Logan Martin Neely Henry Lakelife 24/7 Magazine May and June 2026

America at 250

Celebrating our independence lake style

Kicking Off SUMMER Music, fireworks, lakeside parties and much more

LakeLife Creators

Carol Pappas

Carol Pappas is editor and publisher of Discover St. Clair Magazine. A retired newspaper executive, she served as editor and publisher of several newspapers and magazines during. She won dozens of writing awards and was named Distinguished Alabama Community Journalist at Auburn University. She serves as president/CEO of Partners by Design.

David Smith

David Smith aka BamaDave, is originally from Birmingham. He and his wife, Renee, live on Logan Martin Lake. He is a freelance photographer, videographer and professional drone pilot. He has worked for ESPN’s College GameDay Show as a cameraman and for the last 4 years as the drone pilot. He has won 12 Emmys and was ESPN’s first drone pilot.

Graham Hadley

Graham Hadley is the managing editor and designer for Discover The Essence of St. Clair Magazine and also manages the magazine website. Along with Carol Pappas, he left The Daily Home as managing editor to become chief operating officer and vice president of the Creative Division of Partners by Design multimedia company.

Paul South

Paul South, a native of Fairfield, is an Auburn graduate with a degree in journalism and a double minor in history. He also has a Juris Doctorate degree from the Birmingham School of Law. Although sports writing was always his first love, he had a versatile career as reporter, columnist and first full-time sports information director at Samford University.

Roxann Edsall

Roxann Edsall is a freelance writer and former managing editor of Convene Magazine, a convention industry publication. She has a degree in (broadcast) journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi, worked as a television news reporter in Biloxi and as a reporter and assignments editor in Birmingham.

Scottie Vickery

Scottie Vickery is a writer with a degree in journalism from the University of Alabama and was a reporter for The Birmingham News Her first assignment was covering St. Clair and Blount counties. She has more than 30 years of writing and editing experience and her work has appeared in a variety of publications. She also has worked in the nonprofit industry.

Mackenzie Free

Mackenzie Free is an experienced and nationally published photographer with a bachelor of fine arts degree. She is a Birmingham native now cultivating life on a farm in Steele with her husband & 4 daughters.

Molly Gilbert

Molly Gilbert discovered her love of storytelling early, inspired by the colorful tales of her close-knit Pell City family. Her favorite summer vacation memories were made on Lake Logan Martin — cookouts, tubing with cousins and catching fireflies at sunset. Now a Talladega resident with more than 30 years in writing and marketing, she enjoys capturing the people and events that make the lake so meaningful.

About the Cover

Westin Stinson, son of Coosa Concierge owners Grant and Liz Stinson, takes his personal watercraft for a spin as weather warms and water heads to full pool on Logan Martin Lake. Let the lake season begin! Photo by Bob Crisp

Magic of lake season returns

There’s something magical about lake season that feels like returning home after a long journey. When May arrives, that morning chill gives way to warm breezes and the kid-like anticipation of putting the boat in for the first time.

Up and down the shoreline, it’s like a flurry of activity awakening from a winter’s nap. New docks have been going up, seawalls built or repaired, landscaping, summer gardens –they’re all a part of the seasonal mix. Suddenly, the grass is green again, trees and plants begin to bud. Summer tomatoes can’t be far away!

For me, the start of lake season is more than a change in scenery, it’s a reset button. It’s about dusting off kayaks, uncovering the dock chairs and welcoming friends, neighbors and family to share in memorable moments ‘lakelifers’ like us enjoy all year long.

As we dive into another season at the lake, I’m reminded of how these moments, small as they may seem, become the memories that sustain us all year long. Here’s to new adventures, sun-soaked days and the timeless magic of the lake – back again, right on schedule.

In this issue of LakeLife 24/7, you’ll see firsthand just how active things can be around these parts.

Upcoming is LakeFest May 8-10 at Pell City Lakeside Park, an in-water boat show, outdoor festival, live music and so much more all rolled into one huge event – the biggest on Logan Martin every year.

Also that weekend is Art on Broad in Gadsden. It’s all a part of the Alabama Arts Trail, sponsored by City of Gadsden and Gadsden Museum of Art. Art will abound from one end of downtown to the other May 8-9.

Don’t forget. Tiki Hut kicks off summer on Logan Martin with its opening . And Oh Sherri Island Pub is now open at Coosa Island. Oh Sherri opened a third location in Ohatchee.

Other major events taking shape are the Riverside Poker Run, Dam Palooza and Christmas in July.

LakeLife 24/7

Carol Pappas • Editor and Publisher

Graham Hadley • Managing Editor and Designer

Dale Halpin • Advertising

Patrick Stokesberry • Graphic Designer

Need a little help getting ready for the season or for a weekend? Call Coosa Concierge, a new business that gets your lake place ready for action. We’ll learn all about this startup on the Coosa River chain, including service on Logan Martin and Neely Henry.

A new experience awaits at Turner Family Farms in Lincoln with the opening of the Gathering Cup. Beautiful farmland and a view of Logan Martin are the perfect complement to the creations inside this “cozy hideaway nestled right here on the farm.” There, you’ll find coffee, espresso, sweet treats and a light breakfast and lunch menu.

And we’ll take you inside the home and kitchen of Susan Kell on Neely Henry Lake. There’s plenty to see inside and out and plenty of history to share about this A-frame paradise. Susan will share some delicious recipes as well.

Pro bass angler Zeke Gossett will take you up and down both lakes, giving you the latest tips on where to fish this time of year, what to use and how to catch the big ones.

And as we prepare to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, we’ll share what’s in store for this historic 4th of July on Logan Martin and Neely Henry.

It’s all in this issue of LakeLife 24/7 Magazine. Turn the page and discover it all with us!

Carol Pappas Editor and Publisher

LOGAN MARTIN and NEELY HENRY

Making sure lake owners get to enjoy the lake

Story by Paul South

Photos by Graham Hadley

At age 8, Grant Stinson drove the family boat on Logan Martin, able to steer the craft better than more experienced adults.

At 15, he was working in a local marina, climbing up the boat business ladder. After college, he began a 13-year tenure at Rambo Marine, one of the mainstays of Alabama’s marine industry, beginning as a “lot guy,” selling boats and eventually climbing to general manager.

The experience hooked him on an idea.

“I just encountered a lot of affluent people there that all had homes on Logan Martin, Smith (Lake) and Lake Martin, the lakes around Birmingham,” Stinson said. “They really didn’t have someone who could take care of their lake house and their boat and their dock and everything. So when they would show up at the lake on Friday afternoon, they spent all of Saturday working. When Sunday got here, they felt like they’d worked all weekend.”

Cutting the yard, fueling the boat and getting the house in shape drained hours from what should have been a relaxing weekend at a family’s second home, turning it instead to toil and trouble.

That’s how Coosa Concierge was born.

The company that Stinson founded earlier this year focuses on “the lake life,” the kicked back, chilled out way of living of which waterfront homeowners dream of from that first search for a second home.

“We focus on what really matters to folks when they get (to their lake home) – the lake life. ‘Is the boat ready? Is the house ready? And can we go enjoy it?,’ so they don’t have to spend every waking hour worrying about whether the boat’s ready and all of that.”

Coosa Concierge offers a base package to new clients. Once a month. Concierge staff come to the home, do a visual inspection of the home, making sure the dock is presentable, and that there are no trees down on the property and making sure the boat is as it’s supposed to be, ready for the water. Basic memberships cost $299 per month.

“We give the client a detailed (monthly) report,” Stinson said. “That comes in especially handy in the off season. They don’t come from October to March. The report lets them know things are as they are supposed to be.”

Coosa Concierge also offers a la carte services, making sure the dock is clean, boat lifts ready for the season and the yard ship shape and all the watercraft ready.

Grant puts extra effort into making the beautiful watercraft shine

Liz and Grant make sure the boat is properly covered and out of the water. It’s a team effort.

In the fall, Coosa Concierge offers services to help shut down the house for the offseason.

“It’s our fall shutdown,” Stinson said. “Let’s make sure everything’s winterized. Let’s make sure the outside faucets are off and dock furniture is put away. Let’s make sure the water toys are put away in the garage, Lilypads, kayaks, paddleboards, yard ornaments. There is so much stuff that people don’t think about.”

He added, “There are a lot of little a la carte things that people ask us to do that people may ask us to do. We may outsource that to somebody, and we just manage the project for (the homeowner).”

For example, Coosa Concierge will coordinate lawn care services for clients upon request. Stinson’s brother-in-law, Jack Wood, owns Cutter Lawn Maintenance.

Coosa Concierge also offers Logan Martin clients a service called “Stock and Shop.” In advance of the homeowners’ arrival, Concierge follows a client’s grocery list, shopping at the client’s preferred stores to fill the refrigerator, pantry and bar. Each order is thoughtfully put away, ready for visitors.

Coosa Concierge also offers a “Weekend Readiness” package. The package removes the aggravation of a dead boat battery or empty gas tank, a recurring challenge in the boat world.

