There are always plenty of ways to spend your weekend in Tuscaloosa! You can kick off the weekend early and join the Tuscaloosa Museum of Art tonight for “Art with Friends”. Every third Thursday the museum opens their doors to art lovers for some light hors d’oeuvres and drinks to go with their short program on a work in the collection!
Get a kick out of Friday by heading to the University of Alabama’s Soccer Complex! Cheer on the Tide as they take on Jacksonville State University for their first regular season game! All Alabama Soccer events are free to the public and love having a crowd watching them play. Expectations and goals are set even higher this season for the team and plan to be fighting for the SEC championship this year! Be on the lookout for even more games as the season rolls on.
Take your kids out for a good time at the Children’s Hands-On Museum. National Potato Day is sure to be a hit with the kids. Activities revolving around potatoes like potato chip taste testing, creating a potato clock, and Mr. Potato Head will keep them busy for hours! All activities are included in admission to CHOM so once you’re in the fun begins! With three different floors, there is plenty for children of all ages to do!
Wrap up your Saturday at Band of Brothers Brewing Co. as they host the Johnny Shines Blues Festival! This will be a family and pet-friendly event featuring various artists, food, vendors, and fun for everyone! Last year the festival brought in about 300 people and it was the first year that Band of Brothers hosted it! The event starts at 11 AM and will last until 10 PM!
Our last event actually takes place on Monday, but is absolutely worth mentioning! On August 21st Tuscaloosa will be part of the 2017 solar eclipse! Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority and the City of Tuscaloosa will be presenting “Midday Moon Solar-bration” where people can go and view this incredible phenomenon! Since the event is expected around 1:30 it makes for the perfect lunch event and will be completed with food trucks providing a variety of lunch fare. The first 500 people will receive a free pair of “eclipse glasses”! The next eclipse won’t take place until 2045 so this is truly a can’t miss event!
There have been great events in Tuscaloosa all summer long and this weekend is no different! Start your weekend off this Friday with a title fight! After a great event earlier this year, Skyy Promotions Inc. Pro boxing will be at the Belk Center Friday night starting at 7 PM. Deon Nicholson, Thomas Knox, and Robert Alfonso with other local talent will continue their climb in the pro ranks. The tickets start at $25 and the last event was packed! This will be a can’t miss event!
Kick off your Saturday at the Tuscaloosa Farmer’s Market! Vendors set up ripe red tomatoes and famous Chilton County peaches. Musicians sit propped up against the door, playing guitars as you walk in, and freshly brewed iced tea is for sale to help battle the heat. Additionally, local Food Trucks, bakers, artists, and craftsmen gather here to sell their gourmet grub, fresh-baked yeast rolls, homemade jams and jellies and hand-carved cutting boards. Popular summer foods include tomatoes, Chilton County peaches, squash, corn, and local honey. The market opens at 7 am and lasts until noon!
Take your kids out for a good time at the Children’s Hands-On Museum. The Super Mario Blowout will include games, arts & crafts, and prizes! Be sure to come dressed as your favorite Nintendo character! With three floors of fun, CHOM is packed with 25 fun exhibits that teach children about different topics! Children all the way through age 13 will enjoy spending time playing in all of the exhibits and when they say “hands-on” they really mean it!
Finish off your Saturday at Midtown as they present Disney’s “Moana” this Saturday at 8 pm. Their Screen on the Green, Midtown Village’s Free Summer Movie Series, always brings in a big crowd to enjoy a movie on the big screen! Movies are shown on The Green by the Children’s Play Area at Midtown Village. Bring the kids, your lawn chairs, blankets and enjoy movies under the stars!
We have tons more going on so check out our great upcoming events, and follow us on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements and events. Tell your friends and we can’t wait to see you around the One and Only Tuscaloosa!
The One and Only Tuscaloosa is packed with great events this weekend! Kick your weekend off early with Kentuck tonight as they host their Art Night! You can lose yourself to dance as a band plays throughout the night, eat a cob oven pizza, and then top it off by learning more about their featured artist, Bryce Speed as he presents his paintings titled “Bury the Hatchet”. This monthly event is always a huge hit as you can enjoy local artists under the trees in their beautiful courtyard!
