Courtesy Decatur CVB
What are the major annual events in Decatur?
Held annually over the Memorial Day weekend in Point Mallard Park, the Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic is a gathering of more than 60 pilots from across the United States for three days of competition. This free event lets visitors mingle with the pilots as they inflate and launch their balloons. Races are held early mornings and evenings, along with ongoing live music, arts and crafts, and a “balloomination” at dark.
Two additional free events are the Spirit of America Festival, one of the largest free Independence Day celebrations in Alabama, and the Battle for Decatur, which commemorates Decatur’s four-day Civil War battle in October 1864.
From May to November, the monthly Third Fridays Downtown Decatur features live musical entertainment, sidewalk sales, and games and activities in the historic downtown area.
What’s new in Decatur?
A new 25,000-square-foot entertainment pavilion at Ingalls Harbor is expected to be ready in October.
Also under construction in downtown Decatur is the new North Alabama Center for the Arts, an $8.6 million arts building that will serve both Calhoun Community College and Athens State University. It is set for completion in the fall of 2012.
Where are some great places to get a taste of Decatur?
No visit to Decatur would be complete without a visit to Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ. Serving some of the best barbecue in the country, this fourth-generation family business has racked up more than 37 barbecue awards in the past 10 years, including three Memphis in May International Festival grand champion titles.
Next door to Big Bob Gibson’s is the Morgan Price Candy Company, where the aroma of chocolate, brown sugar and toffee made with family recipes has bank group members forgetting any diet plans.
What is one souvenir everyone should bring back from Decatur?
Every visitor to Decatur should go home with something sweet and spicy — some handmade, creamy pralines from the Morgan Price Candy Company and a bottle of Big Bob Gibson’s award-winning barbecue sauce.
What is one surprising thing people will find in Decatur?
Groups overnighting in Decatur will find many more noteworthy attractions within an easy drive of the city. A short drive from Decatur is the town of Mooresville, a tiny hamlet older than the state of Alabama. Just 20 minutes to the northeast, in Huntsville, is the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, the historic railroad Depot Museum and an acclaimed art museum. And along the way, check out Cathedral Caverns.
Also nearby is the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and Helen Keller’s birthplace in Tuscumbia, and the home and museum of jazz great W.C. Handy in Florence. Traveling south out of Decatur for approximately 45 minutes to Cullman will take you to the world-famous Ave Maria Grotto, built at Alabama’s only Benedictine monastery.
Are there any special programs and services for groups in Decatur?
The Decatur-Morgan County CVB offers a step-on guide free of charge, welcome receptions, a bedtime snack, a $100 gas card (with a minimum of 25 room nights), welcome packets, custom itinerary planning, brochures and themed itineraries.
Tell us your favorite story about Decatur.
In the late 1800s, Decatur was home to William Simpson McGhee, a rather extravagant riverboat captain who traveled between Decatur and Chattanooga, and an infamous madam known as Miss Kate. Legend has it that McGhee would announce his arrival to Miss Kate by blowing a steam whistle. This was also to let other guests at Miss Kate’s know that it was time for them to leave. Today, Simp McGhee’s on historic Bank Street is a restaurant that offers an eclectic dinner menu featuring Southern cuisine with a Creole twist.