Jump into Swim Guide 2026! From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Coosa Riverkeeper and our team of Seasonal Employees take to the water to test popular swimming holes, so you can get the skinny before you dip!
What are we testing for? E. coli, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and more! We use a simple stoplight system so you know when is the best time to jump in! Green = low E. coli, yellow = moderate E. coli, red = high E. coli.
Swim Guide helps families and communities make informed decisions on where it is safe to swim, emphasizes the importance of clean water, and where we like to jump in for a swim! All of the data collected from this program is made free to the public all through the summer.
Check out our social media every Friday at noon to see the current status of over 40 swimming sites across the Coosa! We can’t wait to see you on the water!
Follow Coosa Riverkeeper on Facebook & Instagram @CoosaRiverkeeper For more information, swim over to www.CoosaRiver.org.
Music festival and more returning to Logan Martin Lake
Story by Paul South Photos by Strides Media
Tricked-out cars, tasty eats, talented artists, crafts artisans and red-hot local bands return to Lakeside Park this fall for the sixth annual Lakeside Live Musicfest, set for Sept. 19,
The free event that’s a can’t-miss fall festival in the Logan Martin area, also benefits local charities and celebrates veterans and local first responders.
Musicfest Executive Director Casey Cambron is pumped up for another great family-friendly event, which last year drew some 6,000 people, generating about $25,000 for local charities.
“Our goal every year is to donate at least $20,000 to at least one major charity,” Cambron said. “That’s always a goal.”
He added, “We’re going to help as many people as we can. Our goal is to give back to our community where we can have the most impact. We’re going to donate to multiple charities, of course. Last year we donated to nine organizations. Some were charities, some were organizations like (Pell City) Parks and Recreation to help with park upkeep.”
Battle of the Badges a fierce competition
The festival, put on by the nonprofit Five16 Foundation Cambron founded, helps veterans’ groups and child-focused charities as well.
Food and drink, apparel, arts and crafts will be available for sale. Admittance is free, thanks to the generous support of business sponsors, large and small, ranging from Keith Clements and Lakeside Boathouse, Rodney’s Marine and LakeLife 24/7, to committed small businesses like Reba’s Weiner Wagon.
As an aside, Reba’s enters a muscle car in the Lakeside Musicfest car show each year.
“Every time I walked in the door, whether it was a small sponsor or a big sponsor, they were in. The community supports it, and we could not have this show without it,” Cambron said. “All of them tied together makes it great.”
Music for every taste – from country to R&B to rock – will provide the backbeat for the festival. The gates open at 10 a.m.
Popular Birmingham-based band Deputy Five will be the headliner, covering tunes by country legends like Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash to Southern rock, like Lynyrd Shynyrd’s Sweet Home Alabama.
“We try to have music that hits all the genres that hits home for anybody who comes out,” Cambron said.
As for the festival’s annual car show, some 250 vehicles are expected. Not only does the competition reflect competitors’ pride in their cars and trucks, it also puts community pride on display. The Pell City High School wrestling team helps with logistics of the popular event within an event.
“I’m a car guy. I’ve hosted many, many car shows.” Cambron said. “The car scene really turns out for this event and really, really supports it big. That’s one of the coolest factors of it, seeing a lot of cool cars come out, whether it’s a lifted car or lifted truck, low cars or low trucks to classic cars. It’s all over the place. We raise a lot of money on just the car show side.”
Entry for the car show is $20 per vehicle. It’s a judged show, with 75 or more awards given to winners.
For Denise Olivastri, a member of the Foundation’s board of directors, it’s more than a fun event, it’s a celebration of giving back to the community, supporting local causes in Pell City and across St. Clair County.
“This is more than just a music festival,” she said. “Giving back feels great, because it connects us to something larger than ourselves, and we couldn’t achieve our mission and vision without our generous sponsors, donors, vendors and all (the people) that attend and support us every year.”
Car show a huge draw
And in America’s 250th year of independence, the festival represents the spirit of Pell City and St. Clair County, Cambron said. A big part of the festival, the annual “Battle of the Badges,” a good-natured competition between police and firefighters, helps build bonds with the community, Cambron said. “Usually in town, most people don’t get to know our police and fire department. It’s usually in a stressful situation. It’s fun to get to know our police and firefighters,” he said. “The people get to know first responders in a positive light.”
To celebrate the nation’s birthday at the same time makes it even more spcial. “As a group, we love our community so much. Two-fifty is a cool number for what we do. We love to support our police and fire departments. We love to support our veterans in the area, whether it’s a big year like this one or not. We really cherish what we have here.”
For Cambron, who’s hosted successful car shows across America, the festival says something about the magic of St. Clair County.
“I myself have been a lot more involved in our community with Chamber (of Commerce) events, with Rotary events, and I’ve started to see that Pell City and St. Clair County are unlike anywhere I’ve ever been,” he said. “Nothing has been as successful as the way I’ve done things in Pell City. I think that’s because in Pell City, there’s a different atmosphere. There’s a larger love for community here than I’ve ever seen anywhere else.”
Cambron defines the tremendous response. “Every year, we hope to have a good turnout, and every year we do. It doesn’t surprise us. It humbles us.”
The mission of Lakeside Musicfest and the Five16 Foundation is simply, “to shine a light in the world,” Cambron said.
The event brings “energy, excitement and hometown pride to Pell City and St. Clair County.” Referencing the mission, Olivastri added, “Events like ours shine a positive light in our city, in addition to generating tourism and encouraging economic activity. It’s a wonderful feeling to see the impact it has.”
A fun day and a better future for our beloved river
Story by Carol Pappas Photos by Bob Crisp
As each stroke of the paddle in the first ever Coosa River Ramble brought racers closer to the finish line, it pushed the Coosa River closer to a better future.
It was more than a race. It was a celebration of the Coosa River and the people working to keep it clean, healthy and thriving.
“It benefits our mission to protect the Coosa River and the communities that rely on it,” said Director of Community Engagement Abby Brown.
