnati, where he completed his residency and fellowship and eventually became chief of cardiology at Cincinnati VA Hospital.
After moving to Birmingham in 1979 and going into private practice, he had a house with four acres that allowed him to have a large garden. Still, “I’ve never had the perfect setting like I have here to do it.”
He found it after Dr. John Haynes of Pell City asked him to do some cardiology consultations for him. “When I’d get finished in the afternoons, I’d drive down to the lake and see what I could see.”
By that time, a friend had invited Harold to an afternoon of sailing, and he soon found himself in the market for a boat. “It was bitter cold, the wind was brutal, but it was fun,” he said. He bought a 22-foot sailboat and kept it at Pine Harbor Marina before upgrading to a 27-foot vessel he bought in 2000.
It was the early 1990s when Settle noticed some homes being built in the River Oaks subdivision. He bought a lot, but he didn’t build on it for two years.
When construction started, Settle made sure the brick beds near the street were the first things built. “I planted roses in those before the house had been bricked,” he said. He planted beds alongside the driveway the next year and followed up with a circular garden directly in the front of the home’s entrance the next.
More or Virna Settle’s pottery on display
He needed more space, however, so he bought the lot next door in 1999. “There was nothing but trash trees on it,” he said, adding that he cleared it completely. “I figured it would take me the rest of my life to plant it the way I wanted it. It took me three or four years.”
In addition to roses, Harold has planted 125 named varieties of Japanese maples, which provide a spectacular display of color in the fall. He and Virna have also planted everything from fig, persimmon and plum trees to blueberry bushes, vegetables, peppers, day lilies, hydrangeas, irises, camellias, and ginkgoes. “There’s nothing that I won’t try to grow,” he said.
The planting is the easy part, though. He and Virna, who also has come to love gardening, spend countless hours tending to and caring for the plants. Every spring, the rose bushes have to be pruned back to about a foot high. “I’ll do about 30 and she does 370,” Harold said with a laugh.
They consider it a labor of love, though, and they have countless trophies and ribbons from the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Annual Rose Show that attest to the beauty their hard work created. Harold has entered the show every year for the past 30 years.
This may be the last, however, as the Settles are planning a move to Daphne at the end of the summer. Although they are looking forward to the next chapter, leaving their oasis on the lake and the gardens they have so carefully cultivated will be bittersweet.
“I really hope someone who loves gardening buys it,” Harold said.
Virna Settle’s Pork and Chicken Rice Noodles
Ingredients:
½ cup pork belly or shoulder (I use belly)
½ cup chicken, thinly sliced
1 cup chicken or pork broth
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot cut into thin strips
2 cups cabbage, sliced into strips
½ cup green beans, cut into diagonal
¼ cup Chinese celery, roughly chopped
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons oyster sauce
For garnish:
½ cup roasted, chopped garlic
½ cup chopped spring onions
Directions: Boil pork and chicken for 10-15 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add oil to pan and saute the pork and chicken until the color turns brown. Add onion and garlic to the pan and saute until tender Add carrots, cabbage, green beans, and Chinese celery and saute for 1 minute. Add the broth, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Mix well and let broth simmer. Drain the meat and vegetables from the stock and transfer to a bowl. Set aside. Add noodles in simmering stock and cook until tender. Stir occasionally. Once the noodles are tender, transfer to a serving platter and top with cooked meat and vegetables. Garnish with roasted garlic and spring onions.
Harold Settle’s Paella
Ingredients
3.5 pounds yellow rice
8 cups chicken stock (I make my own, using chicken skin and bones)
2 large onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large bell peppers, diced
1 cup Lima beans, cooked
1 cup English peas, cooked
8 plum tomatoes, diced
½ can (4 ounces) of tomato paste
1 ½ pounds large shrimp (feel free to add clams, calamari, prawns, or mussels)
2-3 pounds chicken thighs (Remove the skin and de-bone a few to make stock)
2 pounds chorizo sausage, sliced into 1-inch pieces
½ cup fresh parsley
2-3 tablespoons fresh thyme
½ tablespoons paprika
Rosemary
1 pinch fresh saffron
Olive oil
3 lemons, quartered
Directions
It’s best to have all of your ingredients prepared before you start cooking.
Microwave chicken thighs for about 10 minutes to make sure they are cooked throughout. Peel the shrimp, leaving only the tail, and salt them.
