- President Obama awards National Medal of the Arts to Scottsboro composer John Kander
- Four of nation’s top events named by the ABA are in Alabama
- Muscle Shoals legends to support Percy Sledge benefit
- Florence/Lauderdale makes ConventionSouth Magazine 2015 list of “South’s Top 10 Music Cities for Meetings & Events”
- Site selection experts rank Alabama fourth-best state for doing business
- Bike trails bring tourists to state
- 10Best: Top spots for top-shelf tequila
- The 33 best beer bars in the country
- Vulcan AfterTunes heads into its 10th year on top of Red Mountain
- Ave Maria Grotto dedicates new miniature church
- Female Factor celebrates ‘Sweet Home Alabama’
- Rare mussels return to Alabama and Tennessee decades after being lost
- Weeks Bay reef enhancement complete
- Public invited to Lake Guntersville Town Creek carvers’ project
- Alabama Tourism Department (ATD) upcoming events
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President Obama awards National Medal of the Arts to Scottsboro composer John Kander
On July 28, President Barack Obama presented Scottsboro Boys composer John Kander with the National Medal of the Arts in partnership with the National Humanities Medal. The National Medal of the Arts is the US federal government’s highest honor awarded to artists and patrons. It is awarded in special recognition of “outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States.”
Four of nation’s top events named by the ABA are in Alabama
The American Bus Association (ABA) announced today that the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March – Annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee to be held March 5-8, 2015 in Selma; the W. C. Handy Music Festival to be held July 17-28, 2015 in Florence; the 20th Anniversary of the Galaxy of Lights to be held Nov. 24 through Dec. 31, 2015; and the National Shrimp Festival, to be held Oct. 8-11, 2015 in Gulf Shores, have been designated as Top 100 Events in North America for 2015 by an experienced expert tourism industry selection committee.
Inclusion in the Top 100 list, published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine, indicates that these events offer excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world, according to ABA.
Muscle Shoals legends to support Percy Sledge benefit
Percy Sledge, renowned recording artist and beloved member of the Muscle Shoals music family, is battling liver cancer and a benefit concert has been organized to show support and help defray his medical expenses. The show is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, at 7:30 p.m. at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center.
Confirmed performers include Eddie Floyd, Pat Upton, Gary Baker, Walt Aldridge, Donnie Fritts, The Decoys, Travis Wammack and Three Wheel Drive. Several other world-class performers with Muscle Shoals ties are trying to rearrange tour schedules so they can be part of the event.
A native of Leighton, Alabama, Sledge rose to stardom in 1966 after his song, “When A Man Loves A Woman,” became an international hit. His successful career as a recording artist and performer has scanned more than four decades and until his recent illness he was still actively booking sold-out shows around the world.
“Percy has done so much for this community and now it’s time for us to give back to him,” said David Johnson, who produced several of Percy’s albums and is organizing the concert. “He has often donated his time and talent to fundraising events in this area.” Johnson said that Sledge is planning to attend the event to show his gratitude but he will not be performing.
“We’re expecting a sellout,” said Judy Hood, who is coordinating publicity for the event. “This benefit will feature an all-star lineup and Percy is beloved in this community.”
Concert sponsors include the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa, Big River Broadcasting and Northwest Shoals Community College Foundation.
Tickets are $35 and will go on sale September 15. They can be purchased at any First Metro Bank or Valley Credit Union location. VIP table sponsorships are available for $750 and can be reserved by calling 256-810-3030.
For information contact Judy Hood at jdyhood@aol.com.
Florence/Lauderdale makes ConventionSouth Magazine 2015 list of “South’s Top 10 Music Cities for Meetings & Events”
In September 2014, ConventionSouth magazine asked readers and Facebook fans to vote for the cities they felt were the best places for music and to hold a meeting or event. The Facebook ballot provided a list of 40 destinations across the South to select from and the top 10 vote-getters are receiving recognition as the “South’s Top 10 Music Spots For Meetings & Events.”
The winners are:
1. Florence/Lauderdale County: For more than 50 years, the Florence area (especially its neighboring city of Muscle Shoals in Colbert County), has been producing heart-pumping music! The W.C. Handy Music Festival is held each July in Florence. W.C. Handy was born in Florence and is known as the “Father of Blues Music.” The Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia (Colbert County) recently re-opened for group tours.