Heading toward exciting finish at beach
Logan Martin Lake and Lakeside Park became the destination point for about 60 racers from around the state and out-of-state for this new event to raise funds for Coosa Riverkeeper and its environmental efforts.
Kayakers and paddleboarders took to the waters just beyond the park’s beach, and it drew a cheering crowd of onlookers, fans and family. There were vendors and food trucks and prizes to give away. “It was a great time,” Brown said. “Tons of families came with the racers.”
Of course, it was June in Alabama, so “it was very, very hot, but a beautiful day,” she noted. In addition to cheering sections from the shoreline, residents cheered from docks up and down the race route.
The 24K course took paddlers to Coosa Island Marina and Towboat US and back, quite a trek racers were able to complete in about two hours. Winners captured titles in the 24K, 10K and 5K categories. The 5K and 10K versions were off the main channel near Lakeside Park. A 3K and 5K “fun float” used the same course without the pressure of competition.
The response to this inaugural event was “fantastic,” Brown said, noting that first responder volunteers and volunteers from Honda strengthened the community’s impressive show of support.
Butts to Go donated and served barbecue and trimmings for the racers and volunteers. Gift card prizes came from Dock’s and Daily Bagel. Sponsors and donors not only made the event possible, they helped make it a success story – financially and environmentally.
“We are so thankful for the community engagement,” Brown said. “We hope to continue to engage the paddler community again very soon.”
As part of its priorities, Coosa Riverkeeper patrols five lakes and dozens of creeks to identify and document pollution – and beauty – and keep abreast of what is going on in the river system.
It educates the public about the value of the Coosa River to its community, economy and environment.
Coosa Riverkeeper is a strong advocate for the river and the “thousands of families who rely on it for fun, food, and property value,” it maintains. “A river has a head and a mouth, but it does not have a voice to speak for itself in our classrooms, courtrooms, and town halls.”
That’s Coosa Riverkeeper’s job.
Editor’s Note: To learn more about Coosa Riverkeeper, go to: CoosaRiverkeeper.org.
Gadsden museum finding new ways to promote art for generations to come
When Ray Wetzel was in high school in Hokes Bluff, there was no art program. But through encouragement and mentoring, he followed his passion into college and emerged with a Fine Arts degree in painting.
Now, as director of Gadsden Museum of Art, Wetzel wants to provide to young people opportunities he lacked early on by promoting the arts in new and innovative ways.
May 8-9, art will take center stage – or in this case, center street – as Arts Trail on Broad arrives for its inaugural event sponsored by Alabama Arts Trail, City of Gadsden and Gadsden Museum of Art.
Feeling Light Headed by Stacy Holloway
The Arts Trail is a project of the Alabama Visual Arts Network which has been linking artists’ studios around the state for more than 60 years.
Arts Trail on Broad was “birthed” from the successes of Gadsden Arts Council’s Artoberfest in October in Alabama City, which seeks to bring arts to life around different arts organizations, such as music, dance and theatre.
Wetzel is a board member with Alabama Visual Arts Network and wanted to merge the idea with art as the centerpiece of a Broad Street event. It brings art groups to Gadsden in various mediums. There will be sculptures, murals, metal and iron works, painting and more with artist demonstrations up and down Broad Street.
Demonstrating artists will actively share their creative process with the public (for example: live painting, ceramics, printmaking, sculpture, fiber, mixed media), while also having the opportunity to present and sell their work.
Friday’s events begin at 11 with demonstrations for high school students. The first leg of the two-day event is talking to young people – professional artists sharing their experiences, said Wetzel. “Art is a billion-dollar industry. It’s not a dead- end career. We want to encourage children to go into this field.”
Alabama Contemporary Art Center will bring “big name artists” to Gadsden, Wetzel said, heightening the draw of this new event.
True Colors, an Etowah County Schools art program for underserved students, will have an exhibition reception from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Gadsden Museum of Art, and free music of all types will be performed throughout the weekend.
Works by Jonathan Peterson
Entertainment is nonstop on Friday night.
Maypole performance by the Downtown Dance Conservatory (6 p.m.) at Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts
Piano concert by Eden Brent (7 p.m.) at Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts
Me & My Knife (8 p.m.) and
Quintron and Miss Pussycat (9 p.m.) on the street by the Gadsden Museum of Art
Live music will be performed by:
Sam and The Big Boys (6:30 p.m.)
Phantom Eye (7:30 p.m.)
The Laborers (8:30 p.m.)
Brotha Josh (9:30 p.m.)
The Golden Flakes (10:30 p.m.)
Saturday begins at 9 a.m. with a Mother’s Day Market with over 30 art vendors, Chompshop Cardboard Sculpture Contest and directed drawing workshops.
From 11-1, Jacksonville State University will offer portfolio reviews and critiques. And all day long will feature a bounce house and food trucks. l
Editor’s Note: Performance times are subject to change. Please visit this page for the latest show times: gadsdenmuseum.com/all-events
Lineup of events keeps things hopping on the water
Story by Molly Gilbert Submitted Photos
On Lake Logan Martin, summer isn’t just a season — it’s a feeling. It’s the hum of boat engines in the distance, the glow of late sunsets stretching across the water and the familiar sight of neighbors gathering in ways that feel both meaningful and effortless.
Some traditions are rooted in giving back, others in pure fun, but what they all share is a simple truth: life on the lake is best experienced together.
This summer, three standout events — the Riverside Poker Run, Dam Palooza and Christmas in July at Pier 59 — offer three very different ways to celebrate everything that makes this community special.
Riverside Poker Run:A Tradition Built on Community and Purpose
Now in its 17th year, the Riverside Poker Run has become a Father’s Day weekend tradition that feels as much like a family reunion as it does a fundraiser. Organized by the Riverside Beautification Organization (RBO), the event began in 2008 as a creative way to raise funds—and has since grown into the organization’s largest annual effort to support projects that shape the heart of Riverside.