“They can call me and get on the list for the weekends they have and say, ‘I want the jet

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Pulling away from the dock in Riverside after fueling up

skis set up. I want the boat filled up with gas, wiped down, so that the batteries are hot and everything is ready to go.’

That’s one of the biggest things we offer.”

Stinson, who lives with his family on Logan Martin, is especially sensitive to the challenges posed by fickle Alabama weather, especially the threat of spring and summer tornados.

“If there’s something that’s happening at my house, I need to go check on my clients’ homes around the lake as well,” Stinson said. They will also step in to check on a concerned client’s property when asked, making sure everything is in order.

Coosa Concierge offers water toy and party rentals –kayaks, paddleboards and the like – to help transform a lake weekend into a precious memory.

Stinson’s heart belongs to the water. He clearly loves his work. “I’ve lived here my whole life,” he said. “I just really enjoy seeing people enjoy the lake, actually seeing them enjoy it and not have to work the whole weekend.”

Over the years, he’s heard countless times a sad refrain from lake homeowners spending time working on rather than enjoying their lake property.

“That’s not how it’s supposed to be,” Stinson said. “This is your vacation home. It should be that you are going to your vacation home to enjoy it, to relax. That’s what I enjoy the most – seeing people enjoy the lake.

“I’ve been here so long, that’s really what it’s about. Our mission is to help people enjoy the lake as it should be,” Stinson said. “Enjoy it all summer and not have to work every weekend. I really think it’s as simple as that, really.” l

The GATHERING CUP Turner Family Farms brews coffee and conversation in new shop

Story by Roxann Edsall

Photos by Mackenzie Free

In this hurry-up, rapid-fire world, when was the last time you were invited to slow down and savor time spent in conversation? A new area coffee shop is aiming to be the social catalyst to improve interaction and quality time together.

The Gathering Cup at Turner Family Farms has been inviting relationship building over coffee since late October.

Owners Victor and Hillary Turner say they have some of their best conversations over their morning coffee. “We love coffee,” says Hillary. “It brings out conversation, and it’s doing that nearly every day of the week here.”

“Coffee time is such a great time to have a needed conversation,” adds Victor. “It’s important for us to slow down and talk. We’re providing this location so people can grow their relationships and make memories here.” The couple welcome small groups, businesses and individuals to meet in their cozy café, calling it a place for “good coffee, good company and good memories.”

Families in the community have already been making memories on the property since fall of 2022 when the Turners opened their Pumpkin Patch. Last year, they planted 25 acres of pumpkins and nearly sold out. “We were overwhelmed by the community that showed up for us this past year,” says Victor.

In 2023, Turner Family Farm added to their offerings, opening a seasonal Christmas Wonderland, complete with Santa, horse and carriage rides, train rides, a petting zoo, Christmas movies and a hayride through a magical forest lightshow.

The Christmas Wonderland idea came from an experience the couple had in Texas. “We were in Texas doing

temporary work there in 2017. I was homesick for Alabama and Victor took me to a Santa wonderland event in College Station to cheer me up,” explains Hillary. “It was magical!”

When they returned to Pell City, they talked about wanting to offer a similar place to give families a place to make those magical memories. They started looked for land that could support the types of family events they envisioned.

The perfect 146 acres came available in Lincoln. They purchased the land in 2022 and got to work on their vision. First up was reworking and rebuilding the two barns on the property.

It was simpler to do a pumpkin patch, so they started up with that their first year. While working the patch, they continued improving other areas on the farm, building a corn crib, playground and zip line. They now have two pumpkin fields that they rotate every other year

“We worked such long hours during the Pumpkin Patch this year that we decided to pull our camper out here so we could work and still take care of our babies,” said Hillary. The couple, who live in Pell City, have two daughters, Callie (age 7) and Charlee (age 5), and a two-year-old son, Crue. All three help with planting and enjoy helping take care of the animals.

“When they come to the farm, the first thing our children do is go to the barn to see the animals,” says Hillary. “I try to think that if my children enjoy it, then other people’s children will too.” The farm’s cows, goats, lambs and rabbits are all part of the petting zoo that can be seen during special events and field trips.

Hillary’s mom, Sonya Moses, who retired from Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, helps the couple by handling field trip scheduling. Other family members and friends also pitch in when needed. “When we have seasonal events going on, it takes over 20 people to staff each day,” Victor says.

Parents can grab a cup of joe before heading out with their children to the adjacent expansive playground. Located on Stemley Road in Lincoln, the coffee shop is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. The Gathering Cup manager, Alivia Huffman, and her staff offer hot and iced coffee varieties, handcrafted lattes, hot chocolate, expressos, in addition to a selection of breakfast, lunch and pastry items.

If you indulge in the pastry items or the hand-scooped ice cream treats, don’t worry. You can work off the calories by walking the one-mile trail or by joining a Tuesday night Pilates class in the barn.

Gathering space outside the event barn

Soft critters are a crowd favorite

Indoor gathering space for special events

Gateway to the gift shop

Petting zoo animals come to visit

Sign up for Pilates through Tone Wellness on their Facebook page.

The mission of Turner Family Farms is to honor God, families and community by offering a place where families can make memories. The newest chapter in their story goes well beyond pumpkins, Christmas lights and coffee. This month, they expect to open their wedding and event space.

The larger event space features an 80-foot by 120-foot event barn with a full commercial kitchen and an upstairs bridal suite with a Juliette balcony. The 50-foot by 120-foot barn is an option for smaller events. The outdoor pavilion with turf presents another gathering space. Plans also include converting a smaller barn into a chapel.

“We’ve had many people who have let us know they’ve gotten engaged on our property,” said Victor. “We think that’s a special thing. You can get married here and come back later with your kids and have pictures made in the same place.” Their hope is that couples who get married on the farm will return for future photos and milestones, building a family tradition in the place where their story began.

Since they’ve opened the coffee shop, the property is accessible year-round and gives people a reason to visit anytime. “People have told us they want more events so they can come to the farm and have fun more often,” adds Hillary. Last month the facility hosted a new event – an Easter egg hunt.

For the Turners, the coffee shop is more than just a service center. It’s a place where relationships can happen and where families can spend quality time together. With free internet, they also invite businesses and small groups to gather around their tables for meetings. Or put down the phone, close the laptop and savor the flavor of the life with a piece of avocado toast and a cup of coffee. l

Editor’s Note: For more information or directions –turnerfamilyfarmsal.com

match

Anders was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that was affecting his immune health and significantly impacting his overall development. His doctors determined his best treatment option was a bone marrow transplant, and luckily Anders found his match and received his transplant. Now Anders is reaching new developmental milestones and is starting to get back to being a normal kid.

We are here in your neighborhood at Pediatrics East. To schedule an appointment at either the Trussville or Deerfoot locations visit www.pediatricseast.org

Boats, fireworks, music and more

It’s hard to top the year before 16 years in a row, but Logan Martin LakeFest organizers just seem to find a way to do it, year after year.

From its signature in-water boat show to a spectacular fireworks display to stages full of headliner bands and discovered new talent, LakeFest presented by AmFirst keeps it fresh and new each year.

From dozens of lake lifestyle vendors to a palate pleasing lineup of food trucks to the Mates and Mateys Parade and games and rides for the kids, Lakeside Park is transformed into a fun-filled paradise.

Set for May 8-10, the weekend is packed with all kinds of activities designed to lure lake and land lovers alike.

On Sunday, May 10, there will even be free Mimosas for Moms – a special treat for Mother’s Day.

Want to go? Admission is free, and prizes are given away all weekend. You’re eligible just by dropping your ticket into the drawing box. Grand prizes are announced Sunday afternoon.

Proceeds from sponsorships and vendor booth rentals help support Logan Martin LakeFest Charities, a nonprofit organization contributing to other nonprofits around the community.

LakeFest Day 1

Schedule of events

• 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Vendor Setup

• 2 p.m.: LakeFest open to the public

• Live Music, Vendors, Boat Test Drives

• Soon after dark (estimated around 8 P.M.): FIREWORKS show honoring veterans from the Colonel Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home

• 9 p.m.: LakeFest closes for the evening

LakeFest Day 2

• 7 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Vendor Setup

• 10 a.m.: LakeFest Day 2 Open!

• Live Music, Vendors, Boat Test Drives

• 9 p.m.: Lakefest closes for the evening

LakeFest Day 3

• 12 p.m.: LakeFest Day 3 Open!

• 12 p.m.: FREE Mimosas for Mom and special gift courtesy A.m.First.

• 3 p.m.: Giveaway winners announced

• Live Music!

• 5 p.m.: LakeFest ends l

Fireworks over Logan Martin Lakeside Park

Crowd gathers to enjoy live music

of all kinds on display

IN Kitchen the and around the with House Susan Kell

crowd

Susan Kell and her late husband, Paul, bought their A-frame 25 years ago, but she’s only been living on the lake full time for seven

Unique waterfront home epitomizes lake life

Story by Scottie Vickery

Photos by Bob Crisp

When Susan Kell made the move to full-time lake life seven years ago, she took a bit of a gamble.

