A rockin' October: Festivals, football, concerts fill Tuscaloosa's calendar
Fall means festivals and Tuscaloosa has events celebrating folk art, Native American culture, German culture and more, along with two big concerts at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater.
And, of course, there's always University of Alabama football.
Here’s a look at October events in Tuscaloosa:
Harvest Jam
Midtown Village will host a Harvest Jam from 5:30-8 p.m. Friday on the green at the shopping center, 1800 McFarland Blvd. E.
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The free event will feature live music, pop-up vendors, activities and more.
The Harvest Jam will include craft beer tasting for $5, with proceeds benefiting Child Abuse Prevention Services, a nonprofit United Way agency that helps families in the Tuscaloosa area.
For more information, go to https://midtownvillagetuscaloosa.com/event/harvest-jam.
Maxwell at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
Singer-songwriter-producer Maxwell will perform at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater at 7 p.m. Friday, with Musiq Soulchild and Leela James opening.
The Grammy Award-winning neo-soul icon burst on the scene in 1996 with his debut album “Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite.” Maxwell is known for hits such as “Pretty Wings,” “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder),” “Fortunate” and “Lifetime.”
Tickets through www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Amphitheater box office at 2710 Jack Warner Parkway, cost $125, $99, $79.50, $59.50, $39.50 and $25, plus fees and taxes. For more, see www.tuscaloosaamphitheater.com.
Moundville Native American Festival
The 35th annual Moundville Native American Festival, a celebration of the cultures of Southeastern Native Americans, will be held Wednesday through Saturday at the University of Alabama Moundville Archaeological Park.
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The festival will feature artists, craftsmen and educators from around the nation sharing their knowledge of Native American culture. There will also be a variety of vendors and food trucks, including the popular fry bread tacos.
Admission is $10 for adults, students and seniors. Children 5 years and under are free. Tickets are only available for purchase at the event.
The festival’s hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
For more information, go to https://moundville.museums.ua.edu/events.
Dogtoberfest
The United Way of West Alabama will host its second annual Dogtoberfest Pet Parade and Blessing.
The family-friendly event for dogs and their owners will be held in Capitol Park beginning at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 8, which falls on a Sunday. The event will be hosted by ReUnited, United Way of West Alabama’s retiree-led leadership society.
The event will benefit local animal support programs, including the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter.
The parade, scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m., will also feature a costume contest, judged by ReUnited members. Prize categories for pets will include Pup/Parent Look Alike, Most School Spirit and Best HOWL-o-weenie costume.
The parade will be followed by a pet blessing service at 3:15 p.m. hosted by Christ Episcopal Church. Other fun activities include paw readings, photo opportunities, face painting and shopping at the Neiman Barkus store. A quartet from the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra will provide music and MARV, the Metro Animal Shelter's Mobile Adoption Rescue Vehicle, will feature dogs that are available for adoption.
For more information, go to https://uwwa.org/dogtoberfest.
Kentuck Festival of the Arts
The 52nd annual Kentuck Festival of the Arts will feature more than 270 artists, live music, spoken word performances, activities for children, folk and contemporary craft demonstrations, food trucks, and local craft brews. The festival is set for 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 14 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 15 at Kentuck Park, 3401 Fifth St. in Northport.
The festival was recognized by the Alabama Department of Tourism as one of the top 10 events to attend in Alabama. Kentuck was named "Best of Bama 2022" by Alabama Magazine and named a "Local Legacy" by The United States Library of Congress. Kentuck has also been featured in Smithsonian Magazine, Southern Living, American Style Magazine, and National Geographic Traveler.
Admission is $15 for a single-day pass or $25 for a weekend pass. Kids 12 and younger will be admitted free. For more information, go to www.kentuck.org.
Alabama football
The Crimson Tide has two big home games scheduled in October at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The Arkansas Razorbacks come to Tuscaloosa on Oct. 14, with kick off time set for 11 a.m. This will be UA's homecoming game, with a bonfire on the Quad at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 13 and a parade at 7 a.m. on game day. The theme of this year's homecoming is "The Future Is Crimson." Check https://homecoming.sa.ua.edu for details.
The Tennessee Volunteers will be in T-Town on Oct. 21, with kick off time to be announced later.
A few tickets remain for the Arkansas game at www.rolltide.com, but the Tennessee game is sold out.
Kidz Bop at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
The Kidz Bop band will perform at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater.
Kidz Bop is a concept developed by Razor & Tie entertainment company, featuring children singing hit songs. Since 2001, Kidz Bop has sold more than 21 million albums, with 4.5 billion streams, and expanded into merchandise, music videos, a live touring division, and talent search competitions. For more, see www.kidzbop.com/tour.
Tickets cost $65, $55, $45, $35 and $25, through www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater box office, 2710 Jack Warner Parkway. For more, see www.tuscaloosaamphitheater.com
Tuscaloosa Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest will return to Tuscaloosa for the first time since 2019. The German-themed event, presented by Visit Tuscaloosa, will be held 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 28 at Druid City Social, 301 Greensboro Ave.
The festival will include a 5K run to benefit American Cancer Society, live music, German food, beer, local vendors, competitions and more. Other activities include a stein-holding contest, "tapping of the keg," a dachshund race presented by the Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter and a performance by German band Oompah-Calypse.
The 5K is presented by Mercedes-Benz U.S. International and will begin at 9 a.m. from downtown Tuscaloosa. Registration is available for $50 and includes race entry, T-shirt, beer stein, free admission to Oktoberfest and a free beer for runners 21 and older.
General admission tickets to Oktoberfest are $10 per person and children 12 and younger are admitted free. VIP tickets are also available for $75 per person.
For more information about the event, go to tuscaloosaoktoberfest.com.
Reach Ken Roberts at ken.roberts@tuscaloosanews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: A rockin' October: Festivals, concerts fill Tuscaloosa's calendar
