Ballyhoo Fest March 4 in Gulf Shores’ Waterway Village

Ballyhoo Fest March 4 in Gulf Shores’ Waterway Village

The Gulf Coast Arts Alliance will present the Ballyhoo Festival, a celebration of art and culture, on March 4 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at 225 E. 24th Ave. in the Waterway District of Gulf Shores. There is no admission fee.
Parking and shuttles will be available at Gulf Shores First Presbyterian Church, First Baptist Church, Gulf Shores Church of Christ and the Waterway Village City parking lot.
Approximately 50 artists from Alabama and surrounding states will be featuring their works at Ballyhoo, including local potters Steve Dark and Anne Webb; Leeds potter Larry Allen; local plein air oil artist Craig Reynolds; and Homewood watercolor artist Michael Davis. Many others will gather to show handcrafted jewelry, acrylic, pastel, watercolor and oil paintings, metal art, wood art and pottery. The Gulf Coast Arts Alliance, a non-profit entity in Gulf Shores.
The Ballyhoo Fine Arts Festival promises to be a fun-filled day for families. The Ballyhoo Trackless Train will travel the perimeter of the Festival site, transporting happy little travelers and stopping for a sweet treat along the way. The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo will have a Petting Zoo for children. Little ones can get up close and touch Zoo animals. This is a wonderful learning experience. Crosswinds Church will have three Children’s Art Activities Tents, with hands-on art activities offered.
The Ballyhoo Queen Contest is a parody of sorts. It is not a beauty contest, but rather a fun, lighthearted event where contestants compete for prize money to be donated to their favorite charity. The entry fee is $10 and entry forms are available online at ballyhoofestival.com. This event is hosted by Darwin Singleton of Channel 15 and begins at Noon.
The Ballyhoo Festival will feature original tribal dance by the Poarch Creek Indians from Poarch, Alabama. The PCI is the only federally recognized tribe in the State of Alabama. Each dance and costume is described by the PCI cultural director to enhance the knowledge and history of their tribe. They will perform in ceremonial regalia at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Ballyhoo Performance Schedule:
9-11 a.m. – Music by Mac Walter and Elaine Petty
11-12 p.m. – Performance by the Poarch Creek Indians
12-1 p.m. – Ballyhoo Queen Contest
1-2 p.m. – Brent Burns
2-4 p.m. – Rex
4-5 p.m. – Performance by the Poarch Creek Indians.
Pictured: 2016 Ballyhoo Queen Zana Price, already the Queen of Foley, receives her crown from Dawin Singleton.