Although she was born and raised in Ashville, where her house on Neely Henry Lake is, she’d lived on Chandler Mountain for 50 years, and it was home. Leaving the place where she and her late husband, Paul, had raised their three children was hard, even though she wasn’t going far.

But the lure of being even closer to her children and grandchildren made the decision much easier. These days, she loves puttering around her yard that’s filled with colorful azaleas in the spring, and hosting family gatherings.

Although living at the lake year-round is still fairly new to Susan, spending time at the A-frame house, situated near Canoe Creek right next to the bridge between Ashville and Rainbow City, isn’t. Paul, the founder of Kell Realy, bought the house 25 years ago, and they used it as a weekend house most of that time.

“He was going to fix it up and resell it, but the kids wanted to keep it,” Susan said, adding that her eight grandchildren, who range in age from 8-26, are big fans, as well. The pool is as big a draw as the lake, and the large, flat lot makes it the perfect spot to host celebrations.

“Paul really liked to entertain,” said Susan, who was a teacher and librarian at Ashville Elementary School for 25 years. “We’ve always had friends and family over and lots of church gatherings, and the kids know they can have a party any time they want to. We’ve had birthday parties, ball parties, graduation parties and an engagement party. Last December, we even had a wedding” for a family friend.

Historical details

While the emphasis has been on family ever since the Kells have owned the home, that wasn’t always the case. Many locals know the house as “the gambling house,” because decades ago, a former owner hosted big weekend gambling parties.

The story goes that the main floor of the house featured nothing but poker tables and a fish pond that was tucked under the circular staircase, according to Susan’s daughter, Jennifer Spears.

The pool house, now filled with tubes and towels, was home to a large bar, and drinks could be passed out to the pool deck through a sliding glass window. “There are a lot of stories about this place,” Jennifer said.

While the house, which was built in the 1970s, has an interesting history, Susan has filled it with antiques and family heirlooms that tell other stories of Ashville’s past, as well as her family’s. After buying the house, she and Paul built walls to make a bedroom and bathroom on the first floor, which had originally been one large open space.

A trunk, handmade by Paul, is at the foot of the bed, and the coffee table and end

The hall tree, home to a variety of vintage hats from Susan’s relatives, is one of several pieces from the Teague Hotel in Ashville

table he made are in the den. Pictures painted by her mother, Florence McClendon, are displayed throughout the house, as are pictures they collected on some of their travels.

Paul, who also was an auctioneer in addition to his career as a Realtor, would regularly host antique auctions, and “we used to go to England and Belgium and France and bring loads of antiques back,” said Susan. Along with Betty Hilley, she operated Ashville Antiques for a number of years.

In addition to furniture and other treasures she and Paul collected, Susan has a bedroom suite, a hall tree, rocking chair and the old dinner bell from the Teague Hotel, which was built in the early 1800s and stood on Ashville’s town square until it was torn down in 1960.

Her great grandmother, Lula Nunnally, a widow, bought and ran the hotel for years. Later, Lula’s daughter and Susan’s grandmother, Annie Teague McClendon, ran the inn. In addition to taking in boarders, she would cook meals for people who traveled to Ashville for court hearings, Susan said.

While one of the two upstairs bedrooms is filled with furniture from the hotel, the second one boasts a special touch courtesy of Susan’s other grandmother, Stella Moorer. She pieced a colorful quilt that graces the bed that was once Stella’s in the room Susan likes to call the boat room. “It reminds me of a boat,” with its sloped ceiling and built-in bureau, she said.

The quilt her grandmother made is only one kind of heirloom Susan treasures. She loves to cook, and she especially enjoys making recipes that have been passed on to her by family members and friends. One of her favorites is her mother-in-law’s strawberry icing. Frances Kell, known as “Nanny,” was 100 when she passed away this past year, and that makes the recipe, which the family has enjoyed

Susan’s grandmother, Stella Moorer, pieced the quilt on the bed in the room Susan calls the boat room because of the sloped ceilings

Susan’s husband, Paul, made the trunk at the the foot of her bed. The room also features her mother’s artwork

property as

The A-frame’s windows, seen from the third floor, offer an expansive view of the lake

kitchen is the heart of her home

for as long as they can remember, even more special.

Another recipe that often makes an appearance during special occasions is “Martha’s Punch,” which Susan got from Martha Umphrey. “She was our pastor’s wife years and years ago, and she would make it for showers,” said Susan, a member of Mt. Lebanon Church in Steele.

Selling points

Although her family has always been close-knit, Susan sees them even more since she moved to the lake. Her son, Josh, who now heads Kell Realty, lives next door with his family. Her daughter, Paula Ballard, and her family are right across the road, and Jennifer and her family live less than a mile from her. “That’s the best part, being so close to the kids,” Susan said.

The view isn’t bad, either, whether you’re in the house looking at the water or in the water looking at the house. The azaleas, which were planted when they bought the

house and are trimmed back each year, are the stars of the show, but Susan’s green thumb is evident all over the property.

She lovingly tends to the lilies her mother gave her 25 years ago, as well as the Irises she got from her mother-in-law’s house and replanted. She also loves the huge Oleander that blooms every year.

She recently spruced up beds and pots by the pool house with gardenias as well as begonias that she kept in the greenhouse during the winter. “In the fall, I take them up and put them in pots and keep them in the greenhouse,” she said. “Then I replant them so I don’t have to get the little bitty plants. They are already big and pretty.”

The beauty of the home and yard isn’t lost on others. “People have just driven up to the house and asked to buy it, and others have come up in boats asking how much I want for it,” Susan said with a laugh.

“People are always trying to buy it, but we don’t want to sell.”

The pool is a favorite hangout spot for the grandchildren

The beautiful azaleas, which were planted when they bought the house 25 years ago, put on a show each spring

GREAT RECIPES FROM SUSAN KELL

Martha’s Punch

(Makes 2 gallons)

Ingredients:

• 2 large bottles (2-liter) ginger ale

• 6 cups sugar

• 6 packages lemon Kool-Aid

• 2 tall cans (46-ounce) pineapple juice

• 2 pineapple cans of hot water

Directions:

Mix Kool-Aid, sugar and hot water (make sure it’s hot and not warm) with pineapple juice and freeze. To serve, thaw the mixture enough to slice it and add the ginger ale.

*You can use a little less sugar if you prefer a less sweet punch.

Nanny’s Strawberry Icing

(Use on a yellow or white cake)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of fresh strawberries OR 1 package of frozen strawberries

• 2 cups sugar, plus 2-3 tablespoons sugar

• 2-3 egg whites

• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:

Cook strawberries with 2 cups of sugar until it makes a syrup. Beat egg whites with 2-3 tablespoons sugar and cream of tartar until stiff. Pour strawberry mixture into egg whites and continue beating several minutes until fluffy.

Taco Bean Salad

(This makes a large amount; half the recipe is plenty for one family)

Ingredients:

2 cans chili beans, drained

3 tomatoes, diced

1 green pepper diced

1 medium onion, diced

8 ounces grated cheese

16 ounces of Fritos (you can use less, if you prefer)

1 small bottle Russian salad dressing

Directions:

Mix all ingredients except dressing and Fritos together and chill. Add Fritos and dressing just before serving and toss.

Hemlock Inn Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

5 cups flour

1 (15-ounce) box Raisin Bran

1 teaspoon salt

5 teaspoons baking soda

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1 quart buttermilk

2 sticks melted butter or margarine

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients together and fold into the dry mixture. Place in covered bowl in the refrigerator and take out desired amount as needed. Batter will keep for two months. When ready to bake, fill muffin tins about 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 14-15 minutes. l

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Another year of success for event at Quintard Mall

Pontoons and tritoons line the parking lot outside Quintard Mall in Oxford

Story and photos

by Graham Hadley

The East Alabama Boat show notched another successful year as boat dealers filled the Quintard Mall parking lot in Oxford with row after row of a huge variety of watercraft –from WaveRunners to large performance luxury tritoons.

The event, sponsored by AmFirst, was held April 10-12, and featured boats from Poor House Branch Marina, Sylacauga Marine and Wedowee Marine, and vendors like Oxford’s Tackle Box.

Organizer Thomas Shelton, who worked with the City of Oxford to make it all happen, credits the success of the boat show to a combination of great location combined with what the boat dealers bring to the table.

“The mall is the perfect location, at the intersection of two highways, plenty room for the boats and parking,” he said. “We try to pick a place for these events that generates traffic for the local businesses. And the mall has all the amenities – restrooms and the food court, plus the arcade and movie theater and other shops. From a family perspective, it made perfect sense. It makes the show a more inclusive event.

“And the folks at Quintard Mall are great to work with. They

Something

for everyone: bass boats, wake boats and pontoons

were very welcoming and really care about their tenants and do what they can to generate traffic for the mall.”

Shelton said, because they have almost no overhead, it is a very affordable show for the boat dealers, vendors and sponsors. “Almost everything they put into the show goes into marketing it. It’s a very effective way to market and a good way for the sponsor and the dealers to get their money’s worth.”

The show is limited to three dealers with the idea that they bring lots of boats – fishing, ski and wake, pontoons and tritoons, and personal watercraft. Shelton said that works out well because it means those few dealers get all the customer traffic and are much more likely to make sales.

