Festivals and Football in Tuscaloosa this Weekend!

We’re gearing up for another fun weekend in Tuscaloosa! All weekend long you can enjoy Steel Magnolias and the Native American Festival at Moundville Archaeological Park. On Saturday you can enjoy a live stream of the Alabama vs Texas A&M at Government Plaza. Finish off your weekend at Kentuck Arts Festival, rated one of the ten best events in Alabama!

Steel Magnolias

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the movie premiere, Tuscaloosa Theatre brings this iconic story back to town. Truvy’s beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, is where all the ladies come to have their hair done. Truvy says, “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion,” and there is plenty of both in this moving tale about the underlying strength that drives these Southern women. Theatre Tuscaloosa, one of the largest community theatres in the state, works in partnership with Shelton State Community College to provide quality theatrical experiences to the citizens of West Alabama through performances, workshops and classroom instruction. You can catch Steel Magnolias at Shelton State’s Martin Campus in the Bean-Brown Theatre. Buy tickets HERE!

Moundville Native American Festival

Now in its 31st year, the annual Moundville Native American Festival celebrates Native American culture through performers, vendors, demonstrators, living history teachers, and more.

Visit the tools and weapons range to learn how to throw an atlatl, or stop by the Native American stage to watch stomp dancers, social dancers, and the great hoop-dancer, Lyndon Alec. Don’t miss the fantastic music of GrayHawk Perkins and many others! Learn about traditional pottery firing, weaving, beadwork, and other crafts. Bring your children by the children’s area for face-painting and make-and-take crafts.

The festival kicked off yesterday and continues all the way through Saturday.

Live at the Plaza – Football Watch Party

The City of Tuscaloosa is hosting a Live at the Plaza Football Watch Party for the Alabama football game against Texas A&M on Saturday, Oct. 12. The game begins at 2:30 p.m. Viewing begins at 1 p.m. and lasts until the end of the game.

The event is free to the public, and Government Plaza will have a 16’ x 9’ LED screen for fans to view the competition. Food trucks will be on-site, and the entertainment district will be in effect.

Blankets, chairs, food and non-alcoholic drinks are allowed; however, tents, grills and personal alcoholic beverages are not allowed. Attendees may buy alcohol at participating downtown bars and restaurants and bring those items onto the Plaza.

Kentuck Arts Festival

Kentuck has a rich 48-year history as a nationally known crossroads of creativity and community. Every year, over 10,000 travel from across the United States to become immersed in a Southern experience of prolific creativity rarely found at other festivals. Having roots in folk art, the two-day festival features 270+ artists, live music, spoken word, activities for children, folk and contemporary craft demonstrations, food trucks, and local craft brews.​

Featured in numerous publications, Kentuck Festival of the Arts was most recently recognized by Alabama Department of Tourism as one of the top-ten events to attend in Alabama in 2018 and by Alabama Magazine as one of the “Best of Bama 2018.” Kentuck has also been featured in Smithsonian Magazine, Southern Living, American Style Magazine, and National Geographic Traveler. In 2018, the Festival was named 5th in the nation (based on artists’ self-reported sales) in the category of Classic and Contemporary Craft Shows by Sunshine Artists Magazine. 

We have a lot going on throughout the upcoming fall months and are excited to share more. Give us a follow on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements and future events. We can’t wait to see you around Tuscaloosa!