I always try to make my chicken stock from scratch (time permitting), using the skin and some bones from the chicken thighs. Add a bit of rosemary, a tiny pinch of saffron, and a bit of thyme. If you use bouillon, I’d recommend at least heating it up with these herbs and then straining before you start.
Keep your stock hot, but not boiling, as you cook. Coat the bottom of your paella pan with olive oil. Brown chorizo over high heat for 1-2 minutes. Do not fully cook, just get the outside well browned. Set aside. This will add a nice red color and flavor to your oil.
Brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes. It should not be fully cooked. Set aside. Brown garlic, onion, and bell pepper until softened, adding plum tomatoes shortly before mixture is finished.
Push the vegetables to one side of pan. On the other, add the half can of tomato paste. Caramelize it, flipping and spreading it until it begins to loosen (1-2 minutes over high heat).
Mix vegetables and meats together with the caramelized tomato paste, also adding the paprika, parsley and thyme. Add rice, mixing together and stirring as rice browns (1 to 1 ½ minutes). As rice browns, mix in the saffron. Make sure to break it between your fingers to release all those tasty oils.
When rice is slightly translucent, add enough chicken stock to cover the whole mixture. If it’s been kept warm, it will begin to boil almost immediately. Lower to a medium heat but keep it at a steady boil.
This is where paella is made and broken. I stir a few times in the first 5-10 minutes, adding broth as necessary to keep the rice fully covered. After this, you must let the paella SIT! Let it cook another 10-20 minutes (I find that this step takes longer on a stovetop), adding broth bit by bit to keep the rice submerged until the rice on the top is al dente. Don’t worry about the rice burning to the bottom. This part (called the soccarat) is a tasty delicacy.
Once you’ve stirred the paella for the last time and are letting it cook, when you have about 8 minutes left to cook, lay the cooked lima beans and peas and shrimp on top. Turn shrimp over after 2-4 minutes to cook on the other side.
When rice on top is still quite al dente, take paella off of heat and cover. Let sit for 15-20 minutes.
I’ve taken the lid off prematurely and ended up with a crunch mess. Patience is key.
Once you’re sure it’s ready, uncover, garnish with lemon wedges and enjoy!
When the Tiki Hut opens on Logan Martin May 2, it’s not just a date on the calendar to circle, but circle it anyway – it’s the unofficial start of lake season, and it’s a party to remember.
For locals and visitors collectively, it’s a destination point, a ritual and a lake life tradition all rolled into one fun gathering place to celebrate another season on the water.
Now in its fifth year, Tiki Hut has evolved into an event celebrated weekend after weekend all summer long. Cups and apparel will commemorate the fifth anniversary this season.
Everyone will be enjoying their best lakeside living on Logan Martin as the weather warms up
With its island vibe and lakefront view, patrons arrive by boat, car and on foot just to join in the revelry. Although famous for its frozen adult beverages, it’s a family gathering spot as well with Tiki Hut Jr., River’s Edge Burgers & Breakfast, River’s Edge Marina, tiny homes rentals, a beach and playground area and 60 boat slips to accommodate the crowds lured its way.
Manager Michael Emerick and owner Paul Emerick previewed what’s in store this season. On opening day, May 2, Skier’s Marine will present an in-water boat show.
But the big celebration comes May 16 at the summer kick-off event with live music, plenty of food and drink throughout and of course, games and other activities. Performances will feature South Bound Music, 2 Da Max and Love Chyld. DJ performances will be between sets from DJIV sponsored by ABC Towing as presenting sponsor, along with Capps Painting, Stone Concepts, Woods Surfside Marina, ERA King and A Plus Tire & Auto.
Guests gather at the bar and along the beach
Open Friday nights from 5 to 9, Saturdays until 8 p.m. and Sundays until 5 p.m., it will feature bands every Saturday night beginning with the summer kickoff. Hunt Bros. Pizza is being added this year to help with food options, and Tiki Hut Jr. is being expanded to accommodate pizza.
The Emericks are adding to the playground. Bingo is back on every other Friday night, run by Nic Nic (Nicole) and Ma (Tanya), beginning May 29. Small bands will play on the other Friday nights, beginning May 22.
On the 4th of July, there won’t be fireworks, but a daytime concert series is planned, headlined by Poison Whiskey.
River’s Edge and Tiki Hut will help sponsor nearby Pier 59’s Poker Run as part of its Christmas in July events to raise funds for Christmas gifts for children at Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind.
