Sweet Home 250 – Alabama’s Official Celebration of America 250

On July 4, 2026, America will celebrate its 250th birthday. Nationwide celebrations will mark this historic milestone, and the official event for the State of Alabama is being organized by the America 250 Alabama Commission.

The centerpiece of Alabama’s celebration will be held at The American Village, a unique venue in Montevallo.

Sweet Home 250: Where Freedom Feels Like Home is a two-day music, arts & food festival happening on July 3-4, 2026. Sweet Home 250 will honor Alabama’s rich musical heritage by featuring artists from across the state, while celebrating our history, visual arts, and culinary traditions.

Sweet Home 250 runs July 3 and July 4, 2026, from 11:00 am to 10:30 pm each day. Doors open at 11:00 am with programming starting at 11:30 am. Last admission is at 8:30 pm each day.

Sweet Home 250 includes an impressive lineup of Alabama musical artists, including Taylor Hicks, The Blind Boys and Alabama and Myles Morgan.

Celebrity chefs and eating contests will be featured on Friday in America’s Kitchen.

An Alabama classic takes center stage at the Conecuh Little Chief Challenge. Contestants will race to eat as many legendary Conecuh Little Chief Premium Franks as possible in five minutes — and with sausage this good, who needs a bun?

Presented in partnership with Priester’s Pecans, an Alabama original known for handcrafted pecan treats since 1935. What began as a small roadside stop in Fort Deposit has grown into one of the South’s most beloved pecan brands—still family-owned and rooted in tradition. Contestants will face off to see who can eat the most of Priester’s famous mini pecan pies in five minutes—or race to be the first to finish 15 pies.

Think you can handle the cold? Step up and prove it! Watch (or compete!) as brave contestants race against the clock to devour as many Blue Bell Vanilla Mini Ice Cream Cups as possible in just 5 minutes. It’s fast, it’s freezing, and it’s guaranteed to have the crowd cheering—and shivering!

Also featured will be America’s Stories – the stories that shaped our nation. Storytellers include:

  • Cameron Marasco, author of the Freedom Friends children’s book series
  • Author Betty Bolté, highlighting the life of Mary Katherine Goddard, a pioneering Revolutionary-era printer
  • Author and historian Mike Bunn, sharing the story behind his book, The Fourteenth Colony
  • Author Lisa McNair, discussing her book Dear Denise: Letters to The Sister I Never Knew
  • Kyle Williams, Curator of Living History at the History Museum of Mobile, talking about a critical chapter of the Revolution that unfolded right here on the Gulf Coast
  • Brantley James, History Museum of Mobile’s Curator of Education, exploring James Willing’s 1778 expedition through British West Florida
  • Courtney Pinkard, introducing beginners to family history research through the resources of the Alabama Department of Archives and History
  • Museum Collections Curator Jenna Abbott sharing the fascinating history of Alabama’s replica Liberty Bell — from the nationwide Independence Bond Drive of the 1950s to the careful conservation efforts preserving it for America’s 250th anniversary and future generations
  • Tyler Malugani, Deputy Director at Sloss Furnace, will explore the roots of Alabama’s industrial history and trace them to the rise of Birmingham and the boom of industrial growth that followed
  • Join artist Tara Stallworth Lee as she presents An Alabama Song: Volume One. Part personal journal and musical map, this visual archive takes you on a journey through Alabama’s rich musical landscape.
  • Long before the first shots were fired, America’s pastors were helping shape the ideas that would lead to independence. Known by the British as the “Black Robe Regiment,” these ministers preached liberty, self-government, and resistance to tyranny from their pulpits. Join Rick Burgess and discover how faith, conviction, and courage helped inspire a revolution and sustain a nation at war.

At Sweet Home 250, children won’t just watch the celebration — they’ll jump right into the action. The Kids’ Zone is packed with hands-on fun, interactive learning, and high-energy entertainment designed to spark imagination and excitement all day long Friday AND Saturday!

Young guests can enjoy:

★ A lively puppet show filled with patriotic storytelling

★ An action-packed, interactive reenactment of Paul Revere’s Ride

★ Classic festival games, including cornhole and giant Jenga

★ Thrilling stunt dog show that will have the whole family cheering

★ Up-close encounters with some incredible birds featuring the Auburn University Raptor Center

From lively entertainment to larger-than-life games and live animal experiences, the Kids’ Zone blends fun, learning, and freedom in a way only Sweet Home 250 can.

Bring the whole family — because celebrating America’s 250th birthday should be just as magical for kids as it is for grown-ups.

Get more information and purchase tickets at the festival website, www.sweethome250.com

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