EVENTS

Let the music begin! Alabama National Fair opens Friday, concerts start Saturday

Shannon Heupel
Montgomery Advertiser
Starting Saturday and running through Oct. 16, the Alabama National Fair has several acts set on the outdoor stage this year, including John Anderson, Tony! Toni! Toné!, a choral festival, Montgomery Recreators, JJ Weeks, Steel CuZ’n, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Hotel California, and a K-POP Star Contest.

As the Alabama National Fair prepares to open again on Friday, its success with its outdoor live music shows continues to grow. From Saturday through Oct. 16, they’ve got 9 acts scheduled, plus a first-time K-POP Star Contest.

“We’ve been really pleased with the response to having it outdoors,” said Terry Barber, the fair’s director of sales and marketing.

Here's a look at this year's lineup:

  • Saturday 7 p.m.: The performances start with country great singer/songwriter John Anderson, who has been making music for more than 40 years — “Swingin’,” “She Just Started Liking Cheatin’ Songs,” “1959.”
  • Sunday 6:15 p.m.: Big KD 94.1 is presenting recording artist Toia Jones.
  • Sunday 7 p.m.: It’s as night of American soul and R&B from trio Tony! Toni! Toné! They’ve sold more than 6 million albums that have gone gold, platinum and double platinum.
  • Monday 9 a.m.-2 p.m.: The Choral Festival brings together several local school choral groups.
  • Tuesday 7p.m.: The local 18-piece jazz big band Montgomery Recreators is bringing the sounds of the dance band era.
  • Wednesday 7 p.m.: Macon, Georgia singer/songwriter solo artist JJ Weeks has released hits like “What Kind of Love” and “Let Them See You,”
  • Thursday Oct. 13, 7 p.m.:  Steel CuZ’n is Montgomery’s own American brass rock band that’s a veteran of fair performances.
  • Friday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m.: Atlanta Rhythm Section is a Southern rock band that’s been hitting the charts since the ‘70s — “Imaginary Lovers,” “Champagne Jam,” “Spooky.”
  • Saturday, Oct. 15, 7 p.m.: The Canadian tribute group Hotel California has been creating the sounds of The Eagles for more than 30 years.
  • Sunday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m.: The K-POP Star Contest is a first-time event for the fair, offering $4,500 in total prize.

“It’s a Korean dance explosion,” Barber said. “They’re going to come in Saturday (Oct. 15) and do a workshop for people who want to practice the K-POP dancing.”

Find out when and where they’re going to be at https://alnationalfair.org/.

Animal attraction at the fair

The Alabama National Fair will have a live shark encounter this year.

What’s better than Shark Week? How about 10 days of shark at the Alabama National Fair.

“We’ve had sea lions in the past. We’re resting the sea lions this year and bringing the sharks back,” Barber said.

Animal attractions that will be back include the Swifty Swine racing pigs, K9s in Flight diving dogs, and the horse and dog acts from the Zerbini Family Circus.

“It’s a great circus. It’s free,” Barber said.

Off the midway on Grandpa’s Farm, there’s a whole lot of critters for guests to see: ducks, chickens, chicks and incubators, rabbits, pigs, cows and other livestock.

Big cash, fair rides and foods

The Alabama National Fair opens Friday in Montgomery.

Throughout the week, the fair will draw numbers for adults and kids to step into the money machine, which is set up on the stage at Garrett Coliseum. Adults get a chance to grab $1,000 of flying cash, while the kids get a chance at Fair Bucks to spend.

Times for the money machine, as well as schedules for all the activities, contests, and more are available online at alnationalfair.org.

Wade Shows returns to provide the Alabama National Fair’s midway experience, with 40 rides and attractions, games and fair foods.

“All the stuff you’ve come to love, including the cotton candy, polish dogs, corndogs, and deep fried this and that,” Barber said.

There's also a whole food row of fun to eat your way through.

“We try to also involve some of our local food trucks and food vendors,” Barber said. “One of our local people, Crave Café, we just put their food truck on the line.”

Other locals among the food vendors include places like Pots & Panz, Fire Meats Wood, and more.

Bring your used, worn U.S. flags to the fair

It’s important to treat the U.S. Flag with respect. For ones that have been well used and worn, the fair is planning a retirement ceremony on the last Sunday, Oct. 16.

“We’ve got a Boy Scout troop that will come in and do the ceremony where they actually burn them,” Barber said.

Entering the fairgrounds

There are three entrances at the 2022 Alabama National Fair — from the north and south parking lots, and from the arena gate.

“We have four entrances that we’ve used in the past for people to come in. What we call the north gate and the south gate, which are the traditional gates off the coliseum, and we have the one we call Farmers Market gate," Barber said. "We’re going to close that gate this year. It was really kind of a safety issue. There’s a little bridge you’ve got to cross. We’re going to ask more people to come in the arena gate, which is a much, much larger parking area. It’s a lot safer to get in and out. You access that one off of Coliseum Boulevard. It’s a real big field in the back.”

New age requirement

There’s a new policy that everyone 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult at the fair.

"You can’t just drop the kids off,” Barber said. “You don’t have to be there hand in hand the whole time, but you need to be there in case something were to not happen in a positive way. We’d want to talk to your parents or your guardian. We’re trying to make it probably the safest place you could be.”

Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com.