The poker run is a community event with plenty of neighbors getting in on the festivities
On the morning of the run, there’s a quiet buzz near Riverside Landing as boats begin to gather — pontoons loaded with families and friends, fishing boats easing into the current, jet skis darting between them. Participants pick up their $20 registration packets, complete with a map, poker chips and cards, then set off along a seven-stop route winding through the river.
Each dock along the way offers a chance to draw a card, but the experience is about far more than building a winning hand. This year, every stop is dressed in patriotic flair in honor of the nation’s 250th birthday, turning the route into a floating celebration.
“My motivation to be involved with the Annual Poker Run is the camaraderie between the community and other RBO members,” said Michele Molstad, president of the organization. “It’s a fun and great example of teamwork.”
That camaraderie shows up in the smallest moments — volunteers greeting familiar faces, laughter echoing across the docks and the steady rhythm of boats pulling up one after another.
“When you’re working a dock sometimes it feels like the run is off to a slow start, but it is not long before a constant flow of boaters on everything from pontoons to fishing boats to jet skis are lined up to participate and draw their cards,” Molstad said. “Even if they don’t have the makings for a winning hand, they are out enjoying the day on the water!”
Back at Riverside Landing, the celebration continues with Bucks BBQ and Bait Shop, food trucks, live music, raffles and prizes — including everything from best poker hands to a good-natured worst-hand award.
But the real impact runs deeper. Funds raised have helped build playgrounds, improve trails and enhance native habitats. This year’s event also marks the final push in a multi-year riverbank restoration project, with just 40 feet left to complete and a final $6,000 goal in sight.
“Every year I’m surprised with the turn out,” Molstad said. “We have had boaters from Lincoln, Talladega, Pell City and visitors from even further out-of-town spending the day with family and friends on the lake. Our mayor, Rusty Jessup, gets involved and announces the winners from the Riverside Landing each year. The poker run fundraising goes a long way in our Riverside community.”
Set for Saturday, June 20 (rain date June 27), the Riverside Poker Run is more than a day on the water—it’s a chance to be part of something that lasts long after the boats head home.
For more information, visit the Riverside Beautification Organization (RBO) Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/riversidebeautificationorganization.
For more information about sponsoring or volunteering, contact RBO Vice President Stephanie Irwin at 205-821-8168. Riverside Poker Run registration will be from 4 – 7 p.m. Friday, June 19th, and Saturday, June 20th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All poker hands must be turned into the RBO staff by 2 p.m. on Saturday. Awards will be announced shortly after.
Dam Palooza:A Floating Celebration of Summer
If the Riverside Poker Run is about the journey, Dam Palooza is all about the gathering.
On June 27, boats from across Lake Logan Martin will make their way toward the dam, tying up side by side to form what has become one of the lake’s most anticipated summer traditions.
Boats line up and create safe area for swimmers
“You meet new people each year,” said organizer Kelly Collar. “It’s a fun annual event that’s become a tradition for decades. Something a little different from everyday lake life. Everyone looks forward to it.”
From the water, the scene feels almost like a neighborhood block party — just one that happens to float. Friends move easily between boats, kids splash in designated swim areas, and groups settle in for a full day under the sun. It’s the kind of event where familiar faces return year after year, but new friendships are just as much a part of the experience.
“It’s gotten bigger and bigger,” Collar said. “Last year was our biggest one — the most boats of any year and the most people. Last year was absolutely perfect, and therefore this year is going to be even better!”
Part of that growth comes from a few thoughtful additions that build on what people already love. Sponsors, including The Tiki Hut, ABC Towing and A+ Tire & Repair, are helping elevate the experience, while still keeping it free and community-driven.
“In past years, it’s been like 100 boats playing different music,” Collar said. “So the idea of one band and one source of music has been really exciting.”
After introducing a live band for the first time last year — hosted atop a houseboat provided by The Tiki Hut — organizers are building on that momentum. This year, the goal is to place the band on a floating stage right in the center of the tied-up boats, where everyone can gather a little closer and feel like part of the same crowd.
Even as the event grows, organizers are intentional about keeping the atmosphere welcoming for everyone. Designated swim areas, along with posted tips and guidelines on the event’s Facebook page, help ensure that the day stays both fun and safe.
“We definitely want people to know that it’s always kid-friendly. Dam Palooza is for everybody,” Collar said. “We’ve seen little children to grandparents. It just seems like everybody is having a good time. It’s always safety first.”
By the time the sun begins to dip, and boats slowly start to untie, what lingers most isn’t just the music or the size of the crowd — it’s the connections made along the way.
For more information, visit the Lake Logan Martin Dam Palooza Boat Tie Up Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LakeLoganMartinDamPalooza. Stop by The Tiki Hut to purchase a limited edition commemorative t-shirts for the 13th Annual Dam Palooza.
Christmas in July at Pier 59:Giving Back, Lake-Style
Later in the summer, the tone shifts — but the sense of community only grows stronger.
On July 11, Pier 59 will host its 17th annual Christmas in July celebration, an event that blends festive fun with a deeply meaningful tradition of supporting the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB).
The Christmas in July Committee has a passion for supporting AIDB’s work. Each year, the event raises funds to provide Christmas gifts for approximately 350-400 students, many of whom might otherwise go without. With an estimated goal of $300 per child, the impact is both tangible and deeply felt.
Christmas in July is a team effort that brings the community together for a good cause
On the morning of the fundraiser, hit the water for a boat poker run that begins and ends at Pier 59. The live auction will follow and feature everything from handmade items created by AIDB students to vacation getaways, jewelry and sports memorabilia. Raffle tickets for a $10,000 cash prize and Boston butts are pre-sold to also help support the cause. There’s a sense of celebration in the air — equal parts festive and heartfelt.
For Magan Cline, being part of Christmas in July is all about the team behind it. After attending for several years and volunteering last year, she now helps as part of the committee, working alongside others to create a night that gives back in a big way.
