Check out these fun April festivals in North Alabama!
Cruise and Croon in Downtown Oneonta
Downtown Oneonta welcomes the return of its outdoor celebration of classic cars, trucks and bikes, music, shopping and dining beginning next month on the first Saturday of each month through October. Presented by the All American Cruisers, Cruise and Croon rolls into town for the first time in 2024, on April 6, bringing with it free entertainment for locals and visitors.
Cruise and Croon welcomes locals and visitors to the downtown area for an evening of classic cars, trucks and bikes as music fills the air. Car, truck and bike owners from the surrounding area will bring their vintage beauties to show off and merchants will extend their business hours so eventgoers can shop and mingle. A DJ will crank out plenty of good tunes as everyone enjoys an evening of free family fun.
Set for April 6, May 4, June 1, July 6, August 3, September 7 and October 5, Cruise and Croon will be set up along 1st Avenue East in downtown Oneonta and hours are from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and is held rain or shine. Everyone is encouraged to bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets and enjoy an evening with family and friends. Downtown shops and eateries will be open and there will be food trucks scattered throughout to satisfy any appetite.
Bloomin' Festival
Arts and crafts will be on display for two days in April when the St. Bernard Abbey and Prep School hosts its annual Bloomin’ Festival. Set for April 20-21, the outdoor event features the works of talented artists and craftsmen, music and festival food and is expected to draw approximately thousands of visitors in search of fresh air, unique arts and crafts, demonstrations and family-friendly entertainment.
Art on the Lake
Artists and crafters from across the southeastern United States will make their way to Guntersville April 20-21 (10am-5pm Saturday and 10-4pm Sunday) to display their works of art and unique creations. Held alongside beautiful Lake Guntersville, Art on the Lake features the works of over 80 fine artists and craftsmen, and along with arts and crafts, you'll be treated to food vendors, outdoor games and rides, and a bakeshop. Admission: $2.
Panoply Arts Festival
Art and music come together the last weekend in April for a three-day celebration in downtown Huntsville. Now in its 42nd year, the annual Panoply Arts Festival takes over Big Spring Park April 26-28, 2024, offering three days of live music, shopping for original works of art, demonstrations and hands-on activities along with two nights of fireworks.
Panoply kicks off at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 26 and during the three-day event, over 30 local and regional musical acts in a variety of genres – jazz, rock, R&B, indie rock, blues, pop and more – will entertain the crowd on Panoply’s two stages. Friday’s lineup features young singer-songwriter Delaney Faulds who debuted on Panoply’s Indie Stage in 2023, but this year she is bringing her full band to the festival Showcase Stage. Local pop powerhouse The Dawn Osbourne Band will rock audiences and close out the festival’s Friday night lineup.
Saturday features a full day of music that starts when the festival opens at 10 a.m. Returning favorites are in the music mix throughout the day, as bands like Little and the Giants return to Panoply with their sweet contemporary folk sound. On Saturday night, Soul Lit Band warms up the crowd before Huntsville's favorite progressive funk rock band, Quantaphonics, takes the stage. This 13-piece band is known for their energetic improvisation, on-stage chemistry and killer original music.
Panoply’s Sunday stage lineup features an array of jazz, R&B and soul from many of Huntsville's favorite local singers and songwriters, duos and instrumentalists. Full programming schedule is available on artshuntsville.org.
As music fills the air, festivalgoers can shop, participate in hands-on activities and watch demonstrations. Local artists will offer demonstrations of their craft at Panoply’s Arts in Action tents, allowing festivalgoers to try their hand at fiber arts with yarn or silk dying or learn to play music with cigar box guitars. The juried Art Marketplace, one of the most popular features of the festival, showcases the works of more than 100 visual artists from 23 states, with some traveling from as far as Colorado and Massachusetts. The Art OutLoud Stage features spoken word performances from local literary figures and poets and STEAM Street and Creativity Corner will have several special hands-on activities that all ages can partake in.
New to Panoply this year is “The Big Swim” interactive art installation. Festivalgoers of all ages will immerse themselves in a kaleidoscope of color as they walk through a tunnel-like art installation designed exclusively for Panoply. The interactive art piece is created by local artist Susie Garrett.
Festival patrons are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets to enjoy the entertainment each day and Friday and Saturday evenings conclude with a spectacular fireworks display. Along with a diverse array of art and music, the Craft Beer and Wine Tent returns featuring local beer from Yellowhammer and Straight to Ale and there will be a great assortment of local tastes from 17 food trucks.
Arts Huntsville is offering a Panoply weekend pass available online in advance for $20. Day passes are $15 and can be purchased online or at the gate. 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 and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.artshuntsville.org/event/panoply/ or call (256) 519-2787 (ARTS).
Tequila Falls Concert at Looney's Amphitheater
Located in the heart of Bankhead National Forest, the Looney’s Amphitheater Complex and Cultural Center is undergoing a rebirth and has reopened as an entertainment venue with an exciting lineup of concerts and a murder mystery dinner planned for the first part of 2024.
Restoration of the amphitheater and buildings on the Looney’s site including the concession area, ticket center and the former Sister Sara’s Restaurant is currently underway. These structures had been left vacant for over 20 years until the Winston County Arts Council purchased the complex in October, 2022, with the idea of promoting tourism and the arts throughout Winston County.
The indoor theater, the Dual Destiny Theater, will host a bluegrass concert the first Saturday of each month in 2024. Each concert features three bands. Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Concessions are available and admission is $5 per person. For more information, call (205) 269-0073.
A 1950’s Themed Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, hosted by the Southern Ghost Girls, is scheduled for Saturday, March 9, 6-9 p.m. in the former restaurant building. Get tickets online at https://www.eventbrite.com.
Additional concerts lined up in the Dual Destiny Indoor Theater:
Tequila Falls concert: Friday, April 26, 6 p.m., $15 at the door
Cooter Brown concert: Friday, May 10, 6 p.m., $15 at the door
Looney’s is located at 22400 Hwy 278 in Double Springs, Alabama with beautiful views of Bankhead National Forest. For information on upcoming events, look for Looney’s Amphitheater Complex and Cultural Center on Facebook or call (205) 489-6569.