“Because we are so affordable a show, the dealers, for all their work, only have to make a few sales for the event to be profitable for them.”

Shelton, who has a local Alfa insurance agency in Oxford, consults on the boat show and to bring more fishing tournaments to Calhoun County and surrounding areas. He taps into his love of fishing and the water and his experience as a competitive fisherman to help attract the events to the region.

“I am a presenting sponsor for the Alabama Bass Trail, Fishers of Men, Sylacauga Marine Trail and others. In fact, my daughter and I are going to be on the ABT fishing tournament tomorrow on Neely Henry.”

Bringing in big dealers from across the region – Poor House in Talladega County, Wedowee Marine and Sylacauga Marine – is a win-win for the mall and Calhoun County.

“The show was well attended. The dealers said they were happy with sales, and it drew not only local visitors, but people from Mobile, Tuscaloosa, Auburn and parts of Georgia,” said Cher Dulaney, tourism director for the Calhoun County Area Chamber and Visitors Center.

“It brings traffic to the mall and other businesses and highlights that, with all the renovations, the mall is becoming a lifestyle center for the community. Having something regional in reach going on in the parking lot is great for that.

“Its part of the big picture – attracting more and more people to the area.”

With the latest successful show under his belt, Shelton said he is already looking to next year.

“As long as there is interest, we will continue to host the show here. And we have had a lot of interest.” l

Oxford’s Tackle Box was on hand to show off fishing gear

AmFirst was the key sponsor

A spectacular summer ahead for Logan Martin Lake

Lineup of events keeps things hopping on the water

Story by Molly Gilbert

Submitted Photos

On Lake Logan Martin, summer isn’t just a season — it’s a feeling. It’s the hum of boat engines in the distance, the glow of late sunsets stretching across the water and the familiar sight of neighbors gathering in ways that feel both meaningful and effortless.

Some traditions are rooted in giving back, others in pure fun, but what they all share is a simple truth: life on the lake is best experienced together.

This summer, three standout events — the Riverside Poker Run, Dam Palooza and Christmas in July at Pier 59 — offer three very different ways to celebrate everything that makes this community special.

Riverside Poker Run:

A Tradition Built on Community and Purpose

Now in its 17th year, the Riverside Poker Run has become a Father’s Day weekend tradition that feels as much like a family reunion as it does a fundraiser. Organized by the Riverside Beautification Organization (RBO), the event began in 2008 as a creative way to raise funds—and has since grown into the organization’s largest

annual effort to support projects that shape the heart of Riverside.

On the morning of the run, there’s a quiet buzz near Riverside Landing as boats begin to gather — pontoons loaded with families and friends, fishing boats easing into the current, jet skis darting between them. Participants pick up their $20 registration packets, complete with a map, poker chips and cards, then set off along a seven-stop route winding through the river.

Each dock along the way offers a chance to draw a card, but the experience is about far more than building a winning hand. This year, every stop is dressed in patriotic flair in honor of the nation’s 250th birthday, turning the route into a floating celebration.

“My motivation to be involved with the Annual Poker Run is the camaraderie between the community and other RBO members,” said Michele Molstad, president of the organization. “It’s a fun and great example of teamwork.”

That camaraderie shows up in the smallest moments — volunteers greeting familiar faces, laughter echoing across the docks and the steady rhythm of boats pulling up one after another.

“When you’re working a dock sometimes it feels like the run is off to a slow start, but it is not long before a constant flow of boaters on everything from pontoons to fishing

boats to jet skis are lined up to participate and draw their cards,” Molstad said. “Even if they don’t have the makings for a winning hand, they are out enjoying the day on the water!”

Back at Riverside Landing, the celebration continues with Bucks BBQ and Bait Shop, food trucks, live music, raffles and prizes — including everything from best poker hands to a good-natured worst-hand award.

But the real impact runs deeper. Funds raised have helped build playgrounds, improve trails and enhance native habitats. This year’s event also marks the final push in a multi-year riverbank restoration project, with just 40 feet left to complete and a final $6,000 goal in sight.

“Every year I’m surprised with the turn out,” Molstad said. “We have had boaters from Lincoln, Talladega, Pell City and visitors from even further out-of-town spending the day with family and friends on the lake. Our mayor, Rusty Jessup, gets involved and announces the winners from the Riverside Landing each year. The poker run fundraising goes a long way in our Riverside community.”

Set for Saturday, June 20 (rain date June 27), the Riverside Poker Run is more than a day on the water—it’s a chance to be part of something that lasts long after the boats head home.

For more information, visit the Riverside Beautification Organization (RBO) Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ riversidebeautificationorganization

For more information about sponsoring or volunteering, contact RBO Vice President Stephanie Irwin at 205-821-8168. Riverside Poker Run registration will be from 4 - 7 p.m. Friday, June 19th, and Saturday, June 20th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All poker hands must be turned into the RBO staff by 2 p.m. on Saturday. Awards will be announced shortly after.

Dam Palooza:

A Floating Celebration of Summer

If the Riverside Poker Run is about the journey, Dam Palooza is all about the gathering.

On June 27, boats from across Lake Logan Martin will make their way toward the dam, tying up side by side to form what has become one of the lake’s most anticipated summer traditions.

“You meet new people each year,” said organizer Kelly Collar. “It’s a fun annual event that’s become a tradition for decades. Something a little different from everyday lake life. Everyone looks forward to it.”

From the water, the scene feels almost like a neighborhood block party — just one that happens to float. Friends move easily between boats, kids splash in designated swim areas, and groups settle in for a full day

The poker run is a community event with plenty of neighbors getting in on the festivities

under the sun. It’s the kind of event where familiar faces return year after year, but new friendships are just as much a part of the experience.

“It’s gotten bigger and bigger,” Collar said. “Last year was our biggest one — the most boats of any year and the most people. Last year was absolutely perfect, and therefore this year is going to be even better!”

Part of that growth comes from a few thoughtful additions that build on what people already love. Sponsors, including The Tiki Hut, ABC Towing and A+ Tire & Repair, are helping elevate the experience, while still keeping it free and communitydriven.

“In past years, it’s been like 100 boats playing different music,” Collar said. “So the idea of one band and one source of music has been really exciting.”

After introducing a live band for the first time last year — hosted atop a houseboat provided by The Tiki Hut — organizers are building on that momentum. This year, the goal is to place the band on a floating stage right in the center of the tied-up boats, where everyone can gather a little closer and feel like part of the same crowd.

Even as the event grows, organizers are intentional about keeping the atmosphere welcoming for everyone. Designated swim areas, along with posted tips and guidelines on the event’s Facebook page, help ensure that the day stays both fun and safe.

“We definitely want people to know that it’s always kid-friendly. Dam Palooza is for everybody,” Collar said. “We’ve seen little children to grandparents. It just seems like everybody is having a good time. It’s always safety first.”

By the time the sun begins to dip, and boats slowly start to untie, what lingers most isn’t just the music or the size of the crowd — it’s the connections made along the way.

For more information, visit the Lake Logan Martin Dam Palooza Boat Tie Up Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ LakeLoganMartinDamPalooza. Stop by The Tiki Hut to purchase a limited edition commemorative t-shirts for the 13th Annual Dam Palooza.

Christmas in July at Pier 59: Giving Back, Lake-Style

Later in the summer, the tone shifts — but the sense of community only grows stronger.

On July 11, Pier 59 will host its 17th annual Christmas in July celebration, an event that blends festive fun with a deeply meaningful tradition of supporting the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB).

The Christmas in July Committee has a

Boats line up and create safe area for swimmers

passion for supporting AIDB’s work. Each year, the event raises funds to provide Christmas gifts for approximately 350-400 students, many of whom might otherwise go without. With an estimated goal of $300 per child, the impact is both tangible and deeply felt.

On the morning of the fundraiser, hit the water for a boat poker run that begins and ends at Pier 59. The live auction will follow and feature everything from handmade items created by AIDB students to vacation getaways, jewelry and sports memorabilia. Raffle tickets for a $10,000 cash prize and Boston butts are pre-sold to also help support the cause. There’s a sense of celebration in the air — equal parts festive and heartfelt.

For Magan Cline, being part of Christmas in July is all about the team behind it. After attending for several years and volunteering last year, she now helps as part of the committee, working alongside others to create a night that gives back in a big way.

“Christmas is my favorite time of year, and I love AIDB’s mission. It’s really like an eat, drink and be merry situation,” Cline said. “It’s super special to be a part of. I’ve toured AIDB and seen how much they do for these kids. It’s a great way for people to give back to the kids and help them as well.”

It’s that blend of joy and generosity that makes Christmas in July stand out. In a place where community already runs strong, it offers a chance to turn that connection into something meaningful for others.

For more information, contact: Magan Cline mmkcline@gmail.com or Becky Watson at 256-761-3318.

Celebrating Community

Taken together, these three events paint a picture of what summer on Lake Logan Martin is all about.

It’s early mornings launching boats and long afternoons drifting between friends. It’s laughter at a dock stop, music echoing across the water and neighbors showing up — again and again — for something bigger than themselves.