Readers and fans were asked to vote on destinations where groups can best experience unique music all while holding a meeting or event, according to ConventionSouth editor Marlane Bundock. “Meeting Planners and event organizers from across the country look for unique destinations in the South to hold their meetings and events, and ConventionSouth’s 2014 list of the ‘South’s Top Cities For Music & Meetings’ provides these planners with interesting insight on some of the South’s most alluring cities for musical fun. Cities with a rich musical heritage and vibrant music scene bring an added layer of excitement to a meeting or event. This allows meeting planners to create unique themes during their events, infuse upbeat rhythms to their events, and increase attendance and attendee engagement. By adding the element of music to an event, meeting planners create a more memorable experience for attendees and therefore, increase the success of the gathering.”
The cities will be featured in the October 2014 issue of ConventionSouth magazine.
The complete list of cities can also be found online on Pinterest at: http://www.pinterest.com/conventionsouth/10-cities-for-music-meetings/
State selection experts rank Alabama fourth best state for doing business
By Kelli Dugan, AL.com, Sept. 11
For the second consecutive year, Alabama ranks fourth overall among national economic development publication Area Development’s “Top States for Doing Business” and placed first in the sub-category of competitive labor costs.
“These high rankings mean that site selection consultants recognize that Alabama possesses the advantages that make the state attractive for companies looking to open new facilities or to expand their existing operations,” Alabama Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield said in a prepared statement.
The state also placed fourth nationally in the survey’s key categories of both business environment and labor climate.
“We have the skilled workers, training programs and the business climate that companies need to compete and succeed,” Canfield said said.
The annual rankings survey site selection consultants, and Alabama’s strongest showings came in the automotive manufacturing and aerospace sectors, with a nod given by the publication to the state’s “long-term economic development plan known as Accelerate Alabama” and the “strength of its significant and growing accomplishments in transportation manufacturing.”
Launched in 2012, Accelerate Alabama targets 11 key industry sectors for growth and focuses on attracting new investment and high-paying jobs associated with those sectors.
Specifically, the report singles out Alabama’s automotive industry for achieving the following milestones:
- The state’s three assembly plants – Mercedes-Benz in Vance, Honda in Lincoln and Hyundai in Montgomery – combined in 2013 to produce a record 915,000 vehicles.
- Mercedes in recent months launched mass production of its C-Class sedan in Vance.
- Toyota moved forward with a $150 million expansion of its engine plant in Huntsville.
- The state’s auto-supplier sector added some 2,300 new jobs in the year ended June 30.
“They’ve done a nice job in Alabama for Mercedes,” Sean McAlinden, executive director of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich., told Area Development.
Meanwhile, the growth of Alabama’s aerospace sector has not gone unnoticed by economic developers and recruiters with Area Development crediting the state as both “the traditional home of Saturn rocket manufacture during moon-shot days” and the future home of Airbus’ first A320 final assembly line on U.S. soil.
Specifically, the publication singled out Decatur’s United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin formed because the American satellite launching market wasn’t big enough to support both companies. It builds its launch vehicles – the Atlas and Delta families — at a facility employing 1,800 on the Tennessee River.
And although Airbus’ $600 million aircraft assembly plant, still under construction at Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley, won’t come online until summer 2015, Area Development said the project will serve to bolster an already strong engineering presence in the state.
“It will also prompt development of a supplier infrastructure, joining Boeing’s operations in the state to make Alabama one of America’s air-transportation manufacturing leaders,” the report states.
The 2014 survey results mark the fifth consecutive year Alabama has scored among Area Development’s top five states for doing business.
To read the article online, go to: http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2014/09/site_selection_experts_rank_al.html
Bike trails bring tourists to state
By Rob Grant, AndalusiaStarNews.com, Sept. 13
“It’s like riding a bike” has new meaning in Alabama. Leading the country in mountain biking trail development, Alabama has thousands flocking to the state for pristine trails. With numerous trail awards and the launch of a high school mountain biking league, the future looks promising for mountain biking in Alabama.
According to The Outdoor Foundation, more than 40 million adrenaline-seeking Americans are mountain biking in 2014. That’s 11 percent more than 2013. People of all ages are hitting the trails to escape and unplug. Finding a full escape in nature can be difficult in the new millennia of technology with its constant communication and instant results. Mountain biking requires full focus while speeding downhill, jumping rocky terrain, and braking quickly, all in a matter of seconds. This rapid pace holds peoples’ full attention long enough to put away smart phones and laptops for an afternoon outdoors.
