FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association
PHONE: 256.350.3500 / 800.648.5381
EMAIL: info@northalabama.org
2019 Panoply to Celebrate Alabama Bicentennial, Apollo 50 and Alabama Music
Decatur, Ala. – Art and music come together the last weekend in April for one big celebration in downtown Huntsville. The annual Panoply Arts Festival makes it way to downtown Huntsville’s Big Spring Park April 26-28, 2019, offering three days of live music, over 100 local and national artists, demonstrations, hands-on activities and two nights of fireworks.
Panoply kicks off at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 26th and during the three-day event, nearly 40 local and regional musical performances will take to three different stages. Friday’s headliner is Nashville soul-pop band The News Respects, a throwback rock and soul quartet that was named “10 artists you need to know” by Rolling Stone. Saturday will showcase local and regional talent throughout the day. Saturday closes out with a night of bayou soul from Louisiana singer-songwriter Marc Broussard. Rolling Stone Magazine describes Marc as “a soulful Americana performer” who is known for his “signature blues-influenced howl with doses of gospel and country.” On Sunday, Panoply celebrates a day of Alabama music, featuring a full-day lineup of artists from North Alabama. On Sunday evening, Panoply will welcome Florence’s own Grammy Award-winning artist, John Paul White, to close out the festival. His sound appeals to fans of indie rock, Americana music, and folk. A playlist of this year’s Panoply Arts Festival musicians is available at artshuntsville.org.
As music fills the air, festivalgoers can shop, participate in hands-on activities and watch demonstrations. Regional artists will offer demonstrations of their crafts at Panoply’s Arts in Action tents, where festivalgoers can get a first-hand look at the process of indigo dying, quilting, screen-printing and mosaic. The juried Art Marketplace, one of the most popular features of the festival, showcases the works of more than 100 artists from 19 states, with some traveling from as far as Oregon and North Dakota. Panoply’s STEAM Street will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Lunar Landing with space-themed activities. First Baptist Church will be returning to Panoply again this year with more tiles from the iconic Cosmic Christ mosaic. Together with festivalgoers, they’ll create a new mosaic based on Van Gogh’s “Starry Starry Night” to be placed at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center after the festival. In celebration of Alabama’s 200th birthday Panoply will create the ultimate Alabama bicentennial experience at the Panoply Bicentennial Village. This area will feature Panoply’s creative community art projects, all with a historical twist, and will offer hands-on activities and a chance for festivalgoers to step back in time and learn about the city and state during the 1800s.
Friday and Saturday evenings conclude with a spectacular fireworks display. Festival patrons are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets to enjoy the entertainment each day. Along with a diverse array of art and music, the Craft Beer Tent returns featuring craft beer from breweries located across North Alabama and there will be a great assortment of festival food and food trucks.
Arts Huntsville is offering a Panoply weekend pass available online in advance for just $18. Weekend passes are only available until 4 p.m. on April 26th. Day passes are $10 and can be purchased in advance online or at the event. Tickets are on sale now at artshuntsville.org. Admission is free for children 12 and under. Festival hours are 5-9 p.m. on Friday, April 26; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday, April 27; and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday, April 28. For more information, visit www.artshuntsville.org or call (256) 519-2787 (ARTS).
About Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA)
AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. It is supported by 500-plus members consisting of chambers of commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, attractions, campgrounds, festivals, communities, counties, golf courses, restaurants, tour operators, accommodations, vendors, financial institutions and individuals. Counties included within the AMLA region are Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston. Additional information on North Alabama destinations, accommodations and special events is available by calling 800.648.5381 or by visiting www.NorthAlabama.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @VisitNorthAL and like us at www.facebook.com/VisitNorthAL.
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