Happy Fourth!: The Can't-Miss Independence Day Attractions of Sweet Home 250

Sweet Home 250 is for everyone in the family, even your little ones! At the Kids’ Zone, your family can participate in an interactive recreation of Paul Revere’s ride, watch a nationally-acclaimed stunt dog show, befriend birds of prey from the Auburn University Raptor Center, and so much more! The Kids’ Zone, despite its name, is really for the whole family, capturing the cheer and festivity of our Sweet Home Alabama. Check out the Sweet Home 250 Children's Activities page so you can stay informed on all of the Kids’ Zone’s live puppet shows, movie viewings, and family-oriented performances.

Take a walk around the Village’s grounds, and you will immediately understand why it has become one of Shelby County’s staple landmarks. On this day of national pride, watch the events of the Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere’s Ride unfold at the West Wing of Independence Hall, or take in the intricacy and history poured into the miniature dioramas of the Pettus Randall Museum of American History, which date back half a century and visually chronicle events throughout the entirety of American history. Beat the heat and get a firsthand look at how American Village educates and entertains all who pass through it!  When you’re done perusing through the history on display, you can find refreshments and handcrafted sandwiches and drinks in the Merchants’ Coffee House, named after the tavern in Philadelphia where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were drafted.

 Satisfy your taste buds by getting a meal from America’s Kitchen! American Village is lucky enough to host some of Alabama’s best chefs, including Jonathan Harrison from Gordon Ramsay’s show Next Level Chef and Sally McKay from Hallmark Channel’s Baked With Love Holiday. Whether you’re craving something sweet from Sally’s Confections or something savory and undeniably-Southern from Jonathan Harrison and Natalie Gravois, you will find the bite that hits the right spot. Additionally, you will be able to enjoy the food with not just your taste buds, but also your eyes! Our celebrity chefs will be giving live cooking demonstrations in the Village’s replica of the White House’s East Room, where you can watch Chef Annie McDaniel cook historic recipes with Martha Washington, learn to bake and decorate the best American Flag cake, or add a Southern spin to your favorite dishes! If you’re feeling up for friendly competition after the demonstrations, register for one of the weekend’s eating contests, hosted by local radio celebrity Rick Burgess. These attractions and events are only available on Friday, July 3^rd.

Sweet Home 250 combines family fun and hard-hitting history, offering brief thirty-minute lectures, presentations, and performances on Alabama’s role in how we remember the fight for American Independence. As you watch these presentations, you will be immersed in historic replicas of quintessential American architectures, like replica venues of Congress Hall and the East Room of the White House, making you feel like you have been transported to the history that our lecturers (including everyone’s favorite weatherman James Spann!) will be presenting on. These stories are some of Sweet Home 250’s most special events, reminding us why we’ve come together to celebrate on this monumental weekend. You can find the programming schedule here.

The South serves as one of the musical capitols of America, and we are so excited to say that the live music lineup at Sweet Home 250 reflects that. From Taylor Hicks to Act of Congress to Chuck Leavell, local musical sensations will be coming in droves to give the American Village an amazing weekend of live performances that celebrate Southern music culture. Pack a picnic blanket and a couple of lawn chairs, because you’re going to want to stay awhile, and use Sweet Home 250’s site to see the performance schedules so you make it to all of your favorite artists’ sets!

We may be biased, but in our opinion, this is an essential part of your day at Sweet Home 250. Make a brief pit-stop and pick up some free merch while we plug you into all of the ways Shelby County visitors and residents alike can engage with the wider Shelby County community. We are your one-stop shop to discover the best attractions, restaurants, shops, and lodging (including special discounted lodging rates that Discover Shelby is exclusively offering for Sweet Home 250!) that Shelby County has to offer, so that you can make the most out of everything our county has to offer! You can even check out our itinerary that we’ve crafted for you that is written with the American Village visitor in mind! Thanks to Discover Shelby, Sweet Home 250 does not have to be the start and end to all of the fun and hospitality our home has to offer.

While you’re with us, you should also take advantage of the other programs and activities who’ve pitched a tent at American Village this year. Vendors, such as bakeries and artisans, will be the best place to find handcrafted souvenirs so you can take home a little piece of Sweet Home 250 or confections that you can only find in Shelby County, home to one of the most robust foodie communities in the country. From all over the state of Alabama, organizations are coming to Sweet Home 250 to make the history we’re celebrating hit closer to home. At the FamilySearch tent, you can discover your patriot ancestor. With the Blue Star Salute Foundation, you will find new ways to engage with and honor veterans from past and present. America’s Marketplace reflects the community and hospitality of not just America, but specifically in our Sweet Home, Shelby County.

No Fourth of July Celebration is complete without a firework show, and American Village puts on one of the best shows you will see all weekend. The show starts at 9:00, and further admission is barred at 8:30, so make sure you arrive sometime earlier in the evening to get a good viewing spot! You are strictly forbidden from personal fireworks or sparklers from outside the Village. The show is only scheduled on the evening of the 4^th, so if you come to the main festival on the 3^rd, don’t forget to return the next night for one of the most spectacular fireworks shows in the whole county!