Whether you’re playing a hand in Riverside, tying up at the dam or bidding on items at Pier 59, each event offers its own way to step into the rhythm of the lake. And in doing so, you become part of the story that keeps this community coming back, year after year.

Because here, the best days aren’t just spent on the water — they’re shared. l

Christmas in July is a team effort that brings a community together for a good cause

GADSDEN MUSEUM FINDING NEW WAYS

TO

PROMOTE ART FOR GENERATIONS

TO COME OPENING RECEPTION MAY 8

Feeling Light

Headed by Stacy Holloway

When Ray Wetzel was in high school in Hokes Bluff, there was no art program. But through encouragement and mentoring, he followed his passion into college and emerged with a Fine Arts degree in painting.

Now, as director of Gadsden Museum of Art, Wetzel wants to provide to young people opportunities he lacked early on by promoting the arts in new and innovative ways.

May 8-9, art will take center stage – or in this case, center street – as Arts Trail on Broad arrives for its inaugural event sponsored by Alabama Arts Trail, City of Gadsden and Gadsden Museum of Art.

The Arts Trail is a project of the Alabama Visual Arts Network which has been linking artists’ studios around the state for more than 60 years.

Arts Trail on Broad was “birthed” from the successes of Gadsden Arts Council’s Artoberfest in October in Alabama City, which seeks to bring arts to life around different arts organizations, such as music, dance and theatre.

Wetzel is a board member with Alabama Visual Arts Network and wanted to merge the idea with art as the centerpiece of a Broad Street event. It brings art groups to Gadsden in various mediums. There will be sculptures, murals, metal and iron works, painting and more with artist demonstrations up and down Broad Street.

Demonstrating artists will actively share their creative process with the public (for example: live painting, ceramics, printmaking, sculpture, fiber, mixed media), while also having the opportunity to present and sell their work.

Friday’s events begin at 11 with demonstrations for high school students. The first leg of the two-day

event is talking to young people – professional artists sharing their experiences, said Wetzel. “Art is a billion-dollar industry. It’s not a dead- end career. We want to encourage children to go into this field.”

Alabama Contemporary Art Center will bring “big name artists” to Gadsden, Wetzel said, heightening the draw of this new event.

True Colors, an Etowah County Schools art program for underserved students, will have an exhibition reception from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Gadsden Museum of Art, and free music of all types will be performed throughout the weekend.

Entertainment is nonstop on Friday night.

• Maypole performance by the Downtown Dance Conservatory (6 p.m.) at Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts

• Piano concert by Eden Brent (7 p.m.) at Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts

• Me & My Knife (8 p.m.) and

• Quintron and Miss Pussycat (9 p.m.) on the street by the Gadsden Museum of Art

• Live music will be performed by:

• Sam and The Big Boys (6:30 p.m.)

• Phantom Eye (7:30 p.m.)

• The Laborers (8:30 p.m.)

• Brotha Josh (9:30 p.m.)

• The Golden Flakes (10:30 p.m.)

Saturday begins at 9 a.m. with a Mother’s Day Market with over 30 art vendors, Chompshop Cardboard Sculpture Contest and directed drawing workshops.

From 11-1, Jacksonville State University will offer portfolio reviews and critiques. And all day long will feature a bounce house and food trucks. l

Editor’s Note: Performance times are subject to change. Please visit this page for the latest show times: gadsdenmuseum.com/all-events

Celebrating two and a half centuries of nation’s independence

Story by Paul South and Graham Hadley

Submitted Photos

John Adams, one of America’s Founding Fathers and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, laid down the perfect blueprint for celebrating the birth of the nation on July 4.

In a famous letter to his wife Abigail, Adams wrote that the day should be celebrated “with pomp and parades, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfire and illuminations.”

Add in the intoxicating aroma of good Alabama barbecue, and it’s the perfect Fourth.

In Gadsden, Pell City, Southside and all along the Coosa River and its man-made companion lakes, Logan Martin and Neely Henry, folks will follow Mr. Adams’ recipe for Independence Day in their celebrations, especially in this, the Republic’s 250th anniversary.

The three cities began planning for the nation’s semi quincentennial on July 5, 2025, a year in advance of America’s milestone birthday bash.

Logan Martin and Neely Henry •

Here’s a glimpse of what’s on the holiday agenda in the region:

Pell City: A Bigger Bang Theory

In late summer of 2025, during the city’s budgeting process, Community Engagement Special Projects Manager Jeff Thompson and Parks and Recreation Director Bubba Edge began the planning for Independence Day 2026. Given the milestone 250th birthday, the two wanted to do something special.

“The (City) Council went above and beyond,” Thompson said. “What they agreed to was not only to increase the fireworks budget for the extraordinarily popular show that’s on Logan Martin every year, but to double it.”

That means a show that normally costs $30,000 will be a bigger $60,000 fireworks show at the park.

“We were ecstatic,” Thompson said. “This is a community that is patriotic, that loves its veterans, that understands the significance of (this day). The Council’s decision exemplifies that.”

The decision meant that Thompson, Edge and the city had work to do. It was a welcome challenge.

“It gave us the opportunity to really try and capture this important anniversary with a special event at Lakeside Park and the Pell City Sports Complex,” Thompson said.

Pyro Shows annually puts on the fireworks extravaganza for Pell City’s Fourth festivities.

“The way that it works is much like going to a fireworks store as an individual,” Thompson said. “We have asked them for something amazing this year … What we’ve asked for is bigger and more. We want it to be a celebration, and we want this community and the surrounding communities that attend this event and this show to feel what we’re putting into this; how much we love our country and how special this day is.”

Fireworks are only part of Pell City’s Independence Day festivities. Valley Bank, WinSouth Federal Credit Union and Exit Realty Coosa River Realty-Michelle Green have partnered with the city to create a stage with live music, as well as food trucks with a variety of popular eats and a kids’ area in the sports complex. The three events together are called “Lights Over Logan Martin.”

Asked his favorite part of the prep for this special Independence Day, Thompson said, “I think it’s the recognition from this community that this is most certainly something to celebrate and the community’s desire to get on board.”

He added, “It has not been difficult at all to talk to the people here and this mayor and City Council who are overjoyed with this idea and this public about how special this day is and how much they want to be a part of it.”

City officials are expecting 10,000 people

on land for the event, not including the massive flotilla of boat traffic that’s expected on water.

“My personal goal, from the city’s perspective, is to be able to give this community something that they can be proud of on the 250th anniversary of their wonderful country,” Thompson said.

“I want people to know that they live in a community that is incredibly patriotic and incredibly generous, and (this community) wants you to come out and celebrate with it on the Fourth of July.”

Gadsden: A year in the making

Asked when the region’s largest city began planning for America’s special day, John Moore, Gadsden’s director of economic development and governmental affairs, laughed. “Probably July 5 (2025),” he said.

But for Gadsden, a city building a reputation for top-drawer events, America’s 250th anniversary will be a springboard to bigger, better Independence Day celebrations, while drawing from its past with local bands and food trucks.

Featured local performers John Player and Tony Irby are on the bill, with the evening’s music capped off by internationally known Black Jacket Symphony performing Yacht Rock. The concert is free.”

“I think we’re going to try to bring back that River Fest sort of feel,” Moore said. “We’re going to bring the stage out to the four-lane on 411. It’s right on the banks of the Coosa River.”

While the concert is free, adult beverages, soft drinks and food will be available for purchase.

“We’re going to put a bar on every corner we can,” Moore said.

The evening will close out with a fireworks show off Gadsden’s Broad Street Bridge.

“We will probably put on the biggest fireworks show the city has ever seen,” Moore said.

In fact, Moore said, it may be the largest celebration of America’s birthday in the city’s history – “with us bringing the concert out on 411 and the fireworks show off the bridge, plus we’re working on some things I can’t talk about right now.”

Folks can expect to see increased promotion of Gadsden’s celebration as it draws closer.

The celebration is part of a concerted effort on the part of Mayor Craig Ford and the city to make Gadsden a destination city.

“That’s what the mayor brought me on for,” Moore said. “We’re always looking for something that’s not being done in the

area, or something that can be improved. That’s how we picked up with the Lantern Festival (at Noccalula Falls) that wasn’t being done anywhere in the area.”

As of late March, some 40,000 people had attended Lantern Fest, at least half coming from outside the region, Moore said.

On Independence Day, some 500 to 800 boats are expected on the Coosa.

“It’s an amazing thing to see that sea of boats,” Moore said. “And to see people stretched across the city; there’s roughly 25,000 people within a one-mile radius of City Hall getting ready to watch the fireworks show. It’s got to be one of the largest fireworks shows in the state, just in terms of the number of people.”

What’s the takeaway from Gadsden’s celebration of the Fourth? Moore was quick to reply. “It should be one of those holidays when people remember the ultimate sacrifice that servicemen and women gave to give us the freedoms that we were looking for on that day in 1776.”

Southside: Challenges,

charity and selling the sizzle

Southside residents will be able to join their neighbors in Gadsden and Rainbow City for fireworks and festivities on the Fourth, because of Highway 77 bridge construction in the city, Mayor Joey Statum said.