“Christmas is my favorite time of year, and I love AIDB’s mission. It’s really like an eat, drink and be merry situation,” Cline said. “It’s super special to be a part of. I’ve toured AIDB and seen how much they do for these kids. It’s a great way for people to give back to the kids and help them as well.”
It’s that blend of joy and generosity that makes Christmas in July stand out. In a place where community already runs strong, it offers a chance to turn that connection into something meaningful for others.
For more information, contact: Magan Cline mmkcline@gmail.com or Becky Watson at 256-761-3318.
Celebrating Community
Taken together, these three events paint a picture of what summer on Lake Logan Martin is all about.
It’s early mornings launching boats and long afternoons drifting between friends. It’s laughter at a dock stop, music echoing across the water and neighbors showing up — again and again — for something bigger than themselves.
Whether you’re playing a hand in Riverside, tying up at the dam or bidding on items at Pier 59, each event offers its own way to step into the rhythm of the lake. And in doing so, you become part of the story that keeps this community coming back, year after year.
Because here, the best days aren’t just spent on the water — they’re shared.
Another year of success for event at Quintard Mall
Story and photos by Graham Hadley
The East Alabama Boat show notched another successful year as boat dealers filled the Quintard Mall parking lot in Oxford with row after row of a huge variety of watercraft – from WaveRunners to large performance luxury tritoons.
Vanessa and Clyde Keel from Lincoln try out a personal watercraft
The event, sponsored by AmFirst, was held April 10-12, and featured boats from Poor House Branch Marina, Sylacauga Marine and Wedowee Marine, and vendors like Oxford’s Tackle Box.
Organizer Thomas Shelton, who worked with the City of Oxford to make it all happen, credits the success of the boat show to a combination of great location combined with what the boat dealers bring to the table.
“The mall is the perfect location, at the intersection of two highways, plenty room for the boats and parking,” he said. “We try to pick a place for these events that generates traffic for the local businesses. And the mall has all the amenities – restrooms and the food court, plus the arcade and movie theater and other shops. From a family perspective, it made perfect sense. It makes the show a more inclusive event.
“And the folks at Quintard Mall are great to work with. They were very welcoming and really care about their tenants and do what they can to generate traffic for the mall.”
Shelton said, because they have almost no overhead, it is a very affordable show for the boat dealers, vendors and sponsors. “Almost everything they put into the show goes into marketing it. It’s a very effective way to market and a good way for the sponsor and the dealers to get their money’s worth.”
Oxford’s Tackle Box was on hand to show off fishing gear
The show is limited to three dealers with the idea that they bring lots of boats – fishing, ski and wake, pontoons and tritoons, and personal watercraft. Shelton said that works out well because it means those few dealers get all the customer traffic and are much more likely to make sales.
“Because we are so affordable a show, the dealers, for all their work, only have to make a few sales for the event to be profitable for them.”
Shelton, who has a local Alfa insurance agency in Oxford, consults on the boat show and to bring more fishing tournaments to Calhoun County and surrounding areas. He taps into his love of fishing and the water and his experience as a competitive fisherman to help attract the events to the region.
“I am a presenting sponsor for the Alabama Bass Trail, Fishers of Men, Sylacauga Marine Trail and others. In fact, my daughter and I are going to be on the ABT fishing tournament tomorrow on Neely Henry.”
Bringing in big dealers from across the region – Poor House in Talladega County, Wedowee Marine and Sylacauga Marine – is a win-win for the mall and Calhoun County.
Something for everyone: bass boats, wake boats and pontoons
“The show was well attended. The dealers said they were happy with sales, and it drew not only local visitors, but people from Mobile, Tuscaloosa, Auburn and parts of Georgia,” said Cher Dulaney, tourism director for the Calhoun County Area Chamber and Visitors Center.
“It brings traffic to the mall and other businesses and highlights that, with all the renovations, the mall is becoming a lifestyle center for the community. Having something regional in reach going on in the parking lot is great for that.
“Its part of the big picture – attracting more and more people to the area.”
With the latest successful show under his belt, Shelton said he is already looking to next year.
“As long as there is interest, we will continue to host the show here. And we have had a lot of interest.”
It’s hard to top the year before 16 years in a row, but Logan Martin LakeFest organizers just seem to find a way to do it, year after year.
From its signature in-water boat show to a spectacular fireworks display to stages full of headliner bands and discovered new talent, LakeFest presented by AmFirst keeps it fresh and new each year.
Boats of all kinds on display
From dozens of lake lifestyle vendors to a palate pleasing lineup of food trucks to the Mates and Mateys Parade and games and rides for the kids, Lakeside Park is transformed into a fun-filled paradise.
Set for May 8-10, the weekend is packed with all kinds of activities designed to lure lake and land lovers alike.
On Sunday, May 10, there will even be free Mimosas for Moms – a special treat for Mother’s Day.
Want to go? Admission is free, and prizes are given away all weekend. You’re eligible just by dropping your ticket into the drawing box. Grand prizes are announced Sunday afternoon.
Proceeds from sponsorships and vendor booth rentals help support Logan Martin LakeFest Charities, a nonprofit organization contributing to other nonprofits around the community.
LakeFest Day 1 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Vendor Setup 2 p.m.: LakeFest open to the public, Live Music, Vendors, Boat Test Drives Soon after dark (estimated around 8 P.M.): FIREWORKS show honoring veterans from the Colonel Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home 9 p.m.: LakeFest closes for the evening
LakeFest Day 2 7 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Vendor Setup 10 a.m.: LakeFest Day 2 Open! Live Music, Vendors, Boat Test Drives 9 p.m.: Lakefest closes for the evening
LakeFest Day 3 12 p.m.: LakeFest Day 3 Open! 12 p.m.: FREE Mimosas for Mom and special gift courtesy A.m.First. 3 p.m.: Giveaway winners announced, Live Music! 5 p.m.: LakeFest ends
Join us on the mighty Coosa to kick off summer with the very first Coosa River Ramble on June 13 at Lakeside Park in Pell City! This event will be open to families and spectators of all ages, and we’ll have vendors, music, food trucks, and more during and after the race to create a fun-filled day!
