6 ways to experience this Alabama small town + why birders love it

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Known as the Catfish Capital of Alabama for its commercial aquaculture farms, the Alabama small town of Greensboro is the seat of Hale County. The community is located on the western reaches of the 23-county Alabama Black Belt region, which spans the state’s midsection.

As Greensboro prepares to welcome guests for the annual Black Belt Birding Festival July 31-Aug. 2, we asked Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association for tips on the best things to do, see and eat there now or anytime—no binoculars or field guide required!

1. What is the Black Belt Birding Festival?

The Black Belt Birding Festival is based in Greensboro and includes scores of events, including guided tours, workshops and lectures throughout the western counties of the Alabama Black Belt region.

🪶View the full Black Belt Birding Festival calendar and other event details.

Beyond the festival, there are plenty of birding opportunities in and around Greensboro at other times. Here are two resources to get started:

🐦 Self-guided: West Alabama Birding Trail
🐦 Guided: Connecting With Birds and Nature Tours

🛌 Where to stay? Find unique accommodations in and around Greensboro on AlabamaBlackBeltAdventures.com.

2. Where should you eat in Greensboro?

Arrive with an appetite! Greensboro has several must-try restaurants during your adventure, despite its tiny size (pop. 2,135). Here are a few delicious picks:

• Ruan Thai, 1124 Main St, Greensboro, AL 36744
• The Stable, 1120 Main St, Greensboro, AL 36744
• Mustang Family Restaurant, 905 Hobson St, Greensboro, AL 36744
• Nick’s Crispy Chicken, 1310 State St, Greensboro, AL 36744
• Sakura Hibachi Sushi, 1317 Main St, Greensboro, AL 36744

3. What can you learn at the Safe House Black History Museum?

Greensboro is home to a significant space in Civil Rights era history, the Safe House Black History Museum. On March 21, 1968, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. sought refuge at this small home, just two weeks before he was assassinated in Memphis.

In 1991, the late Mrs.Theresa Burroughs of Greensboro, a civil rights activist and friend of the King family, established the home as a museum and incorporated it as a nonprofit in 2004. She grew up with Coretta Scott King, who was born and raised in neighboring Perry County.

The educational nonprofit holds a broader mission to preserve the culture and history of the rural Black Belt South. Auburn University’s Rural Studio, located in the community of Newbern south of town, renovated and expanded the museum in 2010.

• Where: 518 Martin Luther King Dr, Greensboro, AL 36744
• Hours: Tours by appointment only
• Website | Facebook

4. What can you do at the Sumac Cottage?

If you’re in town for the Black Belt Birding Festival, you’ll want to stop in the Sumac Cottage to see the opening of “Plumage,” a juried group show on Saturday, Aug. 1. The event will include live music, an artist market and drop-in art-making.

For an immersive arts experience beyond the festival, consider a private workshop on indigo and other natural dyes of Alabama with Sumac Cottage co-founder and textile artist Aaron Sanders Head.

5. Where should you go shopping in Greensboro?

Save space in the car to bring some of the Black Belt’s best finds from Greensboro shops. Do your treasure hunting here:

• Mockingbird On Main, 1310 Main St, Greensboro, AL 36744
• The Greensboro Depot, 2350 Jones St, Greensboro, AL 36744
• The Engle Gallery, 1301 Main St, Greensboro, AL 36744
• Greensboro Antiques, 1207 Main St, Greensboro, AL 36744

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