The new two-lane bridge will better connect Southside and Rainbow City, but the project is expected to take two or more years.

But on May 23 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., the city will host “Cruising for a Cure” at Southside Community Center, a car show to raise money to help local kids and their families battling childhood cancer.

Classic cars can enter for $10 a vehicle. There will also be a 50/50 raffle and other drawings. But 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the families who are fighting cancer.

Food trucks and vendors will also be on hand.

It’s an early kickoff for America’s 250th anniversary, Statum said. Last year, the event raised $9,000.

Whorton Bend Baptist Church and many others are among the sponsors for the event.

While individuals will shoot fireworks from the river and at the landing, there will not be citysponsored illuminations on the Fourth. However, next year, Southside hopes to bring back City Fest, which will include fireworks.

“We hope to do that every year,” Statum said. He was elected last November.

Southside, like Gadsden and Pell City, hopes to bring more events to town.

“The vision we have is that with the landing we have now, we want to have an entertainment district,” Statum said. “We want a place where families can come and enjoy a nice dinner, have some drinks, have their kids play.”

Statum would also like to see a permanent spot for Southside’s “Dinner and a Movie” nights. “We want a place where people can come and be entertained,” Statum said.

The city also wants to bolster the downtown business district. “That’s a long-term vision,” he said.’

But things are already on the move. Johnson’s Grocery is new. Southside Pharmacy is, too. Restaurants have committed to coming to town. Southside Hardware is building a 12,000 square foot store. A Waffle House location will begin construction in May.

Tennis and pickleball courts are also on the city’s agenda.

“All these things are quality of life things,” Statum said. “We have a vision as a mayor and city council to bring in revenue from all the things that are going on Highway 77 to improve our quality of life.”

He added, “We’re going to take advantage of our resources which are here and the river, and we’re going to have a good quality of life and keep our kids here, working here.”

Rainbow City: Freedom takes flight

In what could be described as one of the nation’s most unique celebrations of America’s 250th birthday, Rainbow City presents its fourth annual Freedom Flight Drone Show.

This is the fourth annual aerial spectacular at the city’s soccer complex, which this year will include 500 unmanned aircraft. The one-of-a-kind event is sensitive to the needs of children and veterans who may be negatively affected by the loud explosions of a traditional fireworks display, Mayor Joe Taylor said.

“It’s less obnoxious for certain groups of the population, like children who have sensory disabilities or veterans who have PTSD. It also is for pets with owners who want to come with their pets out in public and not have to worry about the loud boom of a fireworks show.”

The drone show is paired with a community market the week before the Fourth on June 27.

“It’s a patriotic celebration. This year we’ll have 500 drones,” Tayor said. “We’ll fly a marketing flight that will feature the logos of all our community partners, and then we’ll have more music and an hour later, we’ll fly 500 drones. One hundred will feature non-explosive pyrotechnics that will be like sparklers that will give a better sense of what the show’s all about – patriotism and especially the 250th anniversary of the United States.”

Freedom Flight seeks to be sensitive to the entire population. Twenty thousand people are expected to see the show from various vantage points, double Rainbow City’s population.

The drone show will include two 15-minute segments.

“We’re really trying to appeal to the sensibility and the needs of the people who live here,” Taylor

Patriotic images in the sky over Rainbow City thanks to the Freedom Flight Drone Show

said. “You know, we have a lot of pet ownership. We have several rehabilitative services here that deal with children that have autism or different conditions that loud noise can cause a problem for them. People don’t like to use the word inclusive, but we’re trying to be inclusive to everyone in our celebration.”

Taylor got the idea for the drone event after seeing a similar show in Arizona.

“It’s a different type of show,” he said. “It’s something that’s pretty special, and it’s very, very unique.”

While 5,000 people will be in the area of Freedom Flight, the show will be visible for miles, Taylor said.

“We put the (patriotic music) on a local radio station, and you can see the show from inside your car or inside your house, depending on your line of sight,” Taylor said.

The event also has an educational component. The city’s Challenger Learning Center, which offers STEM learning, will give students a chance to have a close encounter with the science of drone technology on the afternoon before the show.

“They teach kids how to fly drones,” Taylor said. “It’s high-level technology.”

Rainbow City’s celebration will also feature food trucks and arts and crafts at the community market. Aside from food, drink and the arts and crafts, everything else is free.

Taylor takes pride in the drone event. A 17-year veteran of Army Special Forces, America’s 250th takes on a special significance.

“This country has done so much for me,” Taylor said. “We really do want to create a family-friendly environment where you can come out and enjoy a patriotic celebration with about 5,000 of your best friends.”

Lincoln’s

Landing:

Fishing and fireworks

No sports are more American than fishing and stock car racing. Lincoln, Alabama, is one of the capitals of both sports. The world’s best drivers compete annually at the Talladega Superspeedway in Lincoln, and the world’s best anglers cast for a trophy catch on the Coosa River.

So it goes without saying, Lincoln’s Landing is a hot spot to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. In fact, a fishing tournament will join a fireworks display as the marquee events to spark the Independence Day celebration.

With all the celebrations on tap for the Coosa River region, Lincoln’s Landing wants to start the party early.

“We will have a decent-sized fishing tournament here on June 27. We’re also doing our fireworks show that day,” said Michael Morris, Lincoln’s Landing park director. “We usually have people out here all day, depending on if Angler’s Pointe (next door) is doing anything. People come over here and park and go visit over there. Some folks bring their grills. They try to make it a big day.”

The drone show becomes a STEM teachable moment

Boats line Logan Martin just off shore from Lincon’s Landing

The Lincoln’s Landing event will also include food trucks. Also 94.1 The River will provide music for the day and a patriotic soundtrack for the fireworks display.

Morris explained Lincoln’s Landing’s early start to the holiday fun.

“We look to do ours the week before just so that it works well for the fireworks company and works well for us,” Morris said. “Instead of having all the (area) fireworks shows in one weekend, you have them spread out, and we kind of pull the most people. We try to do it so that we have the best outcome and the most people can enjoy it with their families.”

The show is expected to last 20 to 30 minutes.

Morris, who has been with Lincoln’s Landing since the park’s earliest days, said the Independence Day celebration is “probably my favorite event” on the park calendar.”

Of all the events Lincoln’s Landing does, “I’d like to say the Fourth of July is my favorite because of the meaning behind it and the amount of people,” he said. “It’s not just the fishing tournament out here, but you see non-fishermen coming out here to enjoy the 39 acres that we sit on.”

The event draws anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 people and that includes people that are on the water.

Because Lincoln’s Landing is on Logan Martin Lake’s main channel, Morris said, “I can see boats from bend to bend. They’re just all scattered. It’s a full house.”

Morris offered advice for first-time revelers at Lincoln’s Landing. “The main reason the place was built was for tournament fishermen,” Morris said. “But my goal is that we want everybody in our community to enjoy it. We don’t want anybody to say, ‘That’s a tournament fishing park. I can’t go out there and take my grandkids fishing off the pier. We want everyone to enjoy it, because without the community of the city of Lincoln, we wouldn’t be able to have this place. We want people to take pride in this place as I do.”

If the founders like John Adams could see what’s happening in Southside, Gadsden, Pell City and Lincoln, they’d no doubt smile.

To borrow a phrase that Statum brings to city hall every day – “Let’s sell the sizzle. We’re selling the sizzle in Southside. We want the people of Southside to have the quality of life they deserve.”

Calhoun County’s Year-Long Celebration

Residents in Calhoun County will get to stretch their celebrations of the two and a half centuries of American independence across multiple days.

Jacksonville starts the ball rolling July 3, at 6 p.m. at Jax Fest, with music, vendors, food

Calhoun County organizers pick up Liberty Tree from American Village Liberty at the Landing dedication April 23

trucks, games, fireworks and more.

Oxford follows up with the Freedom Festival at Oxford Lake and Civic Center July 4, with a day of family-friendly events capped off with a spectacular fireworks show.

And those are just two of the highlights of what promoters are calling a year-long event for the region.

“We have the opportunity to be part of the America 250AL initiative.We put together a committee and started the Calhoun County 250 effort,” said Cher Dulaney, tourism director for the Calhoun County Area Chamber and Visitors Center. “We have been working here with the Chamber, our mayors, local businesses and volunteers to be the hub for all things America 250 in Calhoun.”

The county officially kicked off the local movement in the national and state semiquincentennial celebrations with the planting of a Liberty Tree at the Chief Ladiga Landing on the landmark rails-to-trails project in Jacksonville. The planting took place in March, with countywide Liberty Tree Ceremony following on April 23.

“State and local officials, an honor guard, the Pledge, music and the reading of the Declaration of Independence were part of the event,” Dulaney said.

“The events surrounding the Liberty Tree have become a symbol for the efforts in Calhoun County because of what the tree symbolizes -- the unity -- because people from all across the county had to come to the table to collaborate to make it happen.”

Plans are for the Chief Ladiga Trail to play a key role in other events for the America250AL initiative, she said.