Live music and DJs on Logan Martin Lake
On Aug. 1, the Greater Birmingham Homeowners Association will hold its poker run there, and Tiki Hut will feature a band during the festivities.
While the Tiki Hut closes in September, it does reopen for a special event – Boo Bash After Party –October 3. It’s the perfect exclamation point for a day of fun as Logan Martin hosts this dock-to-dock trick-or-treating extravaganza. Tiki Hut is the presenting sponsor, helping make it possible.
It also helps sponsor Dam Palooza, a giant boat tie-up at the dam with plenty of live entertainment and good times. The 13th annual event is set for June 27.
At the five-year mark for Tiki Hut, the 13th season for the restaurant and the 19th season for the marina, the Emericks reflected on the motivation behind their giving and supporting events around the lake, not just their own.
“The lake’s been a big factor in our growth,” said Paul, “and we want to make the lake a better place.”
Son Michael echoed the sentiments: “The lake has given us a lot, and we just want to give back.”
I’ve often said when it comes to sunsets at the lake, no two are alike. The only thing they have in common is how stunning they can be.
This time of year, as winter chills linger a little longer, interrupted occasionally with the warmer hints of Spring, sunsets put on quite the show around these parts. Deep, deep hues of pinks and purples, vibrant oranges and fiery yellows splash across a dusky sky. Their colorful reflection splashes in the water below as the fleeting light of the day makes its descent.
It’s that kind of spectacular show that signals evening’s arrival and underscores one of myriad reasons we call this place home.
All around us, we see others treasuring our lakes and creating ways to enhance their allure.
LakeFest certainly fits that descriptor. Now in its 16th year, it ushers in lake season on Logan Martin with crowds between 50,000 to 60,000 for musical entertainment, lake lifestyle vendors, fireworks and plenty of activities for all ages. This year’s event is May 14-16 at Pell City Lakeside Park.
Near Neely Henry Lake, Noccalula Falls is putting on quite a show, too. Never before seen until now, the park is playing host to an incredible traditional Chinese lantern festival weekends now through April 5. Magical lanterns in all shapes and sizes light up the nighttime sky while acrobats put on an impressive show.
Coosa Island is coming alive once again with the opening of Oh Sherri Island Pub blending and Irish spirit with an island vibe. This is the second venture for the owners of Oh Sherri Pub in Moody. And soon, a third will open on Neely Henry in Ohatchee.
Step inside the home of Dr. Harold and Virna Settle on Logan Martin, and you’ll find treats for the senses – impressive dishes cooked for friends and family, an art gallery of Virna’s work, her pottery studio and outside, you’ll discover his handiwork – a nationally known rose garden.
The Tiki Hut kicks off its fifth year in May drawing boaters and land lovers alike to what has become a top destination point on Logan Martin. With its River’s Edge Burgers & Breakfast, the marina and tiny home rentals, it’s only natural it draws a crowd throughout the season.
Other tasty events luring traffic their way are the annual Smoke on the Falls Barbecue Competition at Noccalula Park in April and the Wild Game Cook-off at Talladega Superspeedway in March .
Smoke on the Falls is a national competition, and where you see smoke there’s bound to be good food and good times ahead. Wild Game Cook-Off is a regional competition all around the state, showing off original culinary creations with wild game while supporting Alabama Wildlife Federation.
Dedicated to making our lakes better places, Logan Martin Lake Protection Association is set for its annual Lake Clean Up in April and Neely Henry Lake Association is joining efforts with Renew Our Rivers.
And if fishing is your thing, bass pro Zeke Gossett’s column is the must read for you. He shares his tips, tricks, trends and takeaways as he travels Logan Martin and Neely Henry, rod in hand, to catch the Coosa.
It’s all here and more in this issue of LakeLife 24/7. Turn the page and discover it all with us!
A new campaign celebrating this city’s big-city feel and small town charm is up and running. Its message? “Gotta Get to Gadsden.”
The social media and advertising blitz, funded through a $20,000 grant from the Innovate Alabama Network makes the pitch that the combination of modern technology and Gadsden’s proximity to Birmingham, Atlanta, Huntsville and Chattanooga make Gadsden an ideal place to work and live.
The genesis of the campaign took root during a City Hall brainstorming session in John Moore’s office. Moore serves as Gadsden’s director of economic development. Gotta Get to Gadsden is a joint effort by the city and the Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority.