Whether you are new to paddlin’ or have been doing it for years, we hope you will join us! You can pick between a 5k or 10k and choose to take it slow or try to win! Every racer will get access to pre-race yoga, t-shirt, race participation medal, stickers, and more.
Registration includes entry to the race, swag bag, access to the fun before & after the race (yoga, raffles, vendors, music, etc), lunch, and of course the chance to win! You’ll also be making the world a better place by protecting the mighty Coosa!
Celebrating two and a half centuries of nation’s independence
Story by Paul South and Graham Hadley Submitted Photos
John Adams, one of America’s Founding Fathers and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, laid down the perfect blueprint for celebrating the birth of the nation on July 4.
In a famous letter to his wife Abigail, Adams wrote that the day should be celebrated “with pomp and parades, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfire and illuminations.”
Add in the intoxicating aroma of good Alabama barbecue, and it’s the perfect Fourth.
In Gadsden, Pell City, Southside and all along the Coosa River and its man-made companion lakes, Logan Martin and Neely Henry, folks will follow Mr. Adams’ recipe for Independence Day in their celebrations, especially in this, the Republic’s 250th anniversary.
The three cities began planning for the nation’s semi quincentennial on July 5, 2025, a year in advance of America’s milestone birthday bash.
Here’s a glimpse of what’s on the holiday agenda in the region:
Pell City: A Bigger Bang Theory
In late summer of 2025, during the city’s budgeting process, Community Engagement Special Projects Manager Jeff Thompson and Parks and Recreation Director Bubba Edge began the planning for Independence Day 2026. Given the milestone 250th birthday, the two wanted to do something special.
Live music at Pell City’s Lakeside Park
“The (City) Council went above and beyond,” Thompson said. “What they agreed to was not only to increase the fireworks budget for the extraordinarily popular show that’s on Logan Martin every year, but to double it.”
That means a show that normally costs $30,000 will be a bigger $60,000 fireworks show at the park.
“We were ecstatic,” Thompson said. “This is a community that is patriotic, that loves its veterans, that understands the significance of (this day). The Council’s decision exemplifies that.”
The decision meant that Thompson, Edge and the city had work to do. It was a welcome challenge.
“It gave us the opportunity to really try and capture this important anniversary with a special event at Lakeside Park and the Pell City Sports Complex,” Thompson said.
Pyro Shows annually puts on the fireworks extravaganza for Pell City’s Fourth festivities.
“The way that it works is much like going to a fireworks store as an individual,” Thompson said. “We have asked them for something amazing this year … What we’ve asked for is bigger and more. We want it to be a celebration, and we want this community and the surrounding communities that attend this event and this show to feel what we’re putting into this; how much we love our country and how special this day is.”
Fireworks are only part of Pell City’s Independence Day festivities. Valley Bank, WinSouth Federal Credit Union and Exit Realty Coosa River Realty-Michelle Green have partnered with the city to create a stage with live music, as well as food trucks with a variety of popular eats and a kids’ area in the sports complex. The three events together are called “Lights Over Logan Martin.”
Asked his favorite part of the prep for this special Independence Day, Thompson said, “I think it’s the recognition from this community that this is most certainly something to celebrate and the community’s desire to get on board.”
He added, “It has not been difficult at all to talk to the people here and this mayor and City Council who are overjoyed with this idea and this public about how special this day is and how much they want to be a part of it.”
City officials are expecting 10,000 people on land for the event, not including the massive flotilla of boat traffic that’s expected on water.
“My personal goal, from the city’s perspective, is to be able to give this community something that they can be proud of on the 250th anniversary of their wonderful country,” Thompson said.
“I want people to know that they live in a community that is incredibly patriotic and incredibly generous, and (this community) wants you to come out and celebrate with it on the Fourth of July.”
Gadsden: A year in the making
Asked when the region’s largest city began planning for America’s special day, John Moore, Gadsden’s director of economic development and governmental affairs, laughed. “Probably July 5 (2025),” he said.
But for Gadsden, a city building a reputation for top-drawer events, America’s 250th anniversary will be a springboard to bigger, better Independence Day celebrations, while drawing from its past with local bands and food trucks.
Black Jacket Symphony performing Yacht Rock
Featured local performers John Player and Tony Irby are on the bill, with the evening’s music capped off by internationally known Black Jacket Symphony performing Yacht Rock. The concert is free.”
“I think we’re going to try to bring back that River Fest sort of feel,” Moore said. “We’re going to bring the stage out to the four-lane on 411. It’s right on the banks of the Coosa River.”
While the concert is free, adult beverages, soft drinks and food will be available for purchase.
“We’re going to put a bar on every corner we can,” Moore said.
The evening will close out with a fireworks show off Gadsden’s Broad Street Bridge.
“We will probably put on the biggest fireworks show the city has ever seen,” Moore said.
In fact, Moore said, it may be the largest celebration of America’s birthday in the city’s history – “with us bringing the concert out on 411 and the fireworks show off the bridge, plus we’re working on some things I can’t talk about right now.”
Folks can expect to see increased promotion of Gadsden’s celebration as it draws closer.
The celebration is part of a concerted effort on the part of Mayor Craig Ford and the city to make Gadsden a destination city.
“That’s what the mayor brought me on for,” Moore said. “We’re always looking for something that’s not being done in the area, or something that can be improved. That’s how we picked up with the Lantern Festival (at Noccalula Falls) that wasn’t being done anywhere in the area.”
As of late March, some 40,000 people had attended Lantern Fest, at least half coming from outside the region, Moore said.
On Independence Day, some 500 to 800 boats are expected on the Coosa.
“It’s an amazing thing to see that sea of boats,” Moore said. “And to see people stretched across the city; there’s roughly 25,000 people within a one-mile radius of City Hall getting ready to watch the fireworks show. It’s got to be one of the largest fireworks shows in the state, just in terms of the number of people.”