The art continues into Friday as Tuscaloosa’s art galleries, studios, and other local businesses open their doors for the First Friday Art Crawl! The Historic Drish House is putting on a beautiful event for First Friday as they exhibit ceramic sculpture by Mallorie Roberts. Find more art downtown in places such as the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center and Harrison Galleries. At Harrison Galleries, you can find incredible work by Daniel Livingston and observe it while eating catered food from Five Bar and listening to a fantastic jazz trio!
Also on Friday night is the legendary Kenny Chesney as he takes the stage at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater! Kenny Chesney released his first album in 1994 and hasn’t slowed down since with 20 albums to date! With more than 40 top 10 singles and 29 reaching number one, he is definitely a can’t miss artist! Kenny will be bringing along special guest Midland who have only released one single to date. Not only will Kenny Chesney be there, but also a band that can see their stock rising fast!
Like every weekend, the Farmers Market will be taking place at the Tuscaloosa River Market Saturday morning! Vendors set up ripe red tomatoes and famous Chilton County peaches. Musicians sit propped up against the door, playing guitars as you walk in, and freshly brewed iced tea is for sale to help battle the heat! Additionally, local Food Trucks, bakers, artists, and craftsmen gather here to sell their gourmet grub, fresh-baked yeast rolls, homemade jams and jellies and hand-carved cutting boards. Popular summer foods include tomatoes, Chilton County peaches, squash, corn, and local honey!
Wrap things up Saturday with the kids! The Children’s Hands-On Museum will be hosting their Summer Fiesta! Complete with fiesta food, music by DJ Chuckie, folklore, and crafts, this event will be a blast for kids! All of CHOM’s events are included in admission so there’s no need to worry about extra fees. If you like keeping the kids busy, this is the event for you!
We have tons more going on so check out our great upcoming events, and follow us on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements and events. Tell your friends and we can’t wait to see you around the One and Only Tuscaloosa!
Band of Brothers is an incredible local brewery and they are gearing up for the biggest party of the summer! The brewery is hosting a customer appreciation event that is going to be one for the books. The event will be held Thursday, August 3rd from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and you should go ahead and take off work because you won’t want to miss it! Here are five reasons why you should make plans to attend Band of Brothers customer appreciation day:
Free food
Is there actually anything better than free food? We don’t think so. Band of Brothers is providing plenty of it as a way of saying thank you to all of the devoted customers. The guys at Band of Brothers will be cooking up some southern summer favorites including ribs, pulled pork, wings, hamburger and hot dogs for the event. Each of these items will pair perfectly with a fresh, cold brew. What better excuse to leave work a little early and enjoy lunch on someone else’s dime?
Live Music
The Lamont Landers Band will be providing plenty of entertainment. The band is from Alabama and has spent the last few years becoming famous in college towns across the southeast. The band covers some of the best songs of all time from all genres of music. At this event, the band will be mixing it up between original songs and cover songs. The guys will hit the stage around 11 a.m. and perform until 3 p.m. and you’re definitely not going to wat to miss it!
Free Giveaways
We already mentioned the free food, but there’s more! As sponsors of this event, we will be handing out our popular “One and Only” t-shirts to the first 25 people who show up. We all love Tuscaloosa and free t-shirts so we’re putting the two together for this occasion. There will also be items like “One and Only” koozies and phone backs for those people who aren’t in the first 25.
The Beer
We all know Band of Brothers brews some amazing beer, and this is the perfect excuse to show up and enjoy some. Perhaps the most popular brew, Monk on the Radio, will pair perfectly with the ribs and burgers that will be provided. You can also choose from the American Brown Ale, Downtown Brown, or the Belgian IPA, White Widow. The only thing better than drinking beer is having free food and live music to go with it. Add some free giveaways on top of that and it already sounds like the best event of the summer!
Great Atmosphere
Band of Brothers is known for throwing some of the best events in Tuscaloosa and this one is shaping up to be no different. This brewery, without a doubt, has one of the best atmospheres in town. It has one of the most comfortable and inviting interiors, and you can always count on a laid-back crowd. The staff will treat you like a regular whether you come in every night or you’re a first-time visitor. There is always a game of cornhole waiting to be played if you’re in the mood for some competition, and as we already mentioned this event will also have live music, free food, and great beer. It’s the perfect excuse to start your weekend early!
Tuscaloosa is growing rapidly and we couldn’t be more excited about the new businesses in town. From fruit to cheesesteaks to gourmet doughnuts and more, the options are becoming endless. Here are a few of our favorite new must-try restaurants in town this summer!
