LEIGHTON-Alabama’s bicentennial and the history of the state’s first chartered college and a Civil War-era military
academy will be celebrated May 3-5 at the annual Recall LaGrange Festival
The festival is held at LaGrange College Site Park, 1491 LaGrange College Road in Leighton.
Louise Lenz, an organizer of the festival, said with this year being the culmination of Alabama Bicentennial
Celebration, she is expecting people from far and near to attend the festival that pays homage to LaGrange
College, which became the University of North Alabama, and to LaGrange Military Academy, which was
burned during the Civil War. Both were located at what is now LaGrange College Site Park.
“Every year, we have people from all over come to our festival,” Lenz said. ”With this year being Alabama’s
bicentennial, we are expecting an even bigger crowd. The bicentennial has renewed everyone’s interest in
our state’s history and they are attending festival and events to learn more about our heritage.”
Lenz said LaGrange College Site Park is steeped in history and the festival brings that history to life.
Friday, May 3 will be school day and senior citizen day. Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5 will be open
to the public. The festival will be open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. each day. Admission is free. Donations are
appreciated.
The festival, sponsored by the LaGrange Living Historical Association, provides an opportunity to
experience what life was like atop LaGrange Mountain in the 1800s.
Daily activities include tours of a pioneer village, a Civil War living history camp, arts and crafts
demonstrations and sales, wagon rides to LaGrange Cemetery and musical entertainment. Saturday’s
activities include a reenactment of a raid on a moonshine still at 2 p.m. and a vintage and classic car show.
Tours of nearby Dawson Distillery will be available. Local author Robert Steen will attend the festival with
copies of his latest books. The LaGrange Observatory will be open for tours. Concessions will be available.
Susann Hamlin, president and CEO of Colbert County Tourism, said Recall LaGrange is one of the most
popular festivals in the Shoals. “The organizers and volunteers at Recall LaGrange do a fantastic job
teaching the history of Colbert County and the state.”
For more details about the festival call Lenz at 256-446-9324 or Colbert County Tourism at 256-383-0783.
