FORT PAYNE-At the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains lies DeKalb County, known for its abundance of outdoor recreation and beautiful scenery. Along with exploring nature and soaking in all that Mother Nature has to offer, the area also offers shopping adventures and free family fun, and the springtime is one of the best months for visitors to plan a trip to northeast Alabama.
A pickers paradise, the Vintage Pickin’ Spring Market will be held April 23-24, 2021, at the VFW Fairgrounds in Fort Payne. Shop from over 50 hand-selected vendors and dealers who will be traveling from across the country to display their best finds all in one location. The two-day event is a one-stop-shop for unique furnishings, antiques, spring-themed decor, farmhouse treasures, women and children clothing, gift items and more.
Hours and admission tickets are:
Early Pickin’ plus Weekend Passholder
Friday, Apr 23, 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. CDT
Access to early shopping on Friday from 12 to 3 p.m. plus this includes weekend pass good for free re-entry throughout the entire shopping event (Friday general admission 3:00–7:00 p.m. and Saturday general admission 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.)
Pre-order tickets online for $18 or $20 cash at the gate.
Friday General Admission
Friday, Apr 23, 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. CDT
Pre-order tickets online for $8 or $10 cash at gate.
Saturday General Admission
Saturday, Apr 24, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. CDT
Pre-order tickets online for $8 or pay $10 cash at gate.
Event is rain or shine and tickets are non-refundable. The sale is held at the VFW Fairgrounds located at 151 18th Street NE in Fort Payne, Ala. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.vintagepickin.com/
On Saturday, May 1, 2021, the public is invited to a day of fun at Memories of Mayberry in Valley Head, Ala. Enjoy antics from Barney Fife, Floyd the Barber and other Mayberry characters in a real life Mayberry. Additional entertainment includes arts and crafts, a cruise in, live music, a pie baking contest, a homemade dill pickle contest and a variety of children’s activities such as pony rides, train rides, slide and bouncy house and a balloon artist. The day-long event gets underway at 9 a.m. with proceeds benefiting Valley Head Fire Department. For more information, call 256-899-3776 or 256-635-6814 or visit the Facebook page at Memories of Mayberry Festival.
For a scenic shopping experience, visitors can take the back roads through the Appalachia region for a shop ‘til you drop experience. Set for May 13-16, 2021, from sunrise to sunset, the US 11 Antique Alley Yard Sale offers 502 miles of roadside sales from Meridian, Miss. through DeKalb County, and ending in Bristol, Va. Hundreds of yard sales offering treasures, unique finds and southern hospitality can be found along U.S. Highway 11 through Hammondville, Sulphur Springs, Valley Head, Fort Payne, Colbran, Portersville, and Collinsville, all located in DeKalb County. Please note there is a section of Highway 11 closed between Sulphur Springs and Hammondville. The detour reroutes travelers to the interstate between the Hammondville exit and Sulphur Springs exit. For more information, visit https://visitlookoutmountain.
For more information on the above events or on additional things to do in northeastern Alabama, visit www.VisitLookoutMountain.com or call DeKalb Tourism at 888.805.4740.
Media Release/John Dersham, President & CEO/DeKalb Tourism