What’s the takeaway from Gadsden’s celebration of the Fourth? Moore was quick to reply. “It should be one of those holidays when people remember the ultimate sacrifice that servicemen and women gave to give us the freedoms that we were looking for on that day in 1776.”
Southside: Challenges, charity and selling the sizzle
Southside residents will be able to join their neighbors in Gadsden and Rainbow City for fireworks and festivities on the Fourth, because of Highway 77 bridge construction in the city, Mayor Joey Statum said.
The new two-lane bridge will better connect Southside and Rainbow City, but the project is expected to take two or more years.
But on May 23 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., the city will host “Cruising for a Cure” at Southside Community Center, a car show to raise money to help local kids and their families battling childhood cancer.
Cruising for a Cure returning to Southside
Classic cars can enter for $10 a vehicle. There will also be a 50/50 raffle and other drawings. But 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the families who are fighting cancer.
Food trucks and vendors will also be on hand.
It’s an early kickoff for America’s 250th anniversary, Statum said. Last year, the event raised $9,000.
Whorton Bend Baptist Church and many others are among the sponsors for the event.
While individuals will shoot fireworks from the river and at the landing, there will not be city-sponsored illuminations on the Fourth. However, next year, Southside hopes to bring back City Fest, which will include fireworks.
“We hope to do that every year,” Statum said. He was elected last November.
Southside, like Gadsden and Pell City, hopes to bring more events to town.
“The vision we have is that with the landing we have now, we want to have an entertainment district,” Statum said. “We want a place where families can come and enjoy a nice dinner, have some drinks, have their kids play.”
Statum would also like to see a permanent spot for Southside’s “Dinner and a Movie” nights. “We want a place where people can come and be entertained,” Statum said.
The city also wants to bolster the downtown business district. “That’s a long-term vision,” he said.’
But things are already on the move. Johnson’s Grocery is new. Southside Pharmacy is, too. Restaurants have committed to coming to town. Southside Hardware is building a 12,000 square foot store. A Waffle House location will begin construction in May.
Tennis and pickleball courts are also on the city’s agenda.
“All these things are quality of life things,” Statum said. “We have a vision as a mayor and city council to bring in revenue from all the things that are going on Highway 77 to improve our quality of life.”
He added, “We’re going to take advantage of our resources which are here and the river, and we’re going to have a good quality of life and keep our kids here, working here.”
Rainbow City: Freedom takes flight
In what could be described as one of the nation’s most unique celebrations of America’s 250th birthday, Rainbow City presents its fourth annual Freedom Flight Drone Show.
This is the fourth annual aerial spectacular at the city’s soccer complex, which this year will include 500 unmanned aircraft. The one-of-a-kind event is sensitive to the needs of children and veterans who may be negatively affected by the loud explosions of a traditional fireworks display, Mayor Joe Taylor said.
Patriotic images in the sky over Rainbow City thanks to the Freedom Flight Drone Show
“It’s less obnoxious for certain groups of the population, like children who have sensory disabilities or veterans who have PTSD. It also is for pets with owners who want to come with their pets out in public and not have to worry about the loud boom of a fireworks show.”
The drone show is paired with a community market the week before the Fourth on June 27.
“It’s a patriotic celebration. This year we’ll have 500 drones,” Tayor said. “We’ll fly a marketing flight that will feature the logos of all our community partners, and then we’ll have more music and an hour later, we’ll fly 500 drones. One hundred will feature non-explosive pyrotechnics that will be like sparklers that will give a better sense of what the show’s all about – patriotism and especially the 250th anniversary of the United States.”
Freedom Flight seeks to be sensitive to the entire population. Twenty thousand people are expected to see the show from various vantage points, double Rainbow City’s population.
The drone show will include two 15-minute segments.
“We’re really trying to appeal to the sensibility and the needs of the people who live here,” Taylor said. “You know, we have a lot of pet ownership. We have several rehabilitative services here that deal with children that have autism or different conditions that loud noise can cause a problem for them. People don’t like to use the word inclusive, but we’re trying to be inclusive to everyone in our celebration.”
Taylor got the idea for the drone event after seeing a similar show in Arizona.
“It’s a different type of show,” he said. “It’s something that’s pretty special, and it’s very, very unique.”
While 5,000 people will be in the area of Freedom Flight, the show will be visible for miles, Taylor said.
“We put the (patriotic music) on a local radio station, and you can see the show from inside your car or inside your house, depending on your line of sight,” Taylor said.
The event also has an educational component. The city’s Challenger Learning Center, which offers STEM learning, will give students a chance to have a close encounter with the science of drone technology on the afternoon before the show.
“They teach kids how to fly drones,” Taylor said. “It’s high-level technology.”
Rainbow City’s celebration will also feature food trucks and arts and crafts at the community market. Aside from food, drink and the arts and crafts, everything else is free.
Taylor takes pride in the drone event. A 17-year veteran of Army Special Forces, America’s 250th takes on a special significance.
“This country has done so much for me,” Taylor said. “We really do want to create a family-friendly environment where you can come out and enjoy a patriotic celebration with about 5,000 of your best friends.”
Lincoln’s Landing: Fishing and fireworks
No sports are more American than fishing and stock car racing. Lincoln, Alabama, is one of the capitals of both sports. The world’s best drivers compete annually at the Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, and the world’s best anglers cast for a trophy catch on the Coosa River.
So it goes without saying, Lincoln’s Landing is a hot spot to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. In fact, a fishing tournament will join a fireworks display as the marquee events to spark the Independence Day celebration.
Boats line Logan Martin just off shore from Lincon’s Landing
With all the celebrations on tap for the Coosa River region, Lincoln’s Landing wants to start the party early.
“We will have a decent-sized fishing tournament here on June 27. We’re also doing our fireworks show that day,” said Michael Morris, Lincoln’s Landing park director. “We usually have people out here all day, depending on if Angler’s Pointe (next door) is doing anything. People come over here and park and go visit over there. Some folks bring their grills. They try to make it a big day.”
