How to spend Labor Day weekend in Alabama—festivals, parades + more

Group Of People On Grass Field Under Sunny Day
Photo by Aranxa Esteve on Unsplash

If you don’t have Labor Day plans yet, you’ve come to the right place. These eight events include festivals, parades and even a Moon Pie eating contest. Don’t worry—if you’ll be glued to college football kickoff on Saturday, there are fun events on every day of the long weekend.

1. Mobile Labor Day Parade

The longest-standing Labor Day tradition on this list, the Mobile Labor Day Parade is celebrating its 76th year in 2023. Floats will travel through some of Mobile’s most iconic streets to ring in the Labor Day festivities and champion worker values.

2. Section Labor Day Festival

They had me at homemade ice cream. The Section Labor Day Festival will feature lots of family fun, including lively games of volleyball, horseshoes and cornhole—all set against live Gospel, Bluegrass, country and rock n’ roll music. Plus, in classic Labor Day fashion, there will be lots of barbecue. Did I mention that they’ll have homemade ice cream?

3. St. William Seafood Festival

Labor Day Gumbo
Mmm… gumbo” by jeffreyw is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Calling all gumbo lovers! The St. William Seafood Festival has been a tradition since 1971, bringing in visitors from the surrounding areas to enjoy the famous gumbo.

4. Labor Day Music Fest at Russell Crossroads

Two nights of free music at an amphitheater? What could be better? Town Green at the Lake Martin Amphitheater in Russell Crossroads is hosting a Music Fest on Labor Day Weekend, and it’s going to be an amazing (and beautiful) couple nights.

5. OWA Labor Day Weekend Party

There’s a lot going on at OWA Parks + Resort on Labor Day Weekend. On Friday, they’ll have a scavenger hunt, kids’ crafts and a hot dog eating contest. On Saturday, the headliner is the huge car show, but there will also be kids’ activities, lawn games, live music and fireworks. They’ll finish off the weekend on Sunday with more kids’ activities and crafts and more live music.

6. Light Up Labor Day at The Wharf

Fireworks Display
Photo by Jingda Chen on Unsplash

They don’t call it “Light Up Labor Day” for nothing. On September 3, The Wharf is ringing in Labor Day with a fireworks show and a Laser Light Experience. The best part? It’s free.

7. 50th Annual Arts Sunday

Another long-standing Alabama tradition is the annual Arts Sunday in Scottsboro. Celebrating 50 years in 2023, this years’ event will feature over 120 vendors. Celebrate the arts, enjoy live entertainment, enjoy food from local food trucks, capture memories in the photo booth and let the kids have fun in the children’s area.

8. Mountain Trails 50 Mile Yard Sale

Yard Sale Sign
This is one of the biggest yard sales in Alabama. (Michael Seale / The Bama Buzz)

A beautiful road trip through the Sand Mountain area is about to be a big treasure hunt. The Mountain Trails 50-Mile Yard Sale is a 4-day event this year, and shoppers will get to explore Pleasant View, Dutton, Section, Flat Rock, Higdon, Bryant and more along the way.

  • When: Thursday, August 31-Monday, September 4
  • Where: Hwy 71 + 73, from Section to Bryant
  • More Details

9. Labor Day Celebration + Moon Pie Eatin’ Contest

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RC Cola and Moon Pie Festival: Moon Pie Hat” by SeeMidTN.com (aka Brent) is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Since 1992, visitors to the annual Moon Pie Eatin’ Contest in McCalla have gotten to enjoy lots of—you guessed it—Moon Pies. Hosted on Labor Day at the beautiful Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park, this family-friendly event is a great way to take advantage of your off day.

BONUSES

If you’re in Huntsville or Birmingham, we’ve got you covered with all the best ways to spend your Labor Day this year.

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Sarah Gronberg
Sarah Gronberg
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