To keep up with changing tastes and growing demand, Alabama State Parks have worked with partners around the state to develop new trails and improve older trails for all skill levels. Volunteers are crucial to state parks and park development, as they provide 25 percent of all labor within the parks.
The work of volunteers developing these trails is being noticed around the world. The Birmingham Urban Mountain Peddlers’ (BUMP) work at Oak Mountain earned the trail a spot in International Mountain Biking Association’s (IMBA) Epic Hall of Fame. State Park Director Greg Lein spoke about these partnerships at IMBA’s national conference earlier this year. He shared the success of the partnership between IMBA, Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) and the Northeast Alabama Bicycle Association (NEABA) at Forever Wild Land Trust’s Coldwater Mountain to tout the importance of partnerships in making these projects a reality.
CAMP has also done extensive work at Chewacla State Park with construction of their wooden trails and wall, “The Great Wall of Chewacla.” This unique wall is the only of its kind in the Southeast, attracting people around the country. The West Alabama Mountain Biking Association and the Druid City Bicycle Club have developed trails making Lake Lurleen State Park the centerpiece of mountain biking in West Alabama.
Thanks to the work of partners, Alabama’s trail system is one of the top in the country. This year, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) launched a competitive mountain biking league for middle and high school students in Alabama. More than 30 schools already are signed up to begin teaching their students to master a lifelong sport.
As more organizations work to develop the trails and their children develop an attachment to the environment, mountain biking in Alabama looks like it will continue to grow and bring tourists and businesses to the state. Alabama is the perfect place to develop a passion for the sport, as the state grows to be a premier destination in the country, just as the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is a premier golf destination.
People of Alabama have already seen how an extensive outdoor trail can impact the state; the economic potential is huge. Nationwide the impact of outdoor recreation surpasses $645 billion annually. This exceeds the impact of pharmaceuticals, motor vehicles and parts, and gasoline and other fuels, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The number of jobs (86,000), tax revenues (nearly half a billion), and increases in property values are quantifiable measures in the economic impact of Alabama’s outdoor industry.
http://www.andalusiastarnews.com/2014/09/13/bike-trails-bring-tourists-to-state/
10Best: Top spots for top-shelf tequila
By Larry Bleiberg, USA TODAY, Sept. 12
Tequila has grown up, says Chicago restaurateur Arturo Gomez. “It’s much more than that aggressive hard shot. People are now paying premium prices for these spirits, drinking them over the rocks and neat.” Gomez, a co-owner of Ay Chiwowa, a taco restaurant and bar with 90 tequilas on offer and fresh-made margaritas on tap, frequently travels the country seeking out notable Mexican eateries. He shares some favorite spots to sip tequila and its cousin mescal on this Mexican Independence Day, Sept. 16, with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY.
Little Donkey
Homewood
This Birmingham-area restaurant-bar brings a Southern spin to Mexican food and drinks with smoked meats and house-made masa, although Gomez is particularly fond of the fish tacos. “It’s very fun and the place is jam-packed,” he says. His favorite drink: Tequila Mockingbird, made with pineapple, cardamom, agave nectar, lime juice and a touch of serrano pepper. 205-703-7000; thelittledonkey.com
To read the entire article and see the complete list of restaurants, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/10greatplaces/2014/09/12/tequila-mescal-mexican-restaurant-bar/15447621/
The 33 best beer bars in the country
By Andy Kryza, thrillist.com, June 22
Any bar worth its pretzel salt has at least a beer or two at the ready. These are not those bars. These are bars for serious beer people: places where home brewers flock for inspiration and where the beer world’s best artisans roll out their experimental and hard-to-find suds. You’re not going to find breweries on here (we’re looking for a diversity of product), or necessarily bars with the most beers (we went for quality over quantity). Anyway, enough small talk. Here are the 33 best beer bars in the US. Slainte, pass the pretzels, and — as always — let us know what we missed in the comments:
The J. Clyde, Birmingham
70+ beers dominate a draught menu divided up unpretentiously by simple flavor profiles – “Tart and Funky”, “Crisp”, “Fruit and Spice” — at one of the South’s finest drinkeries… a place that, between the cobblestone streets outside and stone/brick walls inside, kind of looks like it should be full of slurring Hobbits. Luckily, the staff knows their stuff (in regard to beer, not Orcs or obscure Led Zeppelin songs). Give them a clue of what you like, then order up a flight. They’ll work their magic. They also showcase a good number of local breweries — Cahaba, Avondale, Trim Tab — and feature the city’s biggest covered patio. In a region known for its back porches, that really says something.