Babe’s Doughnut Co. is a family-owned breakfast, brunch and coffee business that recently opened its doors in downtown Tuscaloosa! “Babe’s” sells gourmet and specialty doughnuts that will satisfy all of your sweet tooth cravings. The modern interior makes for a very welcoming environment great for hanging out, studying and of course, eating. Babe’s offers sandwiches and biscuits such as honey butter chicken and bacon avocado. You can also choose from items like muffins, pastries, croissants and a variety of coffee drinks. The specialty doughnuts come in flavors from s’mores to bacon maple all the way to captain crunch and so much more! As strange as some of the combinations sounds, we can promise you they taste absolutely delicious. You won’t regret stopping by on your way into the office for some breakfast and coffee, and your co-workers will surely love you if you throw in a box of doughnuts to take with you!
Frutta Bowls is all about health foods! The franchise began in New Jersey and Tuscaloosa was proud to become the first out-of-state location for the company. Frutta Bowls has a great atmosphere and offers both indoor and outdoor seating and activities. Outside you can grab a table and enjoy the weather, or engage in a little friendly competition of cornhole. Inside you can relax on some couches in the corner and watch some TV, or set up at a table fully stocked with USB outlets for charging your phone and other electronic devices. The food is as good as the atmosphere. You can order fruit bowls made up of acai, pitaya and all the freshest fruit you can imagine. If you want a little more flavor or sweetness in your bowl, you can add coconut flakes, peanut butter, honey or Nutella drizzle on top! The menu also offers delicious smoothies made up of fresh fruits and vegetables. In just a few weeks of being open, the business has already had to adjust its hours due to the high demand of its customers. You don’t want to miss out on the craze!
Philly Boyz is bringing the Philly Cheesesteak to Alabama! The owner is from Philadelphia and is an expert on all things cheesesteaks. He opened the restaurant from scratch in the spring and so far, it has been a hit among locals! The restaurant specializes in authentic cheesesteaks, pizzas, and fries. The ribeye meat is cut in-house and the bread is baked fresh daily to ensure freshness. Philly Boyz is a fast and casual dining spot, but there is no shortage of flavor. The restaurant stays open until 4 a.m. on weekends and with its prime location on the strip, it is the perfect place to go after a night out!
Urban Cookhouse is one of the most popular restaurants in Birmingham and luckily for Tuscaloosa, the owner recently decided to open a location in town! The restaurant relies heavily on serving fresh produce that is locally grown. So much so that the interior is actually decorated with message boards showing where each vegetable in the restaurant came from. The menu is altered throughout the year to ensure quality freshness of foods. Even with the alterations, you can pretty much guarantee year-round that the menu will include steaks, salads, sandwiches, wraps and much more! The Tuscaloosa location is the first of seven to offer a drive-through for pick-up orders. Urban Cookhouse is perfect for an easy, fast, casual and delicious dinner any night of the week, and we are loving having it in Tuscaloosa!
Central Mesa is Tuscaloosa’s newest Mexican restaurant, and so far, we are loving it! The owner is a familiar face in Tuscaloosa as the man behind the one and only Avenue Pub. After three years and immense success with the Avenue Pub, the owner decided to branch out and open a second restaurant downtown. He chose the name of this new restaurant to honor the history of its building that used to be known as Central Shoe Store. While there are tons of Mexican restaurants in Tuscaloosa already, Central Mesa sets itself apart by preparing and cooking everything from scratch, in house. Central Mesa offers traditional Mexican cuisine such as tacos and enchiladas, but adds a little bit of variety with menu items such as the Cuban Sandwich and Brisket and Grits. The restaurant also features a vast variety of tequilas and other liquors for drinks such as margaritas, mojitos and other specialty cocktails. With a unique menu, great atmosphere, ultimate location and experienced Tuscaloosa owner Central Mesa is already shaping up to be one of our favorite new “One and Only” restaurants!
Here we go again with another incredible weekend in the One and Only Tuscaloosa! Start your weekend off early this Thursday at Rhodes Stadium for a softball doubleheader! Team USA will be taking on the state of Alabama colligate all-stars at 6 and 8 PM! Team USA, featuring local softball standout Haylie McCleney, University of Alabama graduate and softball Alum, will compete against our own elite collegiate athletes from across our great state, the Alabama All-Stars! Additional events include a Softball Players Camp, an Invitational Tournament, and Team USA and Alabama All-Stars practice.
