Alabama State Fairgrounds has always been home to the grand Alabama State Fair. It not only has a capacity to accommodate a large number of visitors but also has a huge parking lot. With the best of rental facilities and flexibility, Alabama State Fair is a perfect venue to organize important events and celebrations. The ground also has amusement parks and golf club.
Alabama's largest city, Birmingham is nestled in the heart of Jones Valley, flanked by the Appalachian foothills. This vibrant city, once a major manufacturing hub and later one of the centers of the Civil Rights Movement, is awash with the stories of the past. The many colleges and universities that call Birmingham home have led to a strong student population that equates with a buzzing after-hours nightlife scene and an excellent number of restaurants for every budget. For outdoor enthusiasts, nature is at the doorstep, and parks like Ruffner Mountain, Rickwood Caverns and Moss Rock Parks offer plenty of outdoor adventure from mountain climbing, and hiking to biking for the fitness inclined.
Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex, this exhibition hall is all of 20,000 sq feet in size making it a huge space for conducting trade fairs and exhibitions. This facility has the capacity of meeting International as well as National Trade Fair and Exhibition requirements. The BJCC Exhibition Halls are well equipped with all the latest amenities and catering is also provided for events held here.
Face it. Birmingham and the civil rights movement go hand and hand. But, often overlooked by tourists is A.G. Gaston Gardens, Birmingham’s first African-American owned hotel. Built in the 1960s by African-American businessman A.G. Gaston (arguably the richest black man in America at the time), the former hotel housed black guests and civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King, and served as a meeting place to plan and organize activities. But, don’t be fooled by the current facade of pale pink, the A.G. Gaston motel provided first class accommodations of master suites with air conditioning and private bathrooms, something unheard of during that time. Not to be missed.
At a time when racial prejudice was at an all-time high, Alabama Penny Savings Bank offered African-Americans something almost unheard of: their own bank. Founded by William Reuben Pettiford in 1890, the Alabama Penny Savings Bank was the first black-owned bank in the state. Even more, they were the second largest black bank in the country, offering African-Americans the money they needed to finance homes, businesses, and churches. Before Alabama Penny Saving Bank closed in 1915, at one time, they conducted business as high as a half million dollars. Worth a visit to see an important piece of black history.
When you think of an art gallery, you think of fine art of landscapes, buildings, and unknown people. But, New Life Art Gallery combines two unlikely combinations: art and sports. The gallery showcases (and sells) paintings by David A. Moore, a renowned international artist whose work is revered by many. Avid golfer? Football aficionado? There’s something for you. But, the gallery by far features and caterers to University of Alabama Roll Tide football, where, as they say, football is a sport, but in Alabama, football is art. Artwork is reasonably priced, with online shopping available. Worth a visit, even if you’re not an art lover. - Terah Shelton