“We were looking at branding the city, but then we turned it into an industrial development campaign that we could use on a regional basis,” Moore said. “At that point, Tina King wrote the grant application to Innovate Alabama for website development and commercial creation.”
The target audience for the media effort are workers in the Southeast to areas an easy commute from Gadsden.
“Right now, we’re targeting the Southeast region, those people who possibly live in Atlanta, where they’re paying $2,500-$3,000 a month to work from home. We’re asking them to come to Gadsden, where the cost of living is a third of what they would pay in these big cities.”
He added, “We have the amenities of the Coosa River, Noccalula Falls and our cool downtown. That’s what the commercials focus on.”
For now, the social media reach of the campaign will focus on a specific slice of the regional pie. “Right now, we’ll probably target through social media, and we’ll be very specific on age groups and the type of demographics that we target in social media. We’ll be looking at within 200 miles of Gadsden with a higher income. And we’re going to want to have the outdoor enthusiasts.”
Why not? “If you think about it, if we can recruit 200 stay-at-home workers to come to Gadsden, that’s just like landing a plant that employs 200 workers. Our question is, if you could live anywhere, why would you not live here?”
The campaign will have a seasonal bent. Right now, with all the holiday-related events going on in Gadsden, that’s a natural fit. The campaign will re-emerge in the spring, with the Coosa River and recreation taking center stage.
The campaign comes at a time when Gadsden is on the move. “We’re growing. We’re growing fast. But we’re growing in the right way,” said Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford. “We’re bringing in the right people.”
Gadsden’s predecessors left Ford and the City Council with a large pool of undesignated funds. “We were able to do a lot of economic projects we started then it was post COVID … and we started breaking ground everywhere and everybody started noticing Gadsden,” Ford said. “We’ve got a river that runs right through. We’ve got the mountains. We’ve got two hospitals. It’s a great economic sector.”
From 8 to 5 every day, “our population triples. People come from places like Rainbow City to work, then they go back home. We’re growing, and we’re not landlocked because we’re trying to annex everywhere we can.”
Gadsden also faces a housing shortage.
“It’s not just low-income housing,” Ford said. “It’s the $500,000-$700,000 homes that would be $1 million to $1.5 million homes in Birmingham. So, we’re working with our real estate people, our homebuilders. I was born and raised here, and I’ve never seen growth like we have now in Gadsden.”
But the Gotta Get To Gadsden campaign isn’t just aimed at remote workers. It also serves as a reminder to folks who already call the city and surrounding areas home, Moore said.
“Sometimes it’s just good to remind people of the good things going on in your city,” he said. “You sometimes have to remind people of how good they really have it.”
He called it “a twofold system where you’re targeting remote workers. But you’re also branding and reminding everyone that Gadsden is a great place to live.”
When Ford took office, people were leaving the city, Moore said. Now, surrounding areas are trying to be annexed in, Moore said.
“It’s crazy,” Moore said.
Ford put it simply. “Life in Gadsden promises a high quality of life. Gadsden is a great place to visit and once you get here, you won’t leave. You’ll love it. People’s quality of life will improve 10 times by moving to Gadsden,” he said
“You gotta get to Gadsden. That’s the most important thing.”
Editor’s Note:For more on Gotta Get to Gadsden, visit its website, GottaGetToGadsden.com
Gadsden tops off Chili Cookoff with a Mardi Gras parade
Story by Roxann Edsall Submitted Photos
There’s a party going on next month in the streets of Gadsden. Call it a cultural fusion, if you will. A newly formed Mardi Gras krewe will be celebrating the end of Carnival season by leading a parade of floats through the downtown area on Feb. 7, shortly after the winners of the annual chili cookoff are announced.
An unlikely pairing, perhaps, but both Chili and Mardi Gras share a history of beginnings in Texas, Louisiana and Alabama. Steeped in cultural heritage, both are seasoned with spice and community. Chili originated in Texas, but is infused with a blend of Spanish, Native American and Mexican influences. Mardi Gras, with origins in pagan spring festivals, later became known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, and is a unique blend of local influence and tradition.
Plans for the newest Mardi Gras parade began less than a year ago, when a handful of Gadsden residents began laying the groundwork for the first such event for their hometown.
