Can’t Miss Alabama: Plan an amazing weekend with fantastic fall festivals, food and entertainment

Greek Food Festival

All ages will enjoy the 51st annual Greek Food Festival in Birmingham Oct. 3-5 from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Authentic Greek foods include souvlakia, pastichio, Greek chicken, dolmathes, veggie plates, Greek salad, gyros, baklava, kourambiethes, melomakarona, koulourakia and loukoumathes. Follow this link for the complete menu. Coca-Cola products will be available along with Greek beer and wine. Drive-thru hours are 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Greek dancers will perform all three days. Free parking is available at the former Liberty National building one block away on Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard between Third and Fourth avenues. To learn more, visit bhamgreekfestival.com. The festival is at 307 19th St. South.

The Greek Food Festival offers an abundance of delicious Greek cuisine in downtown Birmingham. (contributed)

Feast on homemade Greek entrees and desserts at Birmingham’s oldest cultural food festival. (Elaine Lyda)

Feast on homemade Greek entrees and desserts at Birmingham’s oldest cultural food festival. (contributed)

Feast on homemade Greek entrees and desserts at Birmingham’s oldest cultural food festival. (Elaine Lyda)

Feast on homemade Greek entrees and desserts at Birmingham’s oldest cultural food festival. (contributed)

Enjoy Greek music, dancing and a warm-spirited atmosphere that embraces everyone as family. (contributed)

Greek dancers of all ages will perform. (contributed)

Enjoy Greek music, dancing and a warm-spirited atmosphere that embraces everyone as family. (contributed)

Cullman Oktoberfest

The Cullman Oktoberfest is an annual celebration of German heritage. Streets will be filled with lively music, cultural displays and delicious German cuisine. Hours are Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. The full schedule is here. Dates and times are subject to change. For updates, follow on Facebook. The venue is at 309 First Ave. NE.

Experience the heartwarming charm of Cullman’s Oktoberfest Oct. 3-5. (Cullman Parks and Recreation)

Experience the heartwarming charm of Cullman’s Oktoberfest Oct. 3-5. (Cullman Parks and Recreation)

Experience the heartwarming charm of Cullman’s Oktoberfest Oct. 3-5. (Cullman Parks and Recreation)

Moundville Native American Festival

The University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park will celebrate the cultures of Southeastern Native Americans at its annual festival Oct. 3-5. Festival attendees will have the chance to meet Native American artisans, see traditional dances, listen to stories and music and support Native American businesses. The children’s area will feature lessons on how to play stickball, chunky and other activities. There will also be an array of vendors and food trucks, including the popular fry bread tacos. Tickets are available for purchase only at the event. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Celebrate the cultures of Southeastern Native Americans at Moundville’s annual festival Oct. 3-5. (The University of Alabama Museums)

Celebrate the cultures of Southeastern Native Americans at Moundville’s annual festival Oct. 3-5. (The University of Alabama Museums)

Celebrate the cultures of Southeastern Native Americans at Moundville’s annual festival Oct. 3-5. (The University of Alabama Museums)

Celebrate the cultures of Southeastern Native Americans at Moundville’s annual festival Oct. 3-5. (The University of Alabama Museums)

Food Truck Friday turns pink

The city of Birmingham will shine a light on Breast Cancer Awareness Month Friday, Oct. 4, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of City Hall. In an effort to bring attention to the fight against breast cancer, StrongHer organizers will pair with Food Truck Friday. Attendees are encouraged to wear pink. Enjoy music from a DJ with a girl power playlist; a pink parade in Linn Park to honor loved ones; a chance to move through line dancing; mindful breathing exercises with a yoga instructor; and a table for attendees to write encouraging messages, which will be shared with breast cancer patients or survivors.

Brewton Rodeo

See some of the best professional cowboy and cowgirl riders in action at the Brewton Chamber of Commerce Rodeo Oct. 4-5. Riders will compete in the Professional Cowboy Association (PCA) sanctioned rodeo at the Brewton Municipal Arena in O’Bannon Park with gates opening at 6 p.m. Bareback riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc, tie-down roping, break-away, team roping and bull riding are among the events planned. Buy tickets here.

Professional riders will be in Brewton to compete in a PCA-sanctioned rodeo in hopes of being one of the top 15 contestants in the PCA Final. (CM Graves Photography and Images)

Professional riders will be in Brewton to compete in a PCA-sanctioned rodeo in hope of being one of the top 15 contestants in the PCA Final. (CM Graves Photography and Images)

Professional riders will be in Brewton to compete in a PCA-sanctioned rodeo in hopes of being one of the top 15 contestants in the PCA Final. (CM Graves Photography and Images)

NASCAR Playoffs Weekend

Experience the high-stakes thrill of NASCAR Playoffs Weekend at Talladega Oct. 4-6:

To buy tickets, visit talladegasuperspeedway.com.

Settle in for a weekend full of race playoff excitement at Talladega Superspeedway Oct. 4-6. (Talladega Superspeedway)

Alabama Butterbean Festival

The Alabama Butterbean Festival, a family event, will welcome visitors to Pinson Oct. 4-5. Performers will take the main stage Friday night and Saturday afternoon. Attendees can anticipate carnival rides, a 5K run, a pet parade and fireworks. Additionally, the festival will highlight hundreds of crafters, makers, artists and artisans. Bucky Butterbean, the event’s mascot, will be available for photos and hugs. The festival will take place at Pinson Main Street and Pinson Boulevard.

Bucky Butterbean will be available for photos and hugs. (Alabama Butterbean Festival / Facebook)

Pet owners can show off their furry, feathered and scaled friends at the pet parade. (Alabama Butterbean Festival / Facebook)

The Alabama Butterbean Festival has sweet treats, fair food delicacies and, of course, butterbeans. (Alabama Butterbean Festival / Facebook)

Renew Our Rivers cleanups

Renew Our Rivers (ROR) is a national-award-winning campaign originated by Alabama Power in 2000. Since its start, more than 131,000 volunteers have removed more than 8,300 tons of trash and debris from rivers, lakes and creeks across four Southeastern states.

October cleanups:

Oct. 3: Mobile River (Plant Barry). Contact Jeff Reeves at 251-829-2746.
Oct. 5: Lake Mitchell (Coosa River). Contact Ken McElroy at 205-907-6011.
Oct. 10: Plant Miller (Locust Fork). Contact Marybeth Vines at 205-488-2033 or mewillis@southernco.com.
Oct. 11: Smith Lake (Cullman County). Contact Jim Murphy at 205-529-5981.
Oct. 22-24: R.L. Harris (Tallapoosa River-Lake Wedowee). Contact Crystal White at 256-396-5093 or Scott Teal at 770-301-7494.

Cleanup supplies will be provided. For the complete ROR schedule, visit apcshorelines.com.