The Lincoln’s Landing event will also include food trucks. Also 94.1 The River will provide music for the day and a patriotic soundtrack for the fireworks display.
Morris explained Lincoln’s Landing’s early start to the holiday fun.
“We look to do ours the week before just so that it works well for the fireworks company and works well for us,” Morris said. “Instead of having all the (area) fireworks shows in one weekend, you have them spread out, and we kind of pull the most people. We try to do it so that we have the best outcome and the most people can enjoy it with their families.”
The show is expected to last 20 to 30 minutes.
Morris, who has been with Lincoln’s Landing since the park’s earliest days, said the Independence Day celebration is “probably my favorite event” on the park calendar.”
Of all the events Lincoln’s Landing does, “I’d like to say the Fourth of July is my favorite because of the meaning behind it and the amount of people,” he said. “It’s not just the fishing tournament out here, but you see non-fishermen coming out here to enjoy the 39 acres that we sit on.”
The event draws anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 people and that includes people that are on the water.
Because Lincoln’s Landing is on Logan Martin Lake’s main channel, Morris said, “I can see boats from bend to bend. They’re just all scattered. It’s a full house.”
Morris offered advice for first-time revelers at Lincoln’s Landing. “The main reason the place was built was for tournament fishermen,” Morris said. “But my goal is that we want everybody in our community to enjoy it. We don’t want anybody to say, ‘That’s a tournament fishing park. I can’t go out there and take my grandkids fishing off the pier. We want everyone to enjoy it, because without the community of the city of Lincoln, we wouldn’t be able to have this place. We want people to take pride in this place as I do.”
If the founders like John Adams could see what’s happening in Southside, Gadsden, Pell City and Lincoln, they’d no doubt smile.
To borrow a phrase that Statum brings to city hall every day – “Let’s sell the sizzle. We’re selling the sizzle in Southside. We want the people of Southside to have the quality of life they deserve.”
Calhoun County’s Year-Long Celebration
Residents in Calhoun County will get to stretch their celebrations of the two and a half centuries of American independence across multiple days.
Jacksonville starts the ball rolling July 3, at 6 p.m. at Jax Fest, with music, vendors, food trucks, games, fireworks and more.
Liberty at the Landing dedication April 23
Oxford follows up with the Freedom Festival at Oxford Lake and Civic Center July 4, with a day of family-friendly events capped off with a spectacular fireworks show.
And those are just two of the highlights of what promoters are calling a year-long event for the region.
“We have the opportunity to be part of the America 250AL initiative.We put together a committee and started the Calhoun County 250 effort,” said Cher Dulaney, tourism director for the Calhoun County Area Chamber and Visitors Center. “We have been working here with the Chamber, our mayors, local businesses and volunteers to be the hub for all things America 250 in Calhoun.”
The county officially kicked off the local movement in the national and state semiquincentennial celebrations with the planting of a Liberty Tree at the Chief Ladiga Landing on the landmark rails-to-trails project in Jacksonville. The planting took place in March, with countywide Liberty Tree Ceremony following on April 23.
“State and local officials, an honor guard, the Pledge, music and the reading of the Declaration of Independence were part of the event,” Dulaney said.
“The events surrounding the Liberty Tree have become a symbol for the efforts in Calhoun County because of what the tree symbolizes — the unity — because people from all across the county had to come to the table to collaborate to make it happen.”
Plans are for the Chief Ladiga Trail to play a key role in other events for the America250AL initiative, she said.
“Jacksonville is putting together the 250 Ladiga Freedom ride June 28. The ride will be 12.5 miles each way, starting and ending at Ladiga Landing, for a total of 25 miles in recognition of the 250th.”
Keeping that theme, the event starts at 2:50 p.m., and participants are invited to wear “their favorite red, white and blue clothing to celebrate America. Participation is free, no registration required,” the organizers’ Facebook page states.
“We are working with other cities on the trail to do similar events,” Dulaney said.
Dulaney sees the celebrations, including local education efforts about the historic importance of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, as a year-long event.
“It’s definitely a work in progress. It’s ongoing,” she said.
The committee and Chamber officials are looking at tying in America Gives to the America250AL efforts and Calhoun Gives, focusing on events around Veterans Day, among other options.
“This is the year of freedom. We want to celebrate that.”
What may be the biggest lake party in Alabama returns for its 16th edition Mother’s Day weekend.
Logan Martin Lakefest and Boat Show will once again generate funds for charity, while at the same time cooking up a greater sense of community. Over the years, the festival has raised some $500,000 for good causes across St. Clair County.
LakeFest is set for May 8-10 at Pell City’s Lakeside Park. And while there will be some new wrinkles for festival goers this year, the family friendly recipe remains the same – hot live music, tasty food and drink, sleek new boats and a variety of vendors.
Bass boats, personal watercraft, ATVs and more on display
A patriotic spirit flows through the event annually, particularly in this, America’s 250th year. A Friday night fireworks display will honor veterans from the Col. Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home.
“Me and the other event producers are just blessed,” said Lakefest Director Eric Housh. “The support we get from the (Pell City) Fire Department, Police Department and the city itself and our wonderful core group of sponsors and other businesses in the community, I won’t say it’s easy to pull off, but it’s not as a difficult as it used to be.”
In cities and towns across the country, festivals come and go. But there’s a secret sauce that’s kept LakeFest rocking for nearly two decades.
“I think from the start, our mission and our purpose was to bring the community together and do something good for the community,” Housh said. “I think once you have a purpose that all your sponsors and everybody affiliated with the event can really buy into, it kind of serves as your North Star.”
As it has been from day one, Lakefest admission is free. For Housh, the event serves as the unofficial kickoff of the summer, prime time on Logan Martin.
“People come out, and they’ve got their lake houses ready. They’ve got their boats ready,” he said. “They’re ready to engage with some vendors and boat dealers and maybe spend a little money and get ready for the summer season.”
