When most people think of genuine Tennessee Valley music, they often envision the CMA Festival or Riverbend in Tennessee or Big Spring Jam in Alabama. However, you really don’t need thousands of people to enjoy true Valley music. If you like gospel without the crowds or chaos, consider attending the Shadow Valley Gospel Music Festival. This festival has been held annually for more than a decade in a pleasant farm setting north of Fayetteville. For three days each July, you can enjoy true gospel music in a relaxed atmosphere reminiscent of years gone by. With an occasional donkey braying, old-fashioned funeral fans waving, and a little thigh-slapping, various groups perform to the delight of the audience spread out over the south Tennessee hillside. This is clean Christian music at its best – just bring your lawn chair and join the fun. If you wish to spend the night at the festival, RV hookups are available.

One of the Southeast’s most popular summer celebrations is Florence’s week-long W.C. Handy Music Festival. This event, usually held in late July or early August, honors William Christopher Handy, the world famous “Father of the Blues.” Unlike many other large events held in one central location, this festival’s performances are spread throughout the Shoals – at riverside parks, malls, restaurants, and theaters. Concerts, athletic events, Handy Nights, exhibits, and plays all highlight this festival. The W.C. Handy Music Festival has been recognized as one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Events for more than two decades. For 25 years music enthusiasts have migrated from all over the country to enjoy and participate in this festival. Sponsored by the Music Preservation Society Inc., there are more than 100 scheduled events, most of which are free to the public. Many of the jazz and blues groups that perform are nationally known. You can also enjoy a host of special events, including the “Street Strut,” numerous parades, jam sessions, and the “DaDooRunRun” for joggers and walkers.

This Independence Day festival has all of the essential patriotic American ingredients, from snow cones and hot dogs to fireworks and rock ‘n’ roll. Held at Decatur’s Point Mallard Park, the two-day event offers a multitude of games for kids, a diverse lineup of musical guests, a talent competition, and patriotic award ceremonies. Road races, amusement rides, and even the Miss Point Mallard Pageant are colorful additions to the festival. The celebration draws to a close with a dazzling fireworks display.

Tractor and truck pulls are held periodically throughout the Valley to the enthusiastic cheers of hundreds. The Alabamians of Tanner have been holding an annual tractor pull every summer for three decades. A tractor pull is a contest where both tractors and trucks compete to pull the heaviest load the longest distance. The competition generally occurs on dirt, and the load on the sled is dynamic – providing increasing resistance as time elapses. The two major components of a sled are the box and the pan. The pan increases friction with the track as the box, which is chain driven, comes forward toward the front of the sled. Inside the box are lead blocks – often weighing a combined 36,000 pounds or more. Both the competing tractors and trucks are highpowered state-of-the-art machines, and the power they generate is awesome. This event can at times be hard on the ears and produce whopping amounts of runaway air pollution, but it provides for a visceral, high-energy good time!

Benjamin Franklin once made the statement, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” If this is the case, then visitors to the Southern Brewer’s Festival must be among the happiest, most well-loved people in the region. With dozens of award-winning beers from microbreweries around the country, this celebration donates its proceeds to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of East Tennessee. Selections range from various pale ales to blueberry-flavored beer (yes, blueberry!). Held on the banks of the Tennessee River, this jovial event is a great excuse to loosen your belt and put that low-carb diet on hold. Attendees are each issued a mug at the entrance, and round, wooden “beer tokens” are purchased and exchanged for refills. Food and live music are also in healthy supply.

As the title indicates, the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is just that – a true celebration that features a multitude of activities for the entire family. Held annually in Shelbyville, Tennessee, this celebration lasts 11 days and nights prior to Labor Day. The event originated in 1939 and has steadily grown throughout the years. Currently, approximately a quarter of a million people visit the beautiful 105-acre complex every year. The area features very attractive walking grounds, a 30,000- seat outdoor stadium, a covered warm-up ring, and a large indoor arena, which holds 4,500 people. The grounds also contain a Celebration Piazza, a Hall of Fame, the Owners’ Wall, and a Celebration Trade Fair. During the course of the festival, there are numerous activities available for just about everyone, including a stable decorating contest, a barbeque cook-off, a dog show, and a karaoke contest. Old and young riders alike can participate in numerous events during this celebration. More than 2,000 horses and owners compete for the numerous ribbons, prizes, and trophies given out during this time. On the last night, the judges select the World Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse. And with competition at this level, you can bet this horse will be one impressive animal.

