Can’t Miss Alabama: Enjoy the holiday weekend at Smith Lake Park’s Sweet Tater Festival, OWA’s Labor Day party

Sweet Tater Festival

If you love sweet potatoes, you will want to be in Cullman for the Sweet Tater Festival Sept 1-2 at Smith Lake Park. Holiday festivities will be filled with live entertainment, food vendors, arts and crafts vendors and sweet taters. On Labor Day, the festival will have a car show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. An armband for the car show is $5 for both days. Smith Lake Park is at 403 Cullman County Road 386. General admission is $5 (ages 5 and under are free). For more information, visit the website, call 256-739-2916 or follow along on Facebook.

Labor Day Weekend Party

OWA Parks and Resort has a full lineup of events to celebrate the Labor Day weekend Aug. 30 through Sept. 1:

Friday

• Noon-6 p.m.: Tuki appearances intermittently in downtown OWA and Tropic Falls.
• 2 p.m.-6 p.m.: Kids’ activities at Southern Express in Tropic Falls and downtown fountain.
• 2 p.m.-6 p.m.: Red, white and blue Popsicles (one per person while supplies last).
• 4 p.m.-7 p.m.: Patriotic stilt walkers roaming for guest photos.
• 4 p.m.-6 p.m.: Dive-in movie night at Big Water Bag – Remember the Titans (2000, PG).
  Saturday

Saturday

• 9 a.m.-4 p.m.: First Baptist Church Labor Day Car Show in downtown OWA.
• Noon-6 p.m.: Tuki appearances intermittently in downtown OWA and Tropic Falls.
• 3 p.m.-8:50 p.m.: Lawn games on the island.
• 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.: Free live music on the island by Jenna McClelland.
• 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.: Free live music on the island by Brandon Giles.
• 8:50 p.m.-9 p.m.: Labor Day fireworks.

Sunday

• Noon-6 p.m.: Tuki appearances intermittently in downtown OWA and Tropic Falls.
• 2 p.m.-6 p.m.: Kids’ activities at Southern Express in Tropic Falls and downtown fountain.
• 2 p.m.-6 p.m.: Red, white and blue Popsicles (one per person, while supplies last).
• 2 p.m.-8 p.m.: Lawn games on the island.
• 4:30 p.m.-6 p.m.: Free live music on the island from Duhe and Daboys.
• 6 p.m.-7 p.m.: Kids’ flag football game on the festival grounds.
• 6 p.m.-8 p.m.: Free live music on the island from Tobacco Road Band.

Tropic Falls admission ticket or pass is required for the dive-in movie night and activities behind the gates. To learn more, visit the website.

Water parks

• • OWA’s Tropic Falls: Tropic Falls at OWA in Foley is a combination unlike anything the Gulf Coast has seen before. Enjoy 23 rides and attractions at the theme park and explore a year-round tropical paradise in the Tropic Falls Indoor Waterpark with 75-foot-tall slides beneath a convertible glass roof. Just outside is the all-new wave pool, Big Water Bay, with a surf simulator. Follow this link for the full Tropic Falls operating calendar.
  • WildWater Cullman: North Alabama’s newest water park features a 22,000-square-foot wave pool, 10 thrill rides, a kids’ splash area with eight slides and a drift river for those looking to relax. Have a meal from the Oasis Bistro for lunch, grab a quick snack at The Gully and finish the day with a frozen treat from the Iceberg. The park is open daily. Park dates and hours are subject to change without notice. Visit the website for a complete list of things to do, park hours and information.

• Alabama Adventure and Splash Adventure: Enjoy the long holiday weekend at Alabama Adventure and Splash Adventure with water slides, food and entertainment. For more information, email [email protected] or call 205-481-4750. The park is at 4599 Splash Adventure Parkway in Bessemer.
• Montgomery Whitewater: There is something for the entire family at Montgomery Whitewater. The park offers whitewater rafting, kayaking and mountain biking. Walk around the vendor village and grab a meal at Eddy’s Restaurant and Bar. Plan your visit here. For general inquiries, email [email protected] or call 334-746-6530. The water park is at 1100 Maxwell Blvd.

Upcoming live concerts

• Aug. 30: Knox and special guest The Wldlfe, 8 p.m., Druid City Music Hall in Tuscaloosa.
• Aug. 31: Purple Madness – Tribute to Prince, 8 p.m., Iron City in Birmingham.
• Sept. 1: Stolen Faces, 7 p.m., Avondale Brewing Co. in Birmingham.
• Sept. 5: Tauren Wells & Danny Gokey – the Takeback Tour, 7 p.m., Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.

Sportbike Track Time

Bring your motorcycle to Barber Motorsports Park Aug. 31-Sept. 2 for Sportbike Track Time. The event will feature intermediate, advanced and novice groups running for 20 minutes every hour on the track from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with an hour break for lunch. The novice class is broken into subgroups for riders to ride beside others with similar speed and skill while focusing on safety and learning. Instructors will ride with attendees on track and have a structured classroom daily to help improve riding. Intermediate and advanced groups will also have instructors available for specific areas or to help improve overall riding. To learn more, email [email protected]. Reserve your spot here. The venue is at 6026 Barber Motorsports Parkway in Leeds. Follow on Facebook.

Courtesy of Alabama News Center.