“Jacksonville is putting together the 250 Ladiga Freedom ride June 28. The ride will be 12.5 miles each way, starting and ending at Ladiga Landing, for a total of 25 miles in recognition of the 250th.”

Keeping that theme, the event starts at 2:50 p.m., and participants are invited to wear “their favorite red, white and blue clothing to celebrate America. Participation is free, no registration required,” the organizers’ Facebook page states.

“We are working with other cities on the trail to do similar events,” Dulaney said.

Dulaney sees the celebrations, including local education efforts about the historic importance of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, as a year-long event.

“It’s definitely a work in progress. It’s ongoing,” she said.

The committee and Chamber officials are looking at tying in America Gives to the America250AL efforts and Calhoun Gives, focusing on events around Veterans Day, among other options.

“This is the year of freedom. We want to celebrate that.”

Keep up with the America 250AL events in Calhoun County through the Visit Calhoun tourism website calendar and the Calhoun Chamber and Visitor Center website 250 Committee page. l

Take 5

Community Events

May through early July 2026

Submit events to: cpappas@partnersmultimedia.com

May

What: Pioneer Day at Greensport

Who: Greensport RV Park & Marina

When: May 1

Where: Greensport Island, 1000 Greensport, Ashville, AL 35953

Why: Students and families can step back in time with pioneer and farm demonstrations, hands-on activities and educational presentations during this free heritage day.

What: Yacht Rock Spectacular

Who: Historic Talladega Ritz Theatre

When: May 1, 7 p.m.

Where: Historic Talladega Ritz Theatre, 115 Court Sq. N, Talladega, AL

Why: Smooth harmonies, polished grooves and nostalgic soft-rock hits bring the breezy yacht-rock era to life in the restored Ritz.

What: Gold City Hometown Gathering

Who: Gold City & MeadowBrook Church

When: May 1, 7 p.m.; May 2, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Where: MeadowBrook Church, 2525 Rainbow Drive, Gadsden, AL

Why: Southern gospel favorites Gold City host a hometown weekend with multiple performances and fellowship for gospel music fans.

What: May First Friday Street Festival

Who: Downtown Gadsden Inc.

When: May 1, 5–8 p.m.

Where: Broad St., downtown Gadsden, AL

First Friday in Gadsden

Why: Classic cars, food vendors, late shopping and live music turn Broad Street into one of downtown’s signature spring evenings.

What: 250 Years of Great American Music

Who: Atlanta Pops Orchestra at Oxford Performing Arts Center

When: May 1, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Oxford Performing Arts Center, 100 E. Choccolocco St., Oxford, AL

Why: The Atlanta Pops Orchestra traces the nation’s musical heritage in a Bernardi Pops Series performance.

What: Mule Day & Sixth Annual Crawfish Boil

Who: Greensport RV Park & Marina

When: May 2, noon–4 p.m. (with other events starting at 9 a.m.)

Business Directory

Where: Greensport Island, 1000 Greensport, Ashville, AL 35953

Why: Celebrate Alabama’s agricultural roots with mule-themed activities and a crawfish boil in a family-friendly setting.

What: Boys in the Band –Alabama Tribute

Who: WinSouth Credit Union Concert Series at The Amp

When: May 2, gates 5:30 p.m.; show 7 p.m.

Where: Mort Glosser Amphitheater, 90 Walnut St., Gadsden, AL

Why: The Alabama tribute act recreates the band’s signature hits in an outdoor concert with food trucks and festival atmosphere.

What: Sensory Friendly First Saturdays

Who: Imagination Place Children’s Museum

When: May 2, June 6 and July 4, 8–10 a.m.

Where: Imagination Place, 501 Broad St., Gadsden, AL

Why: Children with sensory sensitivities can explore the museum with dimmed lighting and limited sounds during a quieter early play period; regular admission applies.

What: NASCAR Racing Experience Ride & Drive

Who: Talladega Superspeedway

When: May 2 and June 6 (times vary)

Where: Talladega Superspeedway, 3366 Speedway Blvd., Talladega, AL

Why: Fans can drive or ride along in a real NASCAR-style stock car on the superspeedway.

What: Coosa River Team Trail Neely Henry Tournament

Who: Coosa River Team Trail

When: May 2 (times per official tournament rules)

Where: Coosa Landing, Gadsden, AL

Why: Team anglers compete on

Neely Henry Lake in a bass-fishing tournament stop on the 2026 trail.

What: Watercolor Society of Alabama

85th Annual National Exhibition

Who: Watercolor Society of Alabama and Heritage Hall Museum

When: May 3–June 5

Where: Heritage Hall Museum, 200 South St. E, Talladega, AL

Why: This juried statewide exhibition fills Heritage Hall with accomplished watercolor work, giving art lovers a fresh spring run of award-worthy paintings.

What: The Temptations & The Four Tops

Who: Oxford Performing Arts Center

When: May 5, 7 p.m.

Where: Oxford Performing Arts Center, 100 E. Choccolocco St., Oxford, AL

Why: Two Motown giants share the stage for a night of timeless soul classics.

What: En Vogue in Concert

Who: WinSouth Credit Union Concert Series at The Amp

When: May 7, gates 5:30 p.m.; show 7 p.m.

Where: Mort Glosser Amphitheater, 90 Walnut St., Gadsden, AL

Why: The hit-making R&B group brings powerhouse vocals and choreography to The Amp.

What: Arts Trail on Broad

Who: Gadsden Museum of Art and downtown partners

When: May 8–9 (times vary by activity)

Where: Broad St., Gadsden, AL

Why: Downtown becomes an outdoor gallery with artists, demonstrations, music and special museum programming.

What: The Cat in the Hat

Who: Oxford Performing Arts Center

When: May 8, 6 p.m.; May 9, 2 p.m.

Where: Oxford Performing Arts Center, 100 E. Choccolocco St., Oxford, AL

Why: Dr. Seuss’s classic comes to life in a family-friendly stage production.

What: Logan Martin LakeFest & Boat Show

Who: City of Pell City and festival partners

When: May 8–10

Where: Lakeside Park, 2801 Stemley Bridge Rd., Pell City, AL

Why: The annual lake festival returns with boats, vendors, music and familyfriendly lakefront fun.

What: New Exhibits Opening at Gadsden Museum of Art

Who: Gadsden Museum of Art

When: May 8, 5–8 p.m.

Where: Gadsden Museum of Art, 515 Broad St., Gadsden, AL

Why: Celebrate the museum’s new exhibit season during an exhibition reception tied to Arts Trail on Broad.

What: MotoAmerica Superbikes at Barber

Who: MotoAmerica at Barber Motorsports Park

When: May 15–17

Where: Barber Motorsports Park, 6040 Barber Motorsports Pkwy., Leeds, AL

Why: MotoAmerica returns to Barber for a weekend of premier motorcycle road racing.

What: Strait Country

Who: Historic Talladega Ritz Theatre

When: May 15, 7 p.m.

Where: Historic Talladega Ritz Theatre, 115 Court Sq. N, Talladega, AL

Why: A George Strait tribute headlines the Ritz with king-of-country favorites and polished stagecraft aimed squarely at traditional country fans.

What: Mud Jam 2026

Who: Top Trails OHV Park

When: May 20–25

Where: Top Trails OHV Park, Talladega, AL

Why: The off-road festival features trail riding, drag racing, a bounty-hole competition, camping and a Demun Jones concert.

What: ABBA-Mania

Who: Oxford Performing Arts Center

When: May 29, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Oxford Performing Arts Center, 100 E. Choccolocco St., Oxford, AL

Why: A tribute production celebrates ABBA’s catalog with costumes, harmonies and crowd-pleasing hits.

What: Tribute Concert Series –7 Bridges

Who: WinSouth Credit Union Concert Series at The Amp

When: May 30, gates 5:30 p.m.; show 7 p.m.

Where: Mort Glosser Amphitheater, 90 Walnut St., Gadsden, AL

Why: The Eagles tribute band brings classic-rock favorites to The Amp.

What: 12th Annual Bash in the Bend

Who: Bash in the Bend benefitting the James M. Barrie Center

When: May 30, gates 4 p.m.; show 5 p.m.

Where: River Lot at Tillison’s Bend, 626 Turrentine Ave., Gadsden, AL

Why: A riverfront benefit concert features Kameron Marlowe, Colton Bowlin and KG & The Bad Habits.

June

What: The Highwaymen Show

Who: Historic Talladega Ritz Theatre

When: June 5, 7 p.m.

Where: Historic Talladega Ritz Theatre, 115 Court Sq. N, Talladega, AL

Why: Willie, Waylon, Cash and Kristofferson classics take center stage in a one-night tribute to country music’s most iconic outlaw supergroup.

What: Rodeo & Rhythm at Greensport

Who: Greensport RV Park & Marina

When: June 5–6, 7 p.m.

Where: Greensport Island, Ashville, AL

Why: Rodeo action and live entertainment return to Greensport for a waterfront family event.

What: Pell City Hometown Block Party

Who: Pell City Chamber of Commerce

When: June 6, 2–9 p.m.

Where: Downtown Pell City, AL

Why: The annual block party brings live music, vendors, food and family activities to downtown.