While still small, at roughly a dozen members, the group has made a big impact in their local community already. Their mission is to help others and to bring joy and excitement to those around them. They’ve been living out that mission and promoting their new venture while volunteering around Gadsden with tourism initiatives and with the Salvation Army.
On Feb. 7, beginning at 4 p.m., the Krewe of Rowdy Revelers will certainly bring a smile to parade goers as they guide their Pirates of the Coosa ship down the streets of Gadsden, kicking off the inaugural Mardi Gras parade. “We will have a contest for the best float,” says Deborah Miller, half of the mother/daughter duo behind the krewe. “We are hoping to have 100 entries in the parade, either floats or groups walking. We hope businesses, committees and individuals will get in touch with us, and we’ll get them included.”
Miller’s daughter, Danielle Finch, says the pair have always enjoyed attending Mardi Gras parades in Mobile and hope to bring that level of excitement to Gadsden, along with the resulting infusion of sales for local businesses. “My favorite float was one I saw in Mobile. My husband and I love NASCAR, and this was a NASCAR-themed float,” Finch said. “But I like any kind of float with people who are excited and are throwing things!”
There will, of course, be throws, those traditional necklaces and small items that are the signature of any Mardi Gras parade. “We do want to stress that it’s family friendly,” says Miller. “We’re going for good, clean fun.”
“We’re very excited to have the first krewe of Mardi Gras in Gadsden,” says Kay Moore, director of Downtown Gadsden, Inc., the organization co-hosting the event. “With the parade coming after the chili cookoff, it should keep people downtown to eat and to shop.” Plans are to finish the cookoff and announce the winners at 2 p.m. and start the parade on 7th Street at 4. I’ve never been to a Mardi Gras parade before,” adds Moore, “so I’m really interested to see how it goes.”
Gadsden’s Chili Cookoff has been a crowd favorite for many years. This is the 18th year for the spicy shindig on the banks of the Coosa River, which serves as a fundraiser for Downtown Gadsden, Inc. Proceeds from ticket sales are used to fund ongoing downtown improvements. The winner receives the coveted laser-cut chili cookoff trophy. There are cash prizes for first, second and third place and a people’s choice award voted by the crowd.
There wouldn’t even be a chili cookoff if it hadn’t been for the 1893 World’s Fair. A San Antonio food stand there introduced a spicy, saucy dish called chili. Its popularity and variety in recipes inspired the competitive spirit that brought about modern-day chili cookoffs.
When you walk down the streets of Gadsden mid-morning on Feb. 7, the smell of chili and various peppers will be strong, particularly on Broad Street between 4th and 6th Streets. “We close the streets for two blocks and set up the chili cookers on the sidewalks,” says Moore. We usually have about 30 teams competing, but we have room for 35.”
Each team is assigned a number and cups with those numbers are filled for the blind tastings by the judges. “I’m the only one who has the key to what number corresponds with what team,” explains Moore. “The judges have no clue whose chili they’re tasting.”
What the judges are looking for is texture, flavor, consistency and aroma. Specifically, the texture of the meat cannot be tough or mushy, but meat should be permeated with flavor and have a good blend of spices. The chili should be a nice balance of hot and mild, and there should be a smooth combination of meat and gravy and not be too thin or too thick. And there should be a pleasant aroma as dictated by the judges.
People tend to be passionate about their chili recipes. Chili is a sensory dish, and its flavor profile is as unique as its list of ingredients. Does the recipe call for beans? Tomato or no tomato? What type of meat is included – ground chuck, brisket, turkey, sausage, chicken or venison?
The teams will start cooking early in the morning, with all recipes available for sampling starting at noon. Tickets for samples are $1 each or 6 for $5. “Spoons up at noon, then people just wander the streets and eat chili,” Moore says. “We usually have about a thousand people attend. It’s a good time.”
Teams can be added on a space-available basis before Feb. 4. Those wanting to reserve T-shirts will need to sign up two weeks prior to that.
Wander the streets of Gadsden enjoying different chili recipes, then hang out for the parade a few hours later. It’s a full day party, and you’re invited. Let the good times roll, or as the Rowdy Revelers say, “Laissez les bons temps rouler!”
Editor’s Note: For more information on the Gadsden Chili Cookoff, contact Kay Moore at kay@downtowngadsden.org. For more information on the Gadsden Mardi Gras Parade, contact Deborah Miller at kreweofrowdyrevelers@gmail.com or deborahmiller72@outlook.com.