To see the complete list of beer bars, go to: http://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/the-33-best-beer-bars-in-the-country-mikkeller-bar-torst-and-more
Vulcan AfterTunes heads into its 10th year on top of Red Mountain
Vulcan Park and Museum will kick off its tenth year of Vulcan AfterTunes on Sundays featuring The Revivalists (Sept. 28), Dumpstaphunk (Oct. 12) and Milo Greene (Oct. 26).
Enjoy cool tunes, fresh brews and sweet views on Sunday afternoons with your favorite cast iron statue, Vulcan. Chill out in Birmingham’s backyard and end your week with some of the area’s best music while witnessing spectacular views of Birmingham’s city skyline. The annual three-part concert series features local and national acts that each bring a unique sound to the Vulcan AfterTunes stage. Grab your lawn chairs and blankets and bring the whole family out to relax.
For more information or to purchase tickets, go to: http://www.visitvulcan.com/vulcanaftertunes
Ave Maria Grotto dedicates new miniature church
By Greg Garrison, AL.com, Sept. 9
Ave Maria Grotto has added a new miniature replica of The Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, Wisconsin.
The new miniature is now on display at the four-acre garden park on the grounds of St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman.
Ave Maria Grotto was created by Brother Joseph Zoettl, a monk at the abbey, featuring 125 replicas of famous religious shrines from around the world, including miniatures of Jerusalem, Rome and biblical scenes.
Zoettl made the miniatures from cement, shells, ceramic tiles, cold cream jars, colored glass, costume jewelry and marbles. Since its opening on May 14, 1934, the grotto has attracted thousands of tourists from around the world.
In recent years, a Cullman County stonemason has added additional shrines to complement the work of Brother Joseph. Leo Schwaiger, a longtime employee of St. Bernard Abbey, has maintained the shrine, repaired Zoettl’s work, and created additional pieces that have been added to the grotto.
Schwaiger added the Champion, Wisconsin church because it’s the only place in the United States where the church has approved of a claimed vision of the Virgin Mary. In October of 1859, a young woman, Adele Brise, had a series of apparitions on a dirt road in the wooded countryside, the site where the church was built. In 2009, Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, Wisc., opened a formal church investigation into the visions and the life of Brise. In 2010, Ricken gave approval of the apparitions.
Schwaiger’s version of Our Lady of Good Help was placed in the grotto and dedicated on Sept. 5.
The miniature is approximately six feet long and includes a chapel, museum, school, and dormitory. To the right of the shrine is the gravesite of Brise. Schwaiger said his son, Barry, constructed the cross of stainless steel. Four large stones cemented in the sign came from the site of the current church in Wisconsin.
Ave Maria Grotto is open to the public, seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. It is operated by the Benedictine monks at St. Bernard Abbey. Group tours are available by calling (256)255-5860.
http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2014/09/ave_maria_grotto_dedicates_new.html
Female Factor celebrates ‘Sweet Home Alabama’
By Jaine Treadwell, TroyMessenger.com, Sept. 11
“Sweet Home, Alabama.”
Marilyn Stamps said it.
Shelia Jackson sang it.
The packed audience applauded it.
“Sweet home, Alabama” was the main topic at the Female Factor Wednesday at The Studio in downtown Troy.
Stamps, a semi-retired publications manager for the Alabama Department of Tourism and 2012 Employee of the Year, was the guest speaker. And, Stamps did what she does best, cheer for the home state.
Having 30 years experience with the state tourism department, Stamps knows Alabama like the back of her hand. She now takes advantage of every opportunity to share her stories about “Sweet Home, Alabama” and to encourage residents to take “stay-cations” and see what Alabama has to offer.
“When the Alabama Department of Tourism wrote its bylaws, it mandated that the department could not advertise within the state,” Stamps said. “That makes it rather difficult to let residents know what we have right here in our own backyard.
