Spring Festival Focuses On Art in Northwest Alabama

Photo by Charles Pannell

Named for the Italian city of the same name, Florence, Alabama, boasts its fair share of cultural offerings this spring.

Slated to run on May 20-21, 2006, Florence’s annual Arts Alive Festival features a juried gallery exhibition at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, plus an informal art fair and sale next door at Wilson Park. The weekend event is highlighted by a Saturday evening gala reception and awards ceremony.

Although the Kennedy-Douglass Center is a historic building, there is ramp access in the rear and a large accessible restroom inside the building. There is barrier-free access throughout Wilson Park.

And if you can’t make the Arts Alive Festival, don’t miss Florence’s monthly First Friday event. Held on the first Friday of every month, this open-air art and music festival is an opportunity to enjoy art and music while strolling through the streets of historic downtown Florence. First Friday starts at 5 p.m., and runs for three hours, so there’s plenty of time to stop for dinner at one of the many downtown eateries.

Downtown Florence features wide sidewalks with curb-cuts at all corners. Many of the downtown businesses have a level entry but some of the more historic buildings have one or two steps. Still, you can really enjoy First Friday by just walking down the street.

For more information about the Arts Alive Festival or First Friday, visit the Florence Tourism website at flo-tour.org.

Billed as being within a days drive from any place in the Mid-South, Northwest Alabama is comprised of Colbert and Lauderdale counties and the towns of Sheffield, Florence, Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia. It’s a great place to relax, take in a little nature and enjoy the quiet beauty of the countryside. It’s also an excellent destination for an off-the-beaten-path road trip.

For more information about accessible attractions, hotels and other surprises in Northwest Alabama, consult the Spring 2006 issue of Emerging Horizons.