For more than 100 years, the Lincoln County Fair has entertained people of the Tennessee Valley in a very special way. Unlike a typical festival where the emphasis is on commercial food and musical entertainment, this event is reminiscent of days gone by. For nine days and nights, the fair features numerous down-home activities both young and old will enjoy. 4-H members and local students compete in numerous events. Some of the South’s best gardeners, cooks, and artists have stalls set up to display their wares. If you like animals, the fair showcases market hogs, sheep, dairy goats, cattle and rabbit shows, pony and mule races, and livestock exhibits. Cooking and produce contests, beauty contests, and carnival rides are just a few of the many activities the fair regularly sponsors. The fair also features nationally known and regional musical acts on Saturday nights for the whole family. And don’t forget the famous harness races! The Lincoln County Fair is the last remaining haven in the state for this equine sport. Day and nighttime races are held at a fast half-mile track where you can sit in a modern grandstand to view this exciting event. Officially a nonprofit organization, the Lincoln County Fair represents a pleasant journey into childhood memories that is annually enjoyed by more than 100,000 people.

Alabama barbeque lovers, listen up! For more than a decade, the Decatur Jaycees have hosted this annual weekend-long grilling competition, which has grown to feature more than 50 different teams. Competitors can enter their creations in numerous categories, including best sauce, chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket. Bands play a variety of music from jazz to classic rock, and the breeze off the water provides a delightful way to spend a September afternoon. Recognized by the state of Alabama as its official state barbeque championship, this event often has cooking teams staying overnight to ensure perfect culinary results. The competition’s winners automatically qualify for the American Royal World Championship Barbeque Cook-off in Kansas City, Missouri. Funds raised by the Riverfest Barbeque Cook-Off are given to local, nonprofit charitable organizations.

More than 2,000 horses and owners compete in approximately 150 classes during this eight-day celebration. The events and festivities take place annually in late September at the Celebration Arena in Priceville, Alabama. Racking horses (dubbed the “poor man’s walking horse”) and their riders are cheered on at this event by more than 100,000 people. The Celebration also features other festivities such as dog contests, which are popular with many visitors. Going strong for more than three decades, the Celebration is sponsored by the Racking Horse Breeders Association of America (RHBAA) and involves juvenile, amateur, and professional riders from all across the country.

So what the heck’s the difference between
a walking horse and a racking horse?
Many folks know that Tennessee is famous for its walking horses and that it hosts the World Celebration in Shelbyville every year. Others are familiar with the lesserknown racking horse, which receives its very own annual celebration in Priceville, Alabama. The major difference between the two horses is their gait. Racking horses only allow one foot to strike the ground at a time. The “rack” of the racking horse is a bilateral four-beat gait, which cannot be described as being either a pace or a trot. The Tennessee walking horse, on the other hand, generally performs three distinct gaits – either the flat-foot walk, the running walk, or the canter. To discover more about these differences, why not swing by Priceville and Shelbyville and learn first-hand!

Al Green, the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and even George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic have all played Huntsville’s Big Spring Jam. Since its inception in 1993, more than two million people have attended the Jam, which at present is averaging more than 200,000 music-lovers per year. Named after scenic Big Spring Park, where the music festival takes place, the jam is full of excitement that lasts for three days (rain or shine) and is usually held in late September. Local businesses and organizations sponsor everything from karaoke competitions and food stands to tattoo parlors (of the temporary variety). Additional attractions include a 5K run, sumo-suit wrestling, and plenty of kid-friendly activities. The real reason to visit Big Spring Jam, however, is the music. In all, more than 70 different acts perform at the Jam, and event organizers make a great effort to book a diverse array of performers who entertain at the different stages around the park. Country artists, Christian artists, rock ‘n’ rollers, hip hop performers, and plenty of others manage to entertain visitors of all ages well after the sun goes down.