“With the downturn in the economy, fewer of our residents were traveling outside the state so it became even more important to let Alabama residents know about all Alabama has to offer.”
The Tourism Department found a way to highlight Alabama through its “Year of …” promotions.
In 2004, the tourism department unveiled its statewide promotion, “The Year of the Garden.”
“The idea behind the promotion was that you could go to Callaway Gardens in Georgia but why not go to the beautiful Bellingrath Gardens or Jasmine Hills Gardens right here at home,” Stamps said.
“The Year of the Garden” was an incentive for people to see Alabama first and the “Year of … ” became an annual promotion.
“We’ve had the ‘Year of’ the Great Outdoors, Alabama Art, Alabama Sports, History, Small Towns/Downtowns among others but the Year of Food in 2005 really took off so we had it back in 2012,” Stamps said. “The brochure, ‘100 dishes to eat in Alabama before you die’ received a huge response and is still very popular. People continue to use it as a guide to great places to eat when they travel around the state.”
Alabama’s next promotion will be the “Year of Barbecue” and it should be extremely popular, too, Stamps said.
Troy Tourism Director Shelia Jackson told the all-female audience that Troy and Pike County should also be considered as stay-cation destinations for travelers around the state.
“And, we also should look in our own backyard for entertainment,” she said. “We have a variety of entertainment events offered by the Troy Arts Council, the Johnson Center for the Arts, the Pioneer Museum of Alabama, the Troy Recreation Department and Troy University and the We Piddle Around Theater and Studio 116 in Brundidge,” she said. “There’s no place like home and Troy and Pike County are great places to call home … and for stay-cations.”
Female Factor is sponsored monthly by Troy Regional Medical Center.
To read the entire article, go to: http://www.troymessenger.com/2014/09/11/female-factor-celebrates-sweet-home-alabama/
Rare mussels return to Alabama and Tennessee decades after being lost
On Wed., Sept. 10, the Pale Lilliput, one the rarest species of freshwater mussels in the U.S., will be stocked for the first time in the Duck River in central Tennessee. Once abundant in the Duck River and throughout the Tennessee River system downstream of Chattanooga, TN, this federally endangered species is currently limited to 4 miles of the Paint Rock River located in Jackson County.
More than 800 mussels, which were cultured at the Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center (AABC), an Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) facility near Marion, will be reintroduced to the river by AABC staff and volunteers from various state/federal agencies and private conservation groups. Representatives from ADCNR, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Tennessee Chapter of The Nature Conservancy are expected to be in attendance.
In addition to the reintroduction of the Pale Lilliput to the Duck River, the TWRA has donated 500 federally endangered Duck River Dartersnapper mussels to the AABC for release in Bear Creek in Colbert County. The last confirmed sighting of the species in Bear Creek was more than 100 years ago. Along with the Dartersnapper, endangered Alabama Lampmussels will also be stocked. The Bear Creek release will take place on Sept. 11.
The Pale Lilliput release will be one of the most significant endangered species reintroductions in the U.S. this year due to the rarity of the animal and the number of working partnerships that have made recovery efforts possible. In the event of adverse weather and/or water conditions, the releases will be rescheduled to the earliest available dates. For more information about the releases, contact the AABC at (334) 683-5000.
“When the Pale Lilliput was formally listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1976, dam construction, pollution and poor land-use practices had chased it from all drainages except the Paint Rock River in Alabama and the Duck River in central Tennessee,” said Dr. Paul Johnson, AABC Director. “By 1990, the species had disappeared from the Duck River, leaving the small section of the Paint Rock River drainage as the sole remaining location for the species.”
In recent decades, water quality and habitat improvement projects conducted by city, state and federal agencies along with private conservation groups have made these reintroduction efforts possible. No additional regulatory burdens will be imposed on the Duck River and Bear Creek as federally listed species already occur in both locations. Biologists with various state and federal agencies and other conservation groups in Alabama and Tennessee will continue to monitor the Duck River and Bear Creek reintroduction efforts over the next year.
As filter feeders, mussels are critical to the health of freshwater ecosystems. A single small mussel can filter more than 12 gallons of water per day. The southeast U.S. hosts the greatest diversity of freshwater mussels on the planet. Alabama and Tennessee have several mussel species that are now listed by the USFWS as endangered or threatened due to habitat fragmentation and/or degradation. Tennessee is home to 50 federally listed mussels and Alabama, 67.