Get your Joyfunk on with a Tuscaloosa, AL band whose stock is rising fast! CBDB is back in town and looking to bring down the house as they take the stage at Druid City Music Hall this Friday. Fresh off the release of their third album, entitled “The FAME EP”, they are seeing a pattern of snowballing momentum with large, energetic crowds hungry for their unique brand of progressive jam-rock, dubbed Joyfunk. CBDB blends soulful vocals and virtuosic instrumentation with smart, tasteful songwriting resulting in a sound that can be enjoyed by the casual listener and audiophile alike!
The Green Scene Summer Movie Series continues this Friday featuring Moana! This free community event provides an opportunity to educate citizens on the importance of keeping the community clean and litter free and encourages environmental stewardship while enjoying a popular children’s movie on a big screen! Guests will receive a free bag of popcorn and refreshments provided by Coca-Cola Tuscaloosa. This event is geared toward families with children not in school during the summer as it begins at 1 PM.
Friday is packed with events as Moundville is hosting a Knap-In! the Knap-in, an overnight event, is a great event for anyone interested in Native Americans, ancient technologies or outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing. Held at Moundville Archaeological Park, 13 miles south of Tuscaloosa, stone toolmakers, artists and ancient technology experts from around the country hammer out stone points, carve intricate pieces, throw spears and shoot bows. Kids can get their faces painted, grind corn or play Native American games!
Wrap up your weekend with the American Ballet Theatre! The renowned American Ballet Theatre chose The University of Alabama for their Summer Intensive and will be hosting a showcase in the Moody Music Building this Saturday! American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensive has earned a reputation for being the most thorough and rewarding dance experience a student can have during the summer. Under the supervision of ABT’s Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie and Artistic Director of Summer Intensives Kate Lydon, the program offers top quality teachers and master guest teachers that are dedicated to the learning process and growth of each individual student. This is sure to be a performance worth seeing!
We have tons more going on so check out our great upcoming events, and follow us on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements and events. Tell your friends and we can’t wait to see you around the One and Only Tuscaloosa!
Our four legged friends are the best, and here in Tuscaloosa, we have tons of places where dogs are welcome and often the guest of honor. Here are some of the best dog-friendly spots in town for the next time you need a day out with your pup!
As one of Tuscaloosa’s hottest hangouts, Innisfree is always guaranteed to be a good time! What makes it even better though is its dog-friendly environment. You can’t go to “the Free” and not run into a four-legged friend hanging out on the patio! It’s the perfect place to go if you want to have a day out with friends, and since dogs are the best friends you can include them in your outing to Innisfree. If you’re looking for a great atmosphere for both you and your dog, grab your pup and head to the Free!
This dog park opened just a few years ago at Munny Sokol Park and at the time was the most requested PARA amenity by Tuscaloosa natives! Since its opening, the park has been a mega success and is a great place to let your dog run and play in a safe environment. The park features three separate areas: a training pen, a small dog pen, and a large dog pen. There are large grassy areas for the dogs to run wild and a small muddy area that is perfect for dogs who love to get a little messy!
The best exercise partner anyone can ask for is a dog! That’s why The Riverwalk is the perfect place to go to bond with your pup. Your dog will never complain about exercising with you and will make it fun for you! There are a few park areas along the trail equipped with gazebos and benches for you and your dog to take a break and rehydrate if needed. Keep your dog and yourself in shape and hit the trail at The Riverwalk!
Black Warrior has some of the best brews in town and welcomes dogs any time of the day! The friendly service and great atmosphere at Black Warrior is a hit among Tuscaloosa natives and their pets. You and your dog can enjoy the atmosphere from the patio, or from the upstairs area where games such as corn hole, shuffleboard, and darts are available. You can also take your dog in the fall and watch the Tide compete on one of the flat screen TV’s with your best friend alongside! What could be better?
They say a dog is a man’s best friend, and who better to go fishing with than your best friend? At Lake Lurleen State Park you can take your pup and fish along Lake Tuscaloosa! If fishing isn’t your thing, you can hit the trails for some hiking. Your dog will be in heaven with all the sticks he’ll find lining the trails that will make for perfect chew toys! You can also rent a canoe and let your pup float across the lake with you for some much-needed relaxation. If your dog loves the outdoors, Lake Lurleen State Park will be his perfect playground!
Written By: Bailee Kennamer
Photo By: @elsiemae_the_acd on Instagram
It seems like every weekend is packed with events in the One and Only Tuscaloosa and this one will be no different! Start your weekend this Thursday at the Druid City Music Hall as they play host to Dwight Yoakam! Dwight is an American singer-songwriter and actor, most famous for his pioneering country music. Popular since the early 1980s, he has recorded more than twenty-one albums and compilations, charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and sold more than 25 million records. He has recorded five Billboard #1 albums, twelve gold albums, and nine platinum albums, including the triple platinum This Time! This show is one you won’t want to miss!
The following day doesn’t feature a legend but a rising star. Michael Warren will be playing Friday evening at the weekly Live at the Plaza Summer Series! Michael Warren hooked his fans early and continues to make them proud to support him as he climbs the ladder to stardom. Originally from Hoover, AL, Michael wasted no time working towards his musical dream. In 2005, he was honored with an invitation to perform in a nationally televised UNCF fundraising concert. In 2006, he went overseas to Germany on a USO tour to play for our front line troops on leave from Iraq! He also won the 2007 BAMA Award for best singer/songwriter and has just released his second full-length CD entitled “Race to Beat the Sun”. With this level of trajectory, you should head to Michael’s free show this weekend before he starts making you pay!
Also on Friday is the Green Scene Summer Movie Series featuring WALL-E! This free community event provides an opportunity to educate citizens on the importance of keeping the community clean and litter free and encourages environmental stewardship while enjoying a popular children’s movie on a big screen! Guests will receive a free bag of popcorn and refreshments provided by Coca-Cola Tuscaloosa. This event is geared toward families with children not in school during the summer as it begins at 1 PM. Also, note that this weekend WALL-E will be there live and in the metal!
All weekend long you can catch “Ragtime” at the Bean-Brown Theatre! A brief description of the play is as follows: The hope and promise of the American dream are coursing through the veins of turn-of-the-century New York City in this 1998 Tony Award-winning musical. The inspiring stories of an upper-class wide who unexpectedly becomes a single mother, a determined Jewish immigrant, and his daughter, and a daring, young Harlem musician are masterfully woven together as the original melting pot is on the verge of boiling over! Weekend showtimes can be found on Theatre Tuscaloosa’s website.
We have tons more going on so check out our great upcoming events, and follow us on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements and events. Tell your friends and we can’t wait to see you around the One and Only Tuscaloosa!
It’s going to be another great weekend in the One and Only Tuscaloosa! You can kick your weekend off this Friday at The University of Alabama as they host the inaugural Alabama Blues Weekend! Between July 8th and 9th, you can catch both concerts and masterclasses and even participate in sessions. The Live at the Plaza performers, Birmingham Seven, and others will be participating in the weekend event! Proceeds from the weekend will benefit Alabama Blues Project, an awesome non-profit organization preserving Blues music through interactive programs, after-school camps, clubs and advanced ensembles, reaching over 400 students annually from ages 6 to 18!
Also on Friday is the Green Scene Summer Movie Series featuring Finding Dory! This free community event provides an opportunity to educate citizens on the importance of keeping the community clean and litter free and encourages environmental stewardship while enjoying a popular children’s movie on a big screen. Guests will receive a free bag of popcorn and refreshments provided by Coca-Cola Tuscaloosa! This event is geared toward families with children not in school during the summer as it begins at 1 PM!
Saturday night the place to be is the Bama Theatre! Comedian Relly Rell will leave you in stitches as he performs his stand-up act! The show will be hosted by “The Undisputed King of Underground Comedy” Mo Williamz and will also feature Brittany Escobar and Whodi! There will not only be comedy, but music too! Catch Zo, Merk, and CJ Da Don with a bow on top by DJ John Doe. Starting at 7 PM, you won’t want to miss out on the fun!
Saturday is filled with great events. Across downtown at Grace Aberdean Habitat Alchemy will be the second annual Puppers & Pride! Between 10 am and 5 pm you can get your dog washed at this donation only Dog Wash! All donations will go to Druid City Pride and they guarantee each pup will leave smelling fresh and clean!
Wrap up your weekend with some rock as Rod Stewart performs at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater! The British rocker will bring down the house with songs like Maggie May and Da Ya Think I’m Sexy! Stewart has had six consecutive number one albums in the UK and his tally of 62 UK hit singles includes 31 that reached the top ten, six of which gained the #1 position! Not only is he a good singer, but a knight too! He was knighted in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to music and charity.
We have tons more going on so check out our great upcoming events, and follow us on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements and events. Tell your friends and we can’t wait to see you around the One and Only Tuscaloosa!
In a unanimous vote, the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission voted to approve the hire of Don Staley as the President & CEO of Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports. Staley returns to the organization where he once served as the executive director of sports and after a three-year stint in the same role for the City of Foley.
While Don Staley is the newest hire for Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports, he is no stranger to the company. Staley worked as the Executive Director of Sports for Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports between 2010 and 2014. In this time, he developed a sports foundation from start up to merger with the Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau that created the Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports Commission.
Besides leading the day-to-day operations, Staley will be charged with helping to create an experience-based economy for Tuscaloosa as part of Mayor Walt Maddox’s four-year plan for the future. Board chairwoman Lesley Bruinton said Staley is an excellent choice.
“Don’s vision for selling Tuscaloosa, his experience in sports tourism and as Division 1 soccer coach, made him the top contender for the job,” said Bruinton. “I am excited to have him to return to this organization and this community to promote Tuscaloosa.”
Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Staley earned his bachelor’s degree in General Studies – Sports Management in 1992. After beginning his career as the head soccer coach at Radford University, Staley moved to Tuscaloosa in 1994 to become the Head Soccer Coach at the University of Alabama. While at Alabama, Staley became the 5th coach in NCAA soccer history to reach the 300-win mark. Because of his success on the pitch, Staley earned SEC Coach of the Year twice, as well as twice more in a different league.
The opportunity to return to Tuscaloosa was an offer Staley couldn’t refuse.
In a meeting with the staff, Staley mentioned “I’m thrilled to return home to lead this outstanding organization” and that “Tuscaloosa is a dynamic and vibrant community that once you take it in, it never leaves your heart.”
Staley will start July 10th.
There have been some incredible weekends in Tuscaloosa recently and this one is no different! Kick your weekend off at Green Bar this Thursday as they play host to “The Hollows”! When the first notes reach your ears, whether from a sweet and breezy mandolin, a whiskey-tuned banjo, or an unrepentant guitar, it will seem to you that the sound of The Hollows is uniquely New York: a contradictory, harmonic melting pot that takes all of its roots, twists them around, and produces something else, something new. This scruffy ensemble of multi-instrumentalists might just as soon swap glockenspiels, trumpets, and harmonicas as plug in a squawking electric guitar or an airy, spacey synthesizer. The result is a veritable junkyard of instruments and musical personalities, a carnival on wheels, a one-man band in six bodies that owns the stage with all the mobile, rhythmic ease of a seasoned railroad gang!
Keep the music going this Friday at the Government Plaza in downtown Tuscaloosa for “Live at the Plaza” featuring Tarred & Feathered! A perfect event for families and friends alike, it will be complete with great music, delicious food, and tasty drinks! Tarred & Feathered is a cover band made up of old buddies who love playing live music together and have unique ways of covering the old & new favorites with a raw but full sound. With three-part harmony, they ensure their covers never fall flat!
Get ready to rumble on Saturday as the Druid City Dames host their first ever home bout in Tuscaloosa! Roller Derby is surely a sight to see and if you’re unfamiliar with it, here is a brief description: Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Gameplay consists of a series of short matchups (jams) in which both teams designate a jammer who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team. The teams attempt to hinder the opposing jammer while assisting their own jammer—in effect, playing both offense and defense simultaneously. Head out to the Super Skate on McFarland Blvd and watch the ladies of Druid City Dames as they look to take down the Southern Harm Derby Dames!
If roller derby isn’t quite your cup of tea, you can catch Tyrese as he performs at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater! In 1998, his self-titled album went platinum with the singles Nobody Else, Lately, and Sweet Lady, earning him his first Grammy nomination for the Best R&B Male Vocal Performance! He became busy with TV and film roles before releasing other popular albums in between 2002 and the present. He is also an accomplished author, and will be releasing his third book soon! This soul filled Amphitheater is the place to be this Saturday so don’t miss out!
Finally, wrap up your weekend with Band of Brothers Brewing Co. as they host “Trucks by the Tracks”! All of the local food truck favorites like Local Roots, Archibald & Woodrow’s BBQ, SouthFresh Mobile Catfish Kitchen, Pastor’s Kitchen, Get Mix’d and more! great beer, live music, and good company – who could ask for more?
We have tons more going on so check out our great upcoming events, and follow us on our social media pages (@visittuscaloosa) for more announcements and events. Tell your friends and we can’t wait to see you around the One and Only Tuscaloosa!
Originally a Japanese specialty, Sushi has made its way across the oceans and is now one of the most popular dishes all over the world! Because the one and only Tuscaloosa is always up with the times, it holds many amazing restaurants to enjoy the raw fish specialties. From seafood restaurants to authentic Japanese grills and actual sushi restaurants, you have the choice and you can’t really go wrong! Still, we would like to introduce the following restaurants as an inspiration for a destination the next time you’re craving some sushi (which could be at any moment)!
Chuck’s Fish
Located in the heart of downtown, this restaurant is the local expert when it comes to seafood in Tuscaloosa! For more than ten years, their dishes are all made with locally caught fish from the Gulf of Mexico! Their sushi is guaranteed to be fresh and delicious which makes them one of the best in town! The variety is striking and so is the taste: Fabulous creations a la carte or even individually made for you! If you take a seat at the sushi bar, you sit by the source and can even chat along with their sushi masters! The atmosphere in the main restaurant is worth a visit just as well because sushi also makes a perfect starter for your main dish!
Hokkaido Japanese Steak & Sushi Bar
On the edge of Tuscaloosa’s Midtown Village waits another sushi gem: The Hokkaido Steak and Sushi Bar. As a local single business, it puts its focus on the perfect overall dining experience. While their live cooking is definitely a highlight, we put the focus on their fabulous sushi: Fresh, creative and delicious. Choose from a large variety of sushi classics or the so-called chef’s selection that provides exciting creations with anyone’s favorite ingredients. Beautifully garnished, that sushi is perfect for having a nice dinner with friends or your partner. But they also have great offers for lunch!
This recently opened restaurant is already known for its unique theme: Rock ‘n Roll and sushi seem strange together, but turn out to be a great combination! Besides the obvious, the music, the theme also shows out in the interior: Industrial chic with decorations like KISS posters, guitars and a showy red bar! You surely have never enjoyed sushi in an ambiance like that. The dishes themselves are also included in the theme, as they can be found under names like Green Day Roll, Rolling Stones Roll or Bob Marley! There’s only one way to find out what’s hiding behind these names!
Surin of Thailand
While a name like “Thailand” is not screaming sushi at first, this restaurant does indeed have a fantastic sushi menu! Located at the edge of UA campus next to the strip, it is perfect for both lunch and dinner. The menu provides anything a sushi lover could ask for: Maki, Nigiri, Sashimi, classic rolls, special rolls, all with a focus on traditionally fresh or smoked fish. And you should definitely try out their wakame (seasoned seaweed) that is extraordinarily tasty! Surin also runs Midnight Sushi, where you can get your favorite rolls for just $1! Be prepared to wait though, as the line often wraps around the building for a seat!
A short drive across the river on the edge of Tuscaloosa, you can find the probably most unique sushi restaurant where classic or ordinary go out the window. If you are tired of the classics and are adventurous enough to try something really different, Maki Fresh is your place! To mention only some of their creations: You can go for their vegetarian Blazer rolls with sun-dried tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, asparagus and more. Or have you ever had a salmon roll with green apple and goat cheese before, or tried a California roll spiced with wasabi aioli? You see, it is adventurous but sure to be a hit if you love sushi!
Last but not least, this is a great pickup place we have to recommend. OEC Express is located at the Meadowbrook Shopping Center on McFarland and fairly inconspicuous from the outside. Inside is the real treat: terrific sushi for one of the best prices in Tuscaloosa! If you order your food in the shop, it will take ten minutes at most until you get it. You can also call in advance or order online, so you just have to step in and grab your sushi for lunch or dinner. No problem if you want to dine in as well since they also have a few tables to sit and eat inside!
Written By: Katharina Horvath – Intern