Falls Barbarian Challenge

What: The Frontmen Live in Concert

Who: The Bluff Amphitheatre

When: June 6, Gates open at 5 p.m.

Where: The Bluff Amphitheatre, Hokes Bluff, AL

Why: The Frontmen bring familiar country hits and group harmonies to the amphitheater’s debut season.

What: Hokes Bluff Farmers Market

Opening Day

Who: Hokes Bluff Farmers Market

When: June 15, 7–11 a.m.

Where: Behind Hokes Bluff Library / City Hall area, Hokes Bluff, AL

Why: The weekly market opens its season with local produce and other farm goods.

What: Behind the Scenes Tour of OPAC

Who: Oxford Performing Arts Center

When: June 16, 5 p.m.

Where: Oxford Performing Arts Center, 100 E. Choccolocco St., Oxford, AL

Why: Theatergoers get a guided look at backstage spaces and production systems.

What: Barbarian Challenge

Obstacle Race

Who: Barbarian Challenge

When: June 20, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

Where: Noccalula Falls Park, 1500 Noccalula Rd., Gadsden, AL

Why: Competitors tackle a roughly 6-mile obstacle-course race with more than 25 natural and man-made obstacles.

What: Neely Henry Lake Association

Annual Poker Run

Who: Neely Henry Lake Association

When: Saturday, June 13, 11 a.m.2:30 p.m.; rain date June 20

Where: Neely Henry Lake; registration online at neelyhenrylake.org and at Southside Landing (day of event)

Why: Cash prizes awarded, with proceeds benefiting the association’s annual scholarship. Contact Randy Elrod at (256) 490-5959

What: Summer Patriotic Concert

Who: Oxford Community Chorus at OPAC

When: June 23, 7 p.m.

Where: Oxford Performing Arts Center, 100 E. Choccolocco St., Oxford, AL

Why: The chorus presents a patriotic program in an uplifting community concert.

What: Clint Black Back On The Blacktop Tour

Who: WinSouth Credit Union Concert Series at The Amp

When: June 25, gates 5:30 p.m.; show 7 p.m.

Where: Mort Glosser Amphitheater, 90 Walnut St., Gadsden, AL

Why: Clint Black brings decades of country hits to The Amp.

What: Anniston Heritage Festival

Who: City of Anniston

When: June 27, 4–10:30 p.m.

Where: Zinn Park MLK Pavilion, 101 W. 14th St., Anniston, AL

Why: The city’s Juneteenth celebration features music, vendors and a full evening lineup in Zinn Park.

What: Fun Fridays at Imagination Place

Who: Imagination Place

When: June 6 and June 27, 11 a.m.

Where: Imagination Place, 501 Broad St., Gadsden, AL

Why: Special summer kids programs bring hands-on science and art activities to the museum.

What: Gadsden Farmers Market

Who: City of Gadsden

When: Fridays in season, 7 a.m.–noon (closed July 4)

Where: Senior Wellness Center, 2829 W. Meighan Blvd., Gadsden, AL

Why: The weekly market features produce, eggs, honey, baked goods and more from regional vendors.

July

What: Gadsden Symphony Orchestra Concert

Who: Gadsden Symphony Orchestra

When: July 2, 7 p.m.

Where: Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts, 501 Broad St., Gadsden, AL

Why: The free summer concert continues the orchestra’s 2026 chamber-format season.

What: July First Friday Street Festival

Who: Downtown Gadsden Inc.

When: July 3, 5–8 p.m.

Where: Broad St., downtown Gadsden, AL

Why: The holiday-weekend First Friday brings classic cars, live music, food and late shopping downtown.

What: Black Jacket Symphony –Yacht Rock Review

Who: City of Gadsden

When: July 4, 7–10 p.m.

Where: Mort Glosser Amphitheater, 90 Walnut St., Gadsden, AL

Why: The free Independence Day concert brings smooth-rock favorites to The Amp.

RESTAURANT DIRECTORY

CATCHIN’ THE COOSA

An angler’s guide to Neely Henry and Logan Martin Lakes

Changing water levels change how we fish on the lakes

By Zeke Gossett

LOGAN MARTIN

Logan Martin’s water levels will be changing during the months of May and June, and in turn, the patterns of bass will changing during these months as well.

Early in the month of May, you can still see bass on beds and also catch fish out deep. Typically, in May, bass will be very spread out and in very different phases of the spawn. However, for the majority of the time in May, your better fish are still going to be shallow.

The water on Logan Martin is just starting to rise and get to summer pool. Typically, the fish will follow this water up and stay shallow during May.

There are a couple of key baits I like to use in order to catch fish while they’re in their post spawn funk. First bait I’m going to reach for early, especially in the morning, is a swim jig. What I like about the swim jig is that it is very versatile. This bait is great around almost any kind of shallow structure, such as docks, trees, and grass.

The swim jig allows me to cover water fast and efficiently in order to capitalize on the daylight bite. Once the sun finally starts to get up, I’ll start casting to isolated structure with a wacky rigged worm. This is a great way to just get bites and get those post spawn fish to bite.

I usually target really shallow docks with this bait, along with casting to what bedding fish might be left. Once we start getting into the month of June the water temps will begin to rise, and the shallows will begin to slowly lose oxygen –especially if there is lack of rain.

The fish will start schooling up on the end of long points and humps anywhere from 10 to 20 feet of water. I also like to target brush piles in this depth as well. My favorite bait to target these fish are a deep diving crankbait and drop shot rig.

The Literacy Council of St. Clair County offers a helping hand with FREE programs: The Literacy Council of St. Clair County offers a helping hand with FREE programs:

• Adults learning to read or improve reading skills

• One on one reading classes

• Classes to help with reading skills and comprehension of what you have read

• GED preparation

• ESOL Classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages). Every Tuesday night on second floor of Pell City Municipal Complex (above the Pell City Library)

Some of the biggest offshore fish I catch all year will come on the crank bait most of the time. The crankbait is an awesome way to really fire up a school of bass and get more fish to bite in the school.

The drop shot seems to excel a lot more in brush piles because it is more of a reaction type bite if you drop it right in the brush pile. I feel like the drop shot is always my best chance to get bit in the brush pile no matter what size of fish might be in the pile.

These fish are typically more lethargic since they’re usually pretty beat up from the spawn. Give these techniques a try, and you will find success during these months on Logan Martin.

NEELY HENRY

Neely Henry is a shallow fisherman’s paradise during the months of May and June. On top of that, a few deep fish will start showing up as well.

Typically, during these months, you will still catch your better fish shallow. I love to fish around shallow grass in the mid-lake region with a swim jig and frog. I keep my eyes peeled for bream beds as well.

Also another great way to catch fish on Neely Henry is super shallow docks. When I say shallow docks, I’m talking about any docks five feet deep or less of water. I let the weather tell me what I need to throw around them. If it’s in and out clouds, I like to throw more of a moving bait like a bladed jig or squarebill crankbait. If it’s slick calm and sunny, I will pick up some type of Texas rigged worm and drag it on the bottom around the docks.

Now, moving into the month of June, some fish will make their move out to deeper water. Most of the time on Neely Henry, I’ll find fish in that mid-range depth – around the 10 to 15-foot mark.

Most of the time, you will find these fish off the end of long points or in brush piles. I will use my electronics in order to find these fish as well. I will keep my bait selection simple if I’m wanting to figure out fast if the fish are doing this pattern.

One of my favorite baits to pick up first is a football jig. The football jig is a very versatile bait for offshore angling. I like to either keep it close to the bottom or if I’m wanting to cover water fast I’ll just swim it close to the bottom.

Another great option if things are tough is a drop shot. A drop shot will produce bites when nothing else will.

Keep an open mind this time of year and don’t be afraid to try something new. It might surprise you how good the fish can really bite on Neely Henry even when the fish might be in their post spawn funk.

Zeke Gossett of Zeke Gossett Fishing grew up on the Coosa River and Logan Martin Lake. He is a former collegiate champion and is now a professional angler on the B.A.S.S. tour circuit and is a fishing guide. Learn more about Zeke at: zekegossettfishing.com.

Coosa River Ramble

Join us on the mighty Coosa to kick off summer with the very first Coosa River Ramble on June 13 at Lakeside Park in Pell City! This event will be open to families and spectators of all ages, and we’ll have vendors, music, food trucks, and more during and after the race to create a fun-filled day!

Whether you are new to paddlin’ or have been doing it for years, we hope you will join us! You can pick between a 5k or 10k and choose to take it slow or try to win! Every racer will get access to pre-race yoga, t-shirt, race participation medal, stickers, and more.

Registration includes entry to the race, swag bag, access to the fun before & after the race (yoga, raffles, vendors, music, etc), lunch, and of course the chance to win! You’ll also be making the world a better place by protecting the mighty Coosa!

Register or learn more about the race at CoosaRiver.org/Ramble Swim Guide season is beginning soon! Swim on over to our website and socials to make sure you’re getting the skinny before you dip this summer.

Follow Coosa Riverkeeper on Facebook & Instagram @CoosaRiverkeeper For more information, swim over to www.CoosaRiver.org.