10 Great things to do in Huntsville, Alabama this Spring!

Whether you are a history buff, a food lover, or an art enthusiast, there are so many great things to do in Huntsville this spring! I LOVE spring in Huntsville, everything starts turning green, flowers start blooming, and Huntsville events and things to do really start ramping up! Here are 10 great things to do in Huntsville, Alabama this Spring that I think you should consider trying!

1. Panoply Arts Festival

Panoply is the Southeast’s premier art weekend! Huntsville hosts this vibrant arts festival, celebrating music, dance, visual arts, and more. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in creativity and support local talent. You will find art showcases, local artist, business and food booths, craft beer and wine, live music by numerous artists in multiple locations, and immersive art pieces that you help create! Panoply is a must do!

What you need to know:

The Festival will run April 26-28 in Big Spring Park
Hours are 5-9pm April 26, 10am-9pm April 27 and 11am-6pm April 28
Cost is $15 for the day, Kids 12 and under are FREE!
You can purchase a weekend pass for $20 (online only until April 26th at 4pm)
Dogs are not allowed
Pro Tip: Bring/wear sunscreen, and bring a rain jacket or umbrella! You’ll most likely see sun, and it almost always rains at some point during Panoply weekend!

2. CAMP to AMP Festival

The CAMP to AMP Festival is back for the 3rd year in MidCity on Saturday May 11th! This event is FREE to attend and will run from 12-6pm. You will get to enjoy 4 different stages with live music and performing arts, tons booths from local artists and businesses, plenty of food trucks, and food and drink specials at restaurants and bars in MidCity. This event is great for the whole family and pups are welcome!

3. Food Truck Rallies

The Downtown Food Truck Rallies start in Spring! This is a reoccurring event every 3rd Friday in Big Spring Park from May-September. This is a fun Friday night activity to satisfy everyone’s cravings! Make sure to check Downtown Huntsville’s website or social media to find out the vendor list each month.

4. Farmers Markets

Spring is the start of more farmers markets around Huntsville! Here are some of the farmers markets you should check out!

The Market at MidCity – every Sunday March 17th-November 10th 2024 from 12-4pm
Village of Providence Farmers and Artisans Market – every Saturday April 6th-November 30th 2024 from 9am-2pm.
Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment Outdoor Market – every Saturday May 4th-October 26th from 11am-4pm

5. Guided Historic Tours

Free guided walking tours by Huntsville history enthusiasts that provide a mix of history and culture as you walk through historic spots in Huntsville and Madison. These free tours are provided every Spring and Fall. The next available tour is coming up this weekend April 20th and next weekend April 27th will be the Historic Madison tours which will depart from the Little Roundhouse (gazebo) in downtown Madison at 10 a.m.

6. Porch Fest

I really feel like this is a lesser known festival that is absolutely worth going to! The Porch Fest benefits the Huntsville music scene, building a community through music in the artist-friendly Five Points neighborhood! This is a FREE event to attend and features numerous artists playing on the front porches of numerous homes in Five Points. This year Porch Fest will be on May 4th from 4-9pm.

What you need to know:

Parking is free near Five Points but is limited and very hard to find. Allow yourself plenty of time to park.
There were limited food trucks available last year, but eat before to avoid being hungry or you can bring your own food.
Bring a lawn chairs. You will be standing and walking around but there is no seating provided, so if you want to stay a while to listen to an artist, you’ll want a chair!
Bring a cooler with drinks and snacks, its basically like a big tailgate with music!

7. Huntsville Blooms

Springtime means blooming flowers and the best place to see a variety of blooms during this time is Huntsville Botanical Garden! Enjoy colorful displays of azaleas, tulips, and other seasonal blooms while enjoying 118 acres of pure beauty.

During Spring the Huntsville Botanical Gardens also puts on their Golden Hour event which happens on Fridays 5pm-dusk. This event is $10 entry for non-members (free for members) and features live music from local musicians. The first Golden Hour starts this Friday April 19th and continues every Friday through May 31st 2024.

8. Big Ol’ Ballpark Fair

The Big Ol’ Ballpark Fair returns outside of Toyota Field in Town Madison from April 25th-May 5th! This is a fun fair for the whole family consisting of 30 rides, numerous games, activities, and entertainment.

What you need to know:

April 25th-May 5th outside of Toyota Field opening 4pm on weekdays and 1pm on weekends
Admission at the gate is $10 and unlimited rides are $35
Admission and unlimited rides is $40 if purchased online before April 24th (saving you $5)
There are specials on certain days for discounts or free admission. Check their website for details.
There are Trash Pandas games going on April 25-April 28th at the same time the fair is going.
- On these days there will be free designated parking offsite for the Fair Only, details HERE
- Parking $10 all other days
- Fans who attend a Trash Pandas game will receive free admission with their baseball ticket the day of the game.

9. Live Music

The live music scene in Huntsville really ramps up in Huntsville in the Spring for patio season!

Concerts on the Dock

Concerts on the Dock is Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment District’s concert series. These concerts start this year May 3rd and will occur every Friday in May from 6-9pm. The event itself is free, but parking is $10. Bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit and enjoy the concert. This is a great event for the whole family including pups! Concerts on the Dock occur every Spring and Fall!

Stovehouse

FREE live music every Friday and Saturday on the Leisure Lawn. Check their social media for the line up!

The Camp

Located in MidCity, The Camp is always a good time. Check their social media for updates on live music.

10. Hiking and Walking Trails

I understand you can hike or walk trails in and around Huntsville all year round but there is something special about hiking in the Spring! It is so green and typically the waterfalls are incredible due to the rainfall we typically get!

Some of my favorite trails near Huntsville in Spring:

Any trail on Monte Sano
Bethel Springs – Waterfall trail
Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk
Lost Sink – Waterfall trail

For any non-hikers who still want to enjoy the outdoors, an honorable mention is Cocktails at the View which started April 3rd and occurs every Wednesday from 5-8pm through October. This is a great way to enjoy the view and the sunset while at Burritt on the Mountain.