For years now, Lakefest has been drawing huge crowds to Logan Martin
Dozens of vendors are expected, including artists and sellers of home goods, apparel, home services and more, tailored to the lake lifestyle. A small fleet of gourmet food trucks are part of the festivities with offerings from popular spots like Moody’s Carpenetti’s New York Style Pizza, Down South BBQ and local taco trucks.
Snacks like fresh boiled peanuts, lemonade and D&W Kettle Corn are just part of the food lineup.
Throughout the festival’s history, the community has always come first. And it has responded. Some 50-60,000 people turned out for last year’s event.
“The community has always been our focus, “ Housh said. “I think that serves us well. Our crowds have always been fantastic and increase every year. We try to do something new and different to keep crowds coming back every year.”
Housh praised the small army of volunteers, led by Judy Carr, Justin Hogeland and Kasey Flurry.
“We’ve just got a good team of folks that have done the event so much,” Housh said. “We know what to look out for. We know how to do different things to keep the public coming back and keep them happy.”
This year, Moms at the festival will get a special Mother’s Day treat – a Sunday mimosa.
The event kicks off on Friday, May 8 at 2 p.m., and continues until 9 that night. The fireworks show will be the culmination of the opening night. Fun resumes Saturday. Gates open at 10 and the festival lasts until 9 p.m. On Mother’s Day, festival hours are from noon until 5 p.m.
A drone’s eye view of festivities at Logan Martin Lakeside Park in Pell City
A Saturday feature is a children’s parade sponsored by Visit St. Clair, where kids dressed as mermaids and pirates can join the fun. Face painting and other fun are in store, too. The “Mermaids and Mateys” parade, patterned after New Orleans’ famous second line jazz parades, is co-sponsored by Coosa Riverkeeper. It will also provide environmental education for the kids.
Live music is a Lakefest tradition, but the lineup of bands – and some other surprises this year – were still being worked out at this writing.
“We’re still kind of cooking that up for this year,” Housh said. “You’ll see some familiar faces this year and probably some new acts as well.”
Lakefest began as a community fundraiser. Back then, the Logan Martin Lake Protection Association was raising funds for a wetlands boardwalk. The LMLPA asked local businessmen Jerry Woods, Lee Holmes, Joe Paul Abbott and Fred Casey if they could help. The men came up with the idea for Lakefest and asked Housh, then a member of the LMLPA board, to help.
“I had some event exposure,” Housh said. “I wouldn’t call it expertise at all. I’d done events before, so they brought me in and let me run with it.”
That inaugural event covered what was needed for the boardwalk and the rest is history.
The first couple of years were held at Horizons, downriver from where the event is now. The festival moved to its current location a couple of years later. Because it was in the Pell City limits, local police and fire were able to pitch in. That made a huge difference.
“That just kicked it into another gear,” Housh said.
Not only is it the largest festival on the lake. Lakefest may be the biggest in-water boat show in the state, if not the Southeast, Housh said.
“As far as pure attendance, I don’t know if there’s a bigger event on the lake in Alabama.”
Despite the large numbers, the festival doesn’t feel crowded.
“Even though it may seem a bit overwhelming, it doesn’t seem crowded at all,” Housh said.
Has the success of the festival been a surprise?
“If you had asked me 16 years ago if I thought I would be doing it in 16 years, I probably would have said no,” Housh said. “I would have thought this is something we would do for four or five years, raise a little money and let the event run its course. But early on, seeing the response of the community, local businesses and entrepreneurs and the city leaders, it became clear to us that this was an event that people valued and wanted to see succeed,”
Housh refuses to take credit for the event’s success. “The success of Lakefest is completely attributable to the buy-in in this community and by the folks that have been our sponsors for the last 16 years.”
The festival’s ability to bring the community together is important, said St. Clair Tourism Coordinator Blair Goodgame. Also, the festival highlights the lake lifestyle.
“Anything where we are able to do to gather our community together is huge,” Goodgame said. “The volunteers, businesses, civic groups, families, when all of those people are coming together, it really shows how special the area is and how special Pell City is.”
She added, (the festival) is one that people just rally around. It creates a shared sense of pride which is what we always want in tourism. We want our locals to tell others where they are and how proud they are about it.”
The proceeds go to helping local charities in Pell City and St. Clair County
Housh and his team earned high marks.
“They do a fantastic job promoting the event,” Goodgame said. “They make sure it’s promoted beyond St. Clair County. What they’ve been able to give back to the community and to local charities is outstanding.”
The attendance and backing combined with the positive feedback affirm that the work is worth it. The nonprofit event benefits charities in the area.
“That’s incredibly rewarding,” Housh said. “When we cut checks, a lot of the charities we help don’t know they’re getting the money. It’s really a blessing to be able to bless those that are giving so much back to our community.”
For Housh, one word best describes the importance of Lakefest: Community.
“A lot of folks will move all around their whole life and never really find a really good supportive community. In the 16 years, we’ve never had a (negative) incident out there. You think about it: We’re running 50,000 people in and out of a confined space, and the public’s never acted up. We’ve never had to arrest anybody or escort anybody out, or had any safety issues. It’s just a really great community.”
What does he love best about LakeFest? “I love throwing the biggest party on the lake. I love supporting local charities. I love showing some love to our veterans. And as sadistic as this sounds, I love the grind of putting this thing together every year and having the satisfaction of seeing this happen.
“If I had to boil it down to one thing, it’s just this community and what it means to me and what it means to everybody who lives here.”
For newcomers to Lakefest, Housh made a point. It’s about community.
“This is a safe, free, family friendly event. It’s basically the more the merrier. If you go out there, you’re going to see the best people in our community. Our vendors have the best art and clothes and house stuff, and there are folks representing home services,” Housh said.
“If you come out, you’re going to meet a lot of other folks, learn who they are and who their businesses are. If they haven’t been here before, come check us out. If they have, come back and see what’s new this year.”