For more information about the Pale Lilliput, visit www.outdooralabama.com/pale-lilliput.
Partners in the reintroduction efforts include the Alabama and Tennessee chapters of The Nature Conservancy, the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, TVA, USFWS, TWRA, and various other conservation organizations and city, state and federal agencies.
The AABC was created by the ADCNR to address the overwhelming conservation need of Alabama’s freshwater species. As one of the largest state-run nongame recovery programs of its kind in the U.S., the AABC’s mission is to promote the conservation and restoration of rare freshwater species in Alabama waters and, in turn, restore cleaner water to the state’s waterways.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR, visit www.outdooralabama.com.
Weeks Bay reef enhancement complete
In early August, a habitat enhancement project near the mouth of Weeks Bay was completed by a contractor for the Alabama Marine Resources Division (AMRD). The remnants of an old subsided oyster reef were brought back to life through the planting of 1,034 cubic yards of oyster shell. The planted oyster shell will provide habitat for many marine creatures including finfish, crabs and oysters.
Weeks Bay may offer better conditions for the long-term survival of this enhanced habitat compared to adjacent areas in Mobile Bay as it is protected from the effects of storms. Over time, the Weeks Bay reef will provide more fishing opportunities to the public.
“Anglers may see improved fishing around this reef as early as this fall, and by next spring fishermen should really see a difference,” said Craig Newton, biologist with the AMRD.
Coastal Impact Assistance Program funds were used to create the reef. For more information about the Weeks Bay reef enhancement, call the AMRD at (251) 861-2882.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through five divisions: Marine Police, Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR, visit www.outdooralabama.com.
Public invited to Lake Guntersville Town Creek carvers’ project
Woodcarvers from across Alabama will be at Lake Guntersville State Park Sept. 15-17, to put the finishing touches on a large wooden sculpture that will become an interpretive landmark during the park’s annual Eagle Awareness weekends. The public is invited to visit the park and watch the woodcarvers at work. The carving will take place between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Earwood Pavilion near the lakeside cabins.
The sculpture consists of 16 cedar logs salvaged from the park after the April 2011 tornadoes. Each of the logs will showcase native wildlife including a black bear, raccoon, rabbit, bobcat, beaver, owl, pelican, hawk, deer, squirrel, fish, turtles and bald eagles. The centerpiece of the sculpture features a meticulously carved bust of a Native American. The carvings were created using various handheld tools and chainsaws.
When complete, the sculpture will be on display in the Town Creek section of Lake Guntersville State Park. Participating woodcarvers include the North Alabama Woodcarvers Association, Tannehill Woodcarvers, Central Alabama Woodcarvers, and chainsaw carvers Corey Worden from Beneath the Bark in Titus, and Brad Martin from Liberty Chainsaw Carvings in Blountsville.
“The sculpture was originally conceived as a Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout project, but quickly morphed into a public art project that includes the talents of some of Alabama’s best woodcarving groups,” said Bradford Stanley, Lake Guntersville Sales Coordinator. “This artwork will visually enhance the overall visitor experience during our Eagle Awareness weekends in January and February.”
This collaborative project is also an example of the Alabama State Parks philosophy of Partners Pay the Way.
“The Town Creek Carvers project came together with help from a wide variety of individuals all working toward a common goal, improving their local state park,” said Stanley. “From the V.I.P.s who volunteer in the park to the carvers, everyone invested their time and talent in this sculpture so that visitors will be able to enjoy it for years to come.”
For more information about Lake Guntersville State Park including recreational activities, overnight accommodations and Eagle Awareness, visit alapark.com or call 256-571-5440.
Alabama Tourism Department (ATD) upcoming events
Oct. 7 Tourism Workshop, Montgomery
Oct. 9 Tourism Workshop, Birmingham
Nov. 3 – 6 World Travel Market, London, England
Dec. 2 – 4 Travel South International Showcase, New Orleans
Dec. 5 – 8 Travel South International Super FAM to Alabama
Tourism Tuesdays is a free electronic newsletter produced by the Alabama Tourism Department. It contains news about the state tourism department and the Alabama tourism industry.
The newsletter can also be accessed online by going to: www.tourism.alabama.gov
To subscribe to the weekly Alabama Tourism News, please contact Peggy Collins at: peggy.collins@tourism.alabama.gov
Alabama Tourism Department