Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area

Artsy Fartsy 5K and 1-mile Fun Run
2024-06-22 17:00 (America/Chicago) | River Heritage Trail, 15 Hightower Place, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
The Muscle Shoals National Heritage area is full of music makers and other talented artists. To support the arts in the MSNHA, we are excited to announce the Artsy Fartsy 5K and 1-mile Fun Run at Florence’s new River Heritage Trail! We promise you won’t want to miss running, skipping, hopping, rolling or strolling (whatever your preference!) in this beautiful spot. Invite your friends and family to join you after the run for live music at the amphitheater featuring Coffee Black!
All proceeds from the Artsy Fartsy 5K & 1-mile Fun Run will help support MSNHA arts-focused projects.
For full Heritage Area Hustle Race Series details, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, go here.

'Native Flora' launch
2024-06-29 14:00 - 17:00 | All the Best, 128 E. Tennessee St., Florence, AL, 35630, United States
Come out celebrate the launch of digital magazine “Native Flora” at All The Best coffee & record shop. Enjoy snack specials & giveaways including a limited run of printed copies. “Native Flora” is a zine series highlighting native plants found in northwest Alabama and their role in the ecosystem. The first issue includes forbs, graminoids and vines you can find in spring & summer. It will be available as a free online resource thanks to the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area.

The Shoals' RiverTowns Community Paddle on Waterloo's 2nd Creek
2024-07-13 09:00 - 12:00 | Waterloo Boat Ramp, Lauderdale County Road 14, Waterloo, AL, 35677, United States
The Shoals’ Tennessee RiverTowns program hosts a community paddle at Waterloo’s 2nd Creek. Join us for an interpreted tour along led by MSNHA Director Carrie Crawford. We’ll watch for wildlife & explore local history on this beginner-friendly paddle experience lasting around two hours and four miles. We will begin and end our paddle at the Waterloo Boat Ramp.

Kayaks, personal-flotation devices, paddles & other necessary equipment are provided free of charge. Participants must already know how to swim.Reserve a kayak — either single- or two-person — when you register (comes with required equipment, including PFD). You also can bring your own boat (kayaks, canoes & standup paddle boards are fine). Simply select the “I’ve got my own boat” option when you register.If you register & can’t attend, cancel your reservation. Not doing so takes a spot away from someone else. Tickets on sale April 18.Check your email ahead of the event. You’ll receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite & a pre-event reminder with additional details. Any changes to the paddle due to weather will also be communicated via email.See you outside!

Shoals RiverTown's Community Paddle on Waterloo's 2nd Creek
2024-07-13 09:00 - 12:00 | Waterloo Boat Ramp, Lauderdale County Road 14, Waterloo, AL, 35677, United States
The Shoals’ Tennessee RiverTowns program is excited to host a community paddling event at Waterloo’s 2nd Creek! Join us for an interpreted tour along 2nd Creek led by MSNHA Director Carrie Crawford. We will watch for wildlife & explore local history on this beginner-friendly paddle experience lasting around two hours and four miles. We will begin & end our paddle at the Waterloo Boat Ramp in Waterloo.Kayaks, PFDs, paddles & other necessary equipment are provided, free of charge. Participants must already know how to swim to participate.Reserve a kayak — either single or two-person — when you register (comes with required equipment, including PFD). You are also welcome to bring your own boat (kayaks, canoes & SUPs are fine) — just select the “I’ve got my own boat” option when you register.If you register & can’t attend, please cancel your reservation. Not doing so takes a spot away from someone else.Check your email ahead of the event for a confirmation email from Eventbrite & a pre-event reminder with additional details. Weather-related changes to the paddle will also be communicated via email.

Young Learners Series: Pottery
2024-08-17 10:00 - 11:30 | Florence Indian Mound and Museum, Florence, AL
August’s Young Learners Series is about Southwestern Native American pottery making.Pottery is an art that has been practiced over 4,000 years by the Native American tribes of the Southwest. The art & practice of pottery making was historically used for utilitarian purposes & ceremonial practices. Children can create pottery pieces with air-dry clay to share in a student-made exhibit or to take home. Together we will learn how & why pottery was made in the past and how it is still created & shared today!Young Learners Series at the Florence Indian Mound Museum is a series of free children’s programs where elementary-age students explore the early history of the Shoals through short lessons & hands-on learning exercises. Each month features a practice that relates to Native American culture. Participants explore the history & cultural meaning behind each practice while engaging in an activity related to that topic.

Shoals Area Invasive Plant Project
2024-09-27 09:00 | Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve, 251 Loop Road, Tuscumbia, AL, 35674, United States
Explore volunteer & learning opportunities about removing invasive plants in the Shoals. (Under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.) Co-sponsored by TVA, Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Land Trust of North Alabama. Register at aces.edu/go/shoalsinvasives

Shady Lady Trail 5K, 10K and Half Marathon
2024-10-26 09:00 - 13:00 | Joe Wheeler State Park, 4401 McLean Drive, Rogersville, AL, 35652, United States
You don’t need to be a lady to run in the League of Outdoor Women’s Shady Lady Trail 5K, 10K and Half Marathon that’s part of the Heritage Area Hustle Race Series! The race is open to men, women, children, aliens, kangaroos, etc. All of the funds raised go to support programming for the League of Outdoor Women, so come show the women in your life how much you want to support their outdoor adventures! Entrants can register for all three races at once using the multi-race bundle option to save $5 on each race fee.
For full Heritage Area Hustle Race Series details, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, visit our website at https://msnha.una.edu/heritage-area-hustle-race-series/.

Alabama Plants Series: Herbal Medicine Workshop
2025-02-23 13:00 - 14:00 | Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
Florence Arts and Museums & MSNHA are launching the Alabama Plants Series. Host Summer McCreless will teach participants historic natural recipes for different balms & oils and how they can e used today.McCreless owns Mothering Herbs and is a second-generation herbalist. With more than 30 years of experience & education in plant identification, she’s taught herbal education and plant identification & uses in north Alabama for more than 17 years.The Alabama Plant Series is a set of six free workshops hosted at Pope’s Tavern Museum and sponsored by the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. These workshops will connect Native American cultures, Alabama plants and products rooted in early traditions.

Using Kudzu
2025-03-09 13:00 - 14:00 | Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
Kudzu is not a native plant to Alabama but thrives in the state’s ecosystem. Led by Beth Phillips, this workshop will familiarize people with examples of the different types of kudzu products & recipes. There will be an in-depth talk about the uses of kudzu, non-toxic methods of control & ways to process the plant for use in products & recipes.

Soap Making Workshop
2025-03-23 13:00 - 14:00 | Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
People in Alabama have used plants for many purposes, including soap recipes. This workshop teaches historic & homemade soap making and the evolution of that process. Over time, soap has been used medicinally with specific herbal combinations to bring a more centered and healthy state. Today soaps are used for cleansing the body & enjoying the infusion of native plants through the senses. Participants will get a small bar of soap to take home.This workshop will be led by Summer McCreless, owner of Mothering Herbs and a second-generation herbalist. McCreless has been practicing herbalism for over 17 years, teaching herbal education & plant identification and uses in North Alabama. She has over 30 years of experience and education in plant identification in the United States.

Household Hazardous Waste Day
2025-07-12 08:00 - 12:00 | Florence Coliseum, 702 Veterans Drive, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
Drive through bring hazardous household items such as latex & oil-based paints along with other painting materials, motor oil, antifreeze, pool chemicals and more. No farm or business waste accepted. Co-sponsored by Lauderdale County, City of Florence and TVA.

W.C. Handy Festival Songwriter Showcase
2025-07-19 15:00 - 19:00 | Village One School, Sheffield, AL
Featuring a variety of talented songwriters and performers from around the Shoals. Proceeds benefit the Village School Foundation.

WC Handy Festival Songwriter Showcase
2025-07-20 15:00 - 19:00 | Village One School, Sheffield, AL

Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention Concert Series
2025-09-04 19:00 - 21:00 | McCandless Hall, Athens State University, 302 Bryan St., Athens, AL, 35611, United States
The Seldom Scene was established in 1971 in a basement in Bethesda, Maryland. The original line-up–our Founding Scene Fathers–included John Starling on guitar, Mike Auldridge on Dobro, Ben Eldridge on banjo, Tom Gray on double bass & John Duffey on mandolin.
Charlie Waller, a member of the Country Gentlemen, is credited for the band’s name. Expressing doubt that the new band could succeed, Waller reportedly asked Duffey, “What are you going to call yourselves, the seldom seen?”
The band performed weekly at the Red Fox Inn before securing a residency at the Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, Virginia. The rest is history.
With their inventive take on bluegrass, The Seldom Scene has showcased both original material and interpretations of songs from limitless genres.

Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention
2025-10-01 - 2025-10-04 | Athens State University, 300 N Beaty St, Athens, AL, Athens, AL, 35611, United States
Bring the family and enjoy a uniquely American experience whose roots are buried deep in the Appalachian Mountains and beyond. It’s a musical and cultural experience that will thrust you into a simpler time where families were bound by the music they created and the stories they told.

Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern: Spinning
2025-10-05 12:00 - 17:00 | Pope’s Tavern Museum, 203 Hermitage Drive, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
Textile artisan & fiber arts instructor Emily Wallace will offer a closer look at the craft of yarn spinning in Alabama, exploring the skills, materials & preparation required to turn raw fiber into thread. Participants will gain insight into how this hands-on practice shaped daily life and connected people to their materials.

Wallace is a textile artisan & fiber-arts instructor from north Alabama, where she explores both historic & modern approaches to producing fiber goods by hand. She teaches textile workshops at the Burritt Folk School in Huntsville & tends a small flock of conservation breed sheep at her home.

After the workshop, Archaeology at Pope’s Tavern will continue its excavation of Test
Unit 7.

Enter our Photo Contest!
2026-02-17 08:00 - 2026-08-28 17:00 | AL
We’ve opened our photo contest and are looking for photos that illustrate this year’s “Landmarks & Legacies” theme — and connect northwest Alabama to America’s 250th birthday. Go here to learn more about our guidelines and access our new online submission form. Deadline is Aug. 28. And winners plus other selected entries will be displayed in a Florence gallery!

MSNHA Grants Workshop
2026-02-27 10:00 - 12:00 | AL
We’ve simplified the application process — learn how to navigate the new platform at our free grants workshop — lunch included!
This in-person workshop takes you through MSNHA’s new streamlined application process. Learn how to navigate the updates to ensure an easy & seamless experience. MSNHA Director Terah Klein will walk you through the steps, then we’ll break for lunch and she’ll answer all your questions. Perfect for anyone thinking about applying for an MSNHA grant.

Shoals Music Archive exhibition opens
2026-03-20 17:00 | UNA Downtown Gallery, 126 Tombigbee St., Florence, AL, 35630, United States
Join us for the opening reception of “Visualizing Shoals Music,” an exhibition celebrating the launch of the Shoals Music Archive at UNA. The exhibit features photography by Abraham Rowe and Dick Cooper plus immersive multimedia from the Roots of American Music Trail project. Following the gallery reception, the exhibit will be open to the public 2-5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

Sustainable Trails Work Day
2026-04-04 08:00 - 12:00 | TVA Reservation, Florence, AL
Join us at the Muscle Shoals TVA Trails Complex to help maintain historic Civilian Conservation Core trails for our first RiverTown event of 2026! An initial demonstration will begin at 8 a.m. in the picnic pavilion with hands-on training before beginning the trail work project. This event is for ages 18+ and requires the ability to stand and do physical labor. Don’t forget to pack a water bottle and snacks! Co-hosted by TVA and Tennessee RiverLine.

Community Cleanup at TVA Nature Trails
2026-04-17 08:00 - 15:00 | AL
Join us along with the University of North Alabama’s College of Business and Technology & Keep the Shoals Beautiful for a community cleanup at the TVA Nature Trails, on TVA’s Muscle Shoals Reservation. Meet in the parking lot. Materials & equipment provided. See you there!

Village School Workday
2026-04-18 10:00 - 13:00 | Village One School, Sheffield, AL
Join us for our next volunteer event at Village One School. We’ll provide supplies and direction — no experience necessary. Work will include anything from cleaning, painting, scraping, to yard work, to organizing materials and more. Email or get in touch via social media to sign up and/or alert us to specialized skills you might share. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty in, such as jeans and closed-toe shoes. Feel free to bring work gloves, as well. If you’re not able to stay the whole morning, please stop by anyway to say “hi” and see what we’re up to! Volunteer workdays are generally the third Saturday, from March to October.

Village One School Volunteer Workday
2026-04-20 08:00 - 17:00 | AL

Project Threadways Symposium
2026-04-23 - 2026-04-24 | The Factory, 462 Lane Drive, Florence, AL, 35630, United States
Since 2019, Project Threadways has hosted annual symposia exploring the intersections of design, art, making, power, labor, and community. Each gathering has expanded on a central inquiry: how can making—especially through design and textiles—help us better understand the social, economic, and environmental systems we live within?
The 2026 Project Threadways Symposium continues this exploration through the theme of Regeneration. Presentations, workshops & exhibitions center cotton, from soil to shelf to symbol—who grows it, how it is nurtured, who benefits in the global marketplace & its generational legacy. Speakers explore power & representation in the supply chain, connect craft & culture and showcase pioneers who are restoring health & humanity to the world’s most ubiquitous fiber.
Regeneration reflects the core values of Project Threadways: slowness as care, sustainability as origin and education as liberation. It reckons with the harms of industrialized and extractive systems, offering repair through circularity, agency & authorship.
Registration is still open, and seating is limited. A waiting list will be available once capacity is reached.

“Echoes of the Forks of Cypress”
2026-04-24 17:00 | Shoals Theatre, 123 N. Seminary St., Florence, AL
Frederick Murphy is the founder of History Before Us, a project that aims to capture, preserve & advocate for influential history. His film “Echoes of the Forks of Cypress” follows his own research to trace his ancestry back to the Forks of Cypress, in Florence, and the journey of both Black and white descendants as they reckon with their shared past to consider a healing path forward.⁠⁠As part of the 2026 Symposium that MSNHA helps sponsor, Project Threadways will partner with Florence Arts and Museums to stage a screening of “Echoes of the Forks of Cypress.” After the film, Florence Arts & Museums Director Brian Murphy will lead a panel conversation with Frederick Murphy and three other descendants of the Forks of Cypress: Curtis Flowers, Tamisha Sales and Karen Curry. ⁠⁠⁠This event is free and open to the public.

Keep the Natchez Trace Beautiful!
2026-05-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Natchez Trace Parkway
Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area is partnering with Southern Native and Wildwood Tavern, both in Florence, to host a clean-up event on the Natchez Trace Parkway. We’ll have teams at three different locations — one in Mississippi, one in Alabama & one in Tennessee. (A choose-your-own-journey situation). Sign up for which location you’d like to attend. We’ll provide trash bags, and you bring whatever else you think is necessary. Afterwards we’ll meet up at Wildwood Tavern for lunch around 1:30 p.m.!

Belle Mont Celtic Fest
2026-05-08 10:00 - 16:00 | Belle Mont, 1569 Cook Lane, Tuscumbia, AL, 35674, United States
Join us at Belle Mont Mansion for the 5th annual Belle Mont Celtic Fest! We will have returning favorites such as the Sean Heely Band, Chambless and Muse and the Piper Jones Band.
There will also be Celtic themed vendors, food trucks, a Kids Tent, highland cows, historical discussions, demonstrations and more
More information about the Festival can be found at bellemontcelticfest.com.

Sheffield PorchFest
2026-05-09 | Sheffield, North Montgomery Avenue, Sheffield, AL, 35660, United States
Presented by Visit the Shoals, Fernhill Realty, WLAY, Noble Steed Music, and Russell Barbecue, Sheffield PorchFest is a free, family-friendly music festival held on the historic porches, sidewalks and front yards of Sheffield. For one afternoon each year, neighbors become hosts, porches become stages and the city’s streets fill with the sound of local musicians.
Rooted in the rich musical legacy of the Shoals and focused on the artists shaping it today, PorchFest is a celebration of the music, creativity and community that define the Center of the Shoals.

Belle Mont Mansion
2026-05-09 09:00 - 18:00 | Belle Mont, 1569 Cook Lane, Tuscumbia, AL, 35674, United States

Oakville Indian Mounds Festival
2026-05-09 10:00 - 16:00 | Oakville Indian Mounds Education Center, 1219 County Road 187, Danville, AL, 35619, United States
This annual educational festival features music, dancing, crafts, history and other family-friendly activities. Free admission. Friday, May 8, is for school groups.
