Alabama town nominated for USA Today’s Best Small Town Art Scenes: How you can vote

USA Today’s reader choice awards have arrived for 2025 and it’s no surprise the City of Orange Beach is one of the first to be nominated for the publication’s 10Best lists.

The coastal town is one of 20 finalists for Best Small Town Art Scenes in the country. Voting is open through Feb. 10 on the USA Today website.

Keep reading to learn why Orange Beach made the cut.

Orange Beach, Alabama

There’s no doubt the biggest draw for the city is the beach with visitors heading to the Gulf Coast from across the globe. But USA Today makes sure to give a nod to the town for more than just the sun, sand and water.

“Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach is a waterfront campus offering a fine art gallery, glass blowing classes, and clay molding lessons, as well as summer art camps for kids. Visitors flock to the Orange Beach Festival of Art, which offers two stages of live entertainment and celebrates the work of local artists.”

~ USA Today 10Best

The rest of the nominees include:

• Abingdon, Virginia
• Ashland, Oregon
• Davidson, North Carolina
• Eastport, Maine
• Frankenmuth, Michigan
• Homer, Alaska
• Hull, Massachusetts
• Laguna Beach, California
• Lucas, Kansas
• McCook, Nebraska
• Medora, North Dakota
• Old Lyme, Connecticut
• Palisade, Colorado
• Saratoga Springs, New York
• Saugatuck, Michigan
• Stowe, Vermont
• Thomas, West Virginia
• Tubac, Arizona
• Vermillion, South Dakota

Orange Beach is familiar with these kind of lists and even made the top 10 for best food scenes in the South just last year.

Do you have a favorite art scene in Alabama? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